HOPE, Ark–A Hope woman who was severely injured in a collision with a tractor trailer last year was prompted to take her own life in mid-July because of “extreme pain and suffering” and the “hopelessness” of her situation, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday in Hempstead County circuit court.
The estate of Karen Osorio filed a civil complaint seeking damages from T&J Truck of Pine Bluff Inc. and driver James Cannon in connection with a collision late on the morning of Sept. 30, 2023. Osorio was three months pregnant with her first child and a passenger in an SUV traveling southbound on State Highway 195 when a tractor trailer being driven by Cannon allegedly failed to yield the right of way as it turned left across the highway from the Tyson Feed Mill driveway access, according to the complaint.
The driver of the SUV, who has the same last name as the child listed in probate documents for Osorio’s estate, attempted to brake but didn’t have enough time to avoid the crash, the complaint said.
“Karen was three months pregnant at the time of this collision” and “was forced to endure the pain and trauma of her injuries while also enduring the pain and trauma of her first pregnancy,” the complaint said.
Osorio’s injuries included “serious head injuries, including loss of consciousness at the scene as well as concussion with loss of memory,” injuries to her neck, a broken collar bone, serious “trauma, bleeding and scarring to her face and head,” the complaint said. Following the wreck, Osorio allegedly experienced “nightmares, anxiety and flashbacks.”
The lawsuit alleges that Cannon had a clear line of sight when he entered the highway, blocking the SUV’s path. The estate is seeking damages for negligence from both Cannon and T&J Trucking for negligence, including punitive damages.
The defendants have not yet filed a response to the complaint. Osorio’s estate is represented by Jay Neal of Taylor King Law. The case has been assigned to Circuit Court Judge Joseph Short.
