After being shot while fleeing a dispute with a driver, Amazon worker Jaylen Walker has filed a $250 million civil lawsuit against Larry Thomlison.
Walker became paralyzed from the resulting injury Thomlinson inflicted on him during an attack in a St. Charles, Missouri Target parking lot. The incident happened on March 5, according to the filing from Walker’s attorney, Mark Cantor on Tuesday, March 12.
The 21-year-old was working as a delivery driver for an Amazon subcontractor and parked his van in a handicap spot as he helped a co-worker with packages.
“Mr. Thomlinson didn’t like where he parked his van,” Cantor of Cantor Injury Law told Fox 2 Now St. Louis Tuesday.
That’s when 65-year-old Larry Thomlison confronted Walker over the parking spot, local authorities said. Thomlison had his cellphone in hand to capture what unfolded. Walker told Thomlison he would move his truck but things got heated from there.
“Mr. Thomlison continued to film him, pushed him, then punched my client in the head,” Cantor says.
According to the filing, Walker tried to run away and as he did Thomlinson shot Walker in the back. He now has spinal cord damage and has been paralyzed from the abdomen down.
“Thomlison coldly walked by [Walker] and stared him down as [Walker] laid crippled and coughing up blood in the parking lot,” the lawsuit says ” according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
This suit, which accuses Thomlison of negligence, battery, and assault, is seeking punitive damages for Walker.
“We’re seeking as much as a jury will reward,” Cantor says. “I will ask — punitive damages are designed to send a message — whether or not they’re collectible is another question. But we’ll probably ask for $250 million or more.”
A jury will ultimately decide what amount, if any, Walker will get. Cantor says although he has not seen it, there is security footage of the encounter and he believes it will support his case. It has been requested by Cantor Injury Law.
Walker’s civil suit marks the third filing stemming from this incident. He already has a criminal case and a workers’ compensation case. The former led to first degree charges of assault and armed criminal action against Thomlinson from the St. Charles County prosecutor. The worker’s comp case was filed by Cantor on his client’s behalf.
“It will pay two-thirds of your average weekly wage for as long as you’re disabled, which in this case may be forever,” the attorney says.
Should Walker, who is the sole provider for his 1-year-old son, win the civil suit, Missouri law requires him to repay the funds he collected from the worker’s comp filing, Cantor said. The lawyer added his team is still looking to see what insurance coverage and assets Thomlison has.
A settlement could take years to be reached.
In the meantime, Walker’s family has established a GoFundMe to help his road to recovery. So far, it’s raised $66,000 of its $150,000 goal.
