$2.5 Settlement Against Mom For Allowing Underage Drinking

Waukegan, IL. - A north suburban woman who allowed teens to drink in her home prior to a traffic accident that left one teen paralyzed has been ordered to pay $2.5 million in a settlement approved Wednesday in Lake County Circuit Court.

Lake County Judge Christopher Starck approved the settlement against Lauralee Pfeifer of Lake Forest for allowing the drinking that attorneys claimed led to the paralysis of George Baldwin, now 22, according to a release from the plaintiffs' law firm.

During the late afternoon of Nov. 19, 2006, attorneys claimed that Lauralee Pfeifer allowed her daughters, ages 16 and 17, to have a party with teen friends, the release said. Despite numerous opportunities to step in and stop the beer drinking that was occurring in an upstairs bedroom, Pfeifer did nothing to prevent the teens' intoxication, attorneys argued.

When her husband, Brandt Pfeifer arrived at the home, the teens scrambled to leave. Two of those who were asked to leave were William Klairmont, then 18, and Baldwin, then 19, the release said.

Klairmont had driven to the party earlier in the day and after consuming a number of alcoholic beverages at the Pfeifer residence, was forced to drive home, attorneys claimed. While traveling north on Route 43 in Lake Bluff, he lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a utility box. The accident left Baldwin paralyzed from the chest down.

The remaining case against the driver, Klairmont, and his insurance companies will go to trial on March 2 in Waukegan, the release said. Klairmont has admitted fault and Baldwin is not accused of any wrongdoing.

"The growing trend in society is to hold parents accountable when serious injury or death results from otherwise preventable underage drinking," attorney Patrick Salvi II said in the release. 'As one can see with this settlement, the consequences for parents can be civil liability."

"The $2.5 million payment represents the entire amount of Lauralee Pfeifer's homeowner's insurance. George [Klairmont] could have insisted on pursuing Mrs. Pfeifer's assets beyond her insurance limit but decided against it," Salvi said.