Utah Woman Suing Self For Role In Fatal Traffic Accident

A Utah woman suing herself for harm that she caused to herself in a Dec. 27, 2011, traffic accident could either be one of the dumbest or most brilliant legal firsts to come along in decades, depending on how you see it.

The woman’s name is Barbara Bagley, and the Inquisitr first brought you her story shortly after her Nevada-based accident. At that point, it was an extraordinary tale of survival on the part of her Shetland sheepdog, named Dooley.

Apparently Dooley was in the Range Rover on the day Bagley wrecked it with her husband, Bradley Vom Baur, in the passenger seat.

Baur was thrown from the vehicle. He sustained severe injuries and died two days later.

Dooley was also thrown from the vehicle. He wandered off into the Nevada desert and was found alive 53 days later.

That would have been a nice happy ending to an otherwise traumatic tale of woe, but now things are just getting bizarre.

Fox News reports that Bagley is bringing a lawsuit against herself for “an unspecified amount of money for damages that include medical and funeral expenses; loss of past and future financial support; the physical pain her husband suffered before he died from his injuries; and the loss of his love and companionship.”

Thing is, she may actually have a case. That’s because a Utah court has paved the way for her to proceed, essentially agreeing with Bagley that she as a driver is a separate party from she as the estate representative. Driver Bagley is repped by her insurance company and the lawsuit, according to one legal expert, “is likely an attempt for her to collect on an insurance payout.”

“So basically she’s suing herself so that the insurance recovery can follow,” said Shima Baradaran, a University of Utah law professor, in comments to ABC4 News.

Many people, Baradaran included, believe the case is “pretty ludicrous,” and so did a previous judge who dismissed it in 2014. The Utah appeals court, however, has given it new life.

“The jury would be asked to determine how much money will fairly compensate Barbara Bagley for the harm she caused herself. The jury will be highly confused — it cannot order a person to compensate herself,” defense attorneys stated in a motion to dismiss the suit.

What do you think about the woman suing herself, readers? Funny? Strange? Does it have any merit in your eyes? Sound off in our comments section.