Derrick Thomas' Mother Sues GM

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October 30, 2000

Derrick Thomas’ Mother Sues GM

The Kansas City Star - October 30, 2000

The Kansas City Star

10/30/2000

The mother of former Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Derrick Thomas has filed suit in Jackson County Circuit Court against General Motors and other defendants she claims are responsible for his injuries and death.

Thomas was paralyzed in a crash last January when his Chevy Suburban slid off an icy roadway and rolled over several times south of KCI Airport. He later died from a blood clot in his lung while rehabilitating at a Miami hospital.

Thomas was injured when the roof of the vehicle crushed in 8 to 10 inches when it rolled over. “As we allege in the suit, the roof of the Suburban should have retained its structural integrity during a reasonably foreseeable rollover,” said Kansas City attorney Gary C. Robb, who represents Edith Morgan, Thomas’ mother.

Given Derrick’s height of 6 feet 4 inches, the failure of the roof structure to remain intact caused his severe cervical spine damage. Robb said that Thomas suffered various fractures to four of his cervical vertebrae due to the roof crush as well as a closed head injury. “You can pretty much tell how he was injured by looking at the severe roof deformation on that vehicle,” said Robb.

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