Opinion ID: 712203
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: 3 On the afternoon of December 31, 1990, Don Shepard was visiting his fiancee, Tammy Shafer, at her home in Champaign, Illinois. 1 Mr. Shepard and Ms. Shafer, who had been dating for several months, each had children from prior marriages. Ms. Shafer's eleven year-old son Shad was present for Mr. Shepard's visit. At approximately 12:30 p.m., Mr. Shepard prepared to leave for nearby Tolono to pick up one of his children. It was decided that Shad would accompany Mr. Shepard on the trip. 4 Mr. Shepard and Shad left the house and got into Mr. Shepard's Jeep CJ-7 which was parked in the garage. Ms. Shafer was also present in the garage when Mr. Shepard and Shad entered the Jeep. The Jeep then exited the garage and began the short trip to Tolono. At some point during the trip, Mr. Shepard lost control of the vehicle. The Jeep slid out of control, left the roadway, and proceeded to roll over, throwing Mr. Shepard and Shad from the vehicle. The Jeep ultimately came to rest on its side, pinning Shad underneath. Mr. Shepard and Shad were both hospitalized for their injuries. After undergoing treatment and surgery, Mr. Shepard was released on January 7, 1991. The accident rendered Shad, who had suffered a basilar skull fracture and injuries to his brain from a cardiorespiratory arrest, unable to communicate. 5 In the hours and days following the accident, Mr. Shepard made statements to various third parties that he and Shad had not been wearing their seat belts. According to the deposition testimony of Officer Dale Miholic, who had spoken to Mr. Shepard at the scene of the accident, Mr. Shepard told him that Shad had not been wearing his seat belt at the time of the accident. 2 Officer Robert Weston, who had investigated the accident and had spoken to Mr. Shepard at the hospital, 3 and Detective Zane Ziegler, a police officer who had sold Mr. Shepard the Jeep, 4 gave similar deposition testimony. At the hospital, Mr. Shepard also told Cheryl Shepard, his former wife, that Shad had not been wearing his seat belt. 5 6 Ms. Shafer also made statements to third parties that Shad had not been wearing a seat belt. According to the deposition of Sandra Kline, Shad's home care nurse, [Ms. Shafer] just told me that Shad was riding in an open Jeep, that he was not wearing a seat belt, that her fiance was driving the Jeep. R. 77, Deposition of Sandra Kline, Ex. N at 8-9. On November 19, 1991, Mrs. Shepard, as Guardian of the Estate of Shad Shafer, and Mr. Shepard filed their original complaint. The original complaint, which named only Chrysler Corporation and Bestop as defendants, did not allege that the seat belts in the Jeep were defective. 6 7 Six days after the complaint was filed, Mr. Shepard testified at a child custody hearing concerning his children from the prior marriage. Mr. Shepard, who was represented by counsel, testified under oath that neither he nor Shad had been wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident. When questioned further about the accident, he stated: Inadvertently that day we were talking and just did not put on our seat belts. R. 77, Custody Hearing Transcript, Ex. K at 175. 8 In December of 1991, defendant Bestop served interrogatories on the plaintiffs. Mrs. Shepard responded to the interrogatories on Shad's behalf. Interrogatory No. 57, together with Mrs. Shepard's response, reads: 9 57. If at the time of the occurrence referred to in the complaint the vehicle occupied by you was equipped with seat belts or shoulder harnesses, state: 10 (a) Whether the seat belt or shoulder harness was being worn by you and if so, what was worn; 11 (b) If either the shoulder harness or seat belt was not worn by you, why each was not worn; 12 (c) The position in the car where you were seated; 13 (d) Your height and weight at the time. Answer: 14 A. No. 15