Clifford Law Offices Files Lawsuit On Behalf of War Correspondent Severely Injured When Struck by Vehicle

Clifford Law Offices, a nationally renown personal injury firm in Chicago, filed a lawsuit on June 25, 2010 in Rockford against the driver of a vehicle who allegedly fell asleep behind the wheel of her car and struck a war correspondent who has covered every major war in the last 20 years.

Timothy S. Tomasik, partner at Clifford Law Offices, filed the action on behalf of Kevin T. Dougherty of  who was struck on Illinois Route 64 by a vehicle driven by Kim Lawfer of Sullivan Foods.

Dougherty, who turned 50 yesterday, was completing a walk across America on April 28 of this year when the vehicle driven by Kim Lawfer, a driver for Sullivan Foods, struck him after she crossed over the center line onto the opposite shoulder striking Dougherty, near Arnold Road.  He was airlifted via emergency helicopter to St. Anthony Medical Center in Rockford for intensive care and treatment. He has since been transferred to a local rehabilitation center.

"Mr. Dougherty is a patriotic American who has faced great danger in reporting the news from the front lines of some of the most dangerous places in the world. It is a tragedy that he was injured so severely and unnecessarily here back home as he attempted to complete his walk across America in honor of a great friend who died,"  said Tomasik. "He will face a life of rehabilitation and his injuries happened right here." Dougherty, a Prospect Heights native, was previously a reporter with the Daily Herald.

Dougherty has covered every major war since 1990 including battles in Bosnia, Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo and was completing a walk across America when he was negligently struck by the vehicle operated by Sullivan Foods.

An officer at the scene reported he had been told the driver feel asleep at the wheel, according to the complaint. The complaint, filed in state court, alleges the jurisdictional minimum of $50,000 for the Law Division.