LIHU‘E — The woman motorcycle passenger who suffered multiple injuries in an accident last year is suing the driver of the car that allegedly ran over her. Lisa Wilson alleges that Byron Say was negligent, careless, and reckless when he
LIHU‘E — The woman motorcycle passenger who suffered multiple injuries in an accident last year is suing the driver of the car that allegedly ran over her.
Lisa Wilson alleges that Byron Say was negligent, careless, and reckless when he rear-ended the motorcycle she was on.
Wilson seeks unspecified general and special damages to be proven at a jury trial.
The lawsuit was filed last month.
“Byron Say was served, and we’re looking forward to proceeding toward judgment in an expeditious manner,” said Wilson’s attorney, Mark Zenger.
Say could not be reached for comment.
Wilson was a passenger on her boyfriend Steve Wheeler’s motorcycle and heading toward Hanalei just after crossing the one-lane bridge over the Hanalei River along Kuhio Highway.
According the lawsuit, at about 2:30 p.m. on June 25, Say rear-ended the motorcycle with a rented Ford Focus, then ran over Wilson’s entire body and fled the scene.
Wilson suffered severe injuries to her head, chest, ribs, lungs, spleen, shoulders, pelvis, hips, knees, legs, arms and back, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit shows that Wilson suffered mental anguish, lost enjoyment of life, employment, employability and has permanent partial disabilities.
Wilson, 48, of Hanapepe, filed the lawsuit because of the injuries.
“I have no use of my left arm. I may never get on my left knee again. I may never get on my knees again,” she said.
Wilson said that she cannot work anymore, and her doctor told her she is 100 percent disabled.
“On my right side, I cannot touch the top of my head, or even reach the upper shelves at the grocery stores,” she said.
Wilson pointed out that she is in pain 24 hours a day, seven days a week, which brings her to tears.
“I have to take painkillers every day,” she said.
A fund-raiser was held in November to help with medical bills.
“I have no medical insurance. Because of the goodness of the community, the donations were for my future medical bills. All the donations are practically gone, and were used for living expenses,” she said.
Wilson noted that she relives the accident at least four or five times a week.
“I relive what the undercarriage of the car looks like. I have nightmares almost every night,” she said.
She pointed out that she never lost consciousness from the time the accident took place until she was put in an air ambulance and taken to The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu, a time period of about 2 1/2 hours.
She thanked all the emergency professionals on Kaua‘i, and she thanked the nurses and doctors.
She also thanked the community members for standing behind her, and asked the community members to stand behind her again next month when Say’s jury trial on the criminal charges is scheduled to take place.
Say faces four felony counts in connection with the accident. He was charged with causing serious bodily injury while driving in a negligent manner, and with leaving the scene of an accident.
He was also charged with promoting a dangerous drug, and with possession of drug paraphernalia.
Court records show that Say, 37, of Hanalei, fled into taro fields near the one-lane Hanalei Bridge after the accident.
Say’s jury trial is set for April 3.
