Toomey Files $10 Million Lawsuit

One year after a Satsuma teenager was paralyzed in a car crash, his family has filed a $10 million lawsuit.

The suit blames General Motors, Mobile County and the City of Prichard for the accident that seriously injured Joseph Toomey.

Toomey, who was 16 at the time, was driving to pick up his sister from gymnastics when he crashed on Kushla McLeod Road in November 2007. The teen's attorney, Richard Taylor, says an upside sign in the curve of the road contributed to the accident.

Neighbors tell News Five the sign has been broken since Hurricane Katrina, and despite numerous complaints the sign has never been fixed. "I've told them probably 25 times," says Charles Williams who lives on Kushla McLeod Road. "They keep saying they'll fix it."

News Five contacted Mayor Ron Davis' office about the sign Tuesday, and city crews fixed it within hours, but a spokesperson for city denied any fault in the accident. LaToya Veal says Prichard officials offer condolences to the family but believe speed caused the crash.

Toomey's attorneys say the teen was not speeding.

The lawsuit also points a finger at General Motors, the manufacturer who built Toomey's 1999 GMC Jimmy. The suit claims the seatbelt and roof of the vehicle were not designed to withstand a roll over crash.

Taylor says the $10 million price tag on the lawsuit is intended to cover the cost of a life-long care plan for the teenager.

General Motors acknowledged receiving the lawsuit, but a spokesperson for the company tells News Five they are not prepared to comment.

Mobile County Commissioner Steve Nodine also declined to comment, saying the county does not discuss pending litigation.