Opinion ID: 1798404
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Injuries of Susan St. Piere Conklin.

Text: The jury awarded damages to Susan St. Piere Conklin in the amount of $3,500 for pain, suffering, and disability. Mrs. Conklin was born on February 25, 1945. She was in the back seat of the car when the collision occurred and stated that upon impact she was pushed forward, causing her to hit her head on the front seat. She visited Dr. Tax, complaining of headaches and backaches. At the time of the trial she was still experiencing headaches, backaches, and pains in her shoulder. She also testified that her injuries interfered with her housework. Before the accident she had earned $5 to $10 per week employed as a baby-sitter. She had to discontinue this type of employment after the accident. She stated that she gets backaches when she sits down and that this fact impedes her present employment on an assembly line. Dr. Tax examined Mrs. Conklin on 15 occasions and testified that her injuries consisted of a musculo-ligamentous strain of the cervical spine, myositis of both trapezius muscles and a contusion of her gum. Dr. Tax also examined Mrs. Conklin the night before the trial and found that there  was tenderness medial to the right shoulder joint and a weakness in the grip of her right hand. He expressed the opinion that since this weakness and tenderness had persisted for three years, it constituted a permanent disability. Mrs. Conklin was examined on one occasion by Dr. Salinsky, and he testified that she had sustained a cervical-dorsal strain following the whiplash effect to her head and neck. He also indicated that the patient could anticipate future pain and stiffness to the base of her cervical spine. He further testified that Mrs. Conklin had sustained an injury to the musculo-rotator cuff and that the residual complaint of pain involving the right shoulder was consistent with the healed injury involving the cuff. When Dr. Coles, the defendants' examining physician, examined Mrs. Conklin, he found that she had probably sustained a contusion to the forehead, a cervical strain, a contusion of the right shoulder and a lumbo-sacral sprain as a result of the accident. He was not able to find any evidence of permanent residuals resulting from the accident.