Lawsuit Follows Crash During Teen Drag Race

KULR-8 News features Solomon Neuhardt on the Dangers of Speed Racing

The families of three Billings teenagers injured in an accident have filed a District Court lawsuit alleging the accident happened during a drag race.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for alleged negligence by Chad Teal for an incident on May 23 near the intersection of Overland Avenue and South 24th Street West. The lawsuit also names his mother, Nadine Teal, as a defendant.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of three passengers - Rodney Cabrera, Taylor Venegas and Paul Juren, and their parents - who were in a car driven by Matt Evenson. The lawsuit alleges that Evenson and Teal were racing when the 1978 Chevrolet Caprice driven by Evenson went through a stop sign and hit a pickup truck.

"The defendant Chad Teal's willful and reckless disregard for the safety of the plaintiffs by drag racing against Matt Evenson caused injuries to the plaintiffs," the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit, filed Oct. 9 by Billings attorney Solomon Neuhardt, seeks damages for medical expenses, lost earnings, "severe pain and suffering of mind and body, impaired earning capacity, loss of normal course of living, loss of consortium, and loss of society."

Neuhardt said claims by his clients against Evenson, who was cited for reckless driving as a result of the incident, have been settled without litigation. Teal's insurance company has denied any fault in the accident, which led to the lawsuit, Neuhardt said.