March 18--A Cook County jury has awarded nearly $26 million to a former Chicago area lawyer and his wife after he was seriously injured in a crash while riding in a taxi on Interstate 294 about 10 years ago.
Marc M. Jacobs was a passenger in a Yellow Cab taxi, traveling south on I-294 near Ogden Avenue on Aug. 31, 2005 when the driver "lost control of the taxicab and crashed into a concrete barrier," according to a complaint filed by Jacobs.
Jacobs, who was 44 at the time of the crash, worked as a real estate partner at Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum Nagelberg.
He had severe brain damage as a result of the accident and could not continue working at the law firm, according to a statement from the Clifford Law Offices, which represented Jacobs and his wife.
Marc and Debbie Jacobs filed a lawsuit accusing the driver, Cornelus C. Ezeagu, of negligence. Their lawsuit also named the owner of the cab, Matthew Ezeagu, as well as Yellow Cab Affiliation, Inc., and other companies, but the verdict was against the driver and Yellow Cab only.
Jacobs suffered "injuries of a personal and pecuniary nature" and his wife suffered "loss of services, support, affection, society, companionship and consortium of her husband," according to the complaint.
In a verdict reached Tuesday, a jury awarded Jacobs about $21.99 million and his wife about $3.96 million. At the time of the accident the couple lived in Hinsdale but now live in California.
