Clifford Law Offices Obtains $3.5 Million Settlement on Behalf of Family of SIU Student Killed by Negligent Trucker

    Clifford Law Offices yesterday, December 18, 2008, obtained a $3.5 million settlement on behalf of a photojournalist who was on his way to an assignment for his college student newspaper in downstate Carbondale, Illinois.

    Ryan Rendleman, 22 and a senior at Southern Illinois University, was driving on an assignment for the Daily Egyptian, the university newspaper, to cover the story of a five-year-old girl dying of a terminal illness.  Traveling on Illinois Route 127 just south of Nashville, IL, he came upon road construction signs and a flagger notifying motorists of a single-lane.  Rendleman was stopped behind a tractor flatbed railer rig in his 1997 Honda Civic.  Another tractor trailer loaded with 40 tons of agricultural lime ignored the warning signs and struck Rendleman from behind, causing his death.  The driver of that rig admitted he was adjusting the tuning of his satellite radio immediately prior to the crash.

    Rendleman, of Batavia, was scheduled to graduate in two weeks.  His brother, Nicolas, accepted his diploma at the University.  The accident occurred on April 29 last year.

    “This terrible tragedy demonstrates the critical importance of paying attention on the road, especially when there is construction,” said Robert Clifford, senior partner at Clifford Law Offices.  “Taking the life of this fine young man was so senseless and the family is forever devastated because the driver of a truck did not concentrate on what he should have been when in control of such a dangerous, heavy load.” Thomas K. Prindable, Managing Partner at Clifford Law Offices, also was an attorney on the matter on behalf of the family.

    The defendants, Effingham Equity of Effingham, Illinois, and the driver Kevin Morrison of downstate Illinois were represented by Thomas C. Hofbauer of Waukesha, Wisconsin.

    The settlement was reached by mediation.  Circuit Court Judge Dennis G. Hatch of downstate Washington County approved the settlement.