Driver Agrees to Pay Over Her Full Insurance Policy After Hit-From-Behind Car Crash
Innocent Driver Required Three Level Spinal Fusion After Crash
The personal injury attorneys at Martin + Colin P.C. announced today that a favorable settlement was reached on behalf of our client, a local man who sustained serious and permanent physical injuries as a result of a car crash. While stopped at a stop sign waiting to merge onto Central Avenue, our client was rear-ended by another vehicle. During the lawsuit which followed, the defendant (i.e., the negligent driver) testified that she had seen our client stopped at the stop sign and brought her car to a full stop behind his car. She testified that she assumed that our client had successfully merged onto Central Avenue and she looked left for oncoming vehicles as she began her own merger. Seeing that there was no oncoming traffic, and without making one final check in front of her car to confirm that our client had already merged, the defendant quickly accelerated to begin her merge and match the speed of Central Avenue traffic. Unfortunately, however, our client’s car was still stopped at the stop sign in front of her and was immediately rear-ended by her as she accelerated. The impact was forceful, causing our client to be knocked around within the interior of his vehicle and causing several serious injuries.
Seeking medical care shortly after the accident, our client was diagnosed with various injuries including: disc bulges at 3 levels, a cerebral concussion, radicular pathology in the C6 sensory root leading to feelings of numbness in the hands and arms, vertigo-like symptoms, and decreased range of motion. In order to alleviate some of these injuries, our client underwent extensive medical treatment culminating in an anterior cervical discectomy at three levels. Additionally, our client was subject to extensive physical therapy, acupuncture, and steroidal injection regimes, all in an effort to remove the pain. The constant pain, feelings of numbness, vertigo-like symptoms, and decreased range of motion adversely impacted our client’s quality of life and restricted it. For over a month and a half following the accident our client was unable to return to work, and when he was finally able to return to work he was restricted to “light duty”, making carrying out the duties of his profession difficult as he often carried equipment weighing between 30 pounds and 50 pounds. The near constant pain, insomnia, and post-concussive symptoms all added to his decreased quality of life.
Our Firm Filed a Lawsuit on His Behalf
Seeking financial and legal restitution for our client, we at Martin + Colin commenced a lawsuit and prepared for trial. An attempt by the opposing legal counsel to impose liability on our client was quickly defeated. Then, opposing counsel had their doctor examine our client, who unsurprisingly reported that our client’s harms were not caused by the accident! This attempt at minimizing our case was also defeated as we pointed out that the opposing counsel’s doctor had examined our client over two years following the accident, after two years of extensive recovery, physical therapy, surgery and steroidal injections. Our client’s own doctor had medically determined that he was disabled for no less than 90 days out of the first 180 days immediately following the accident, and therefore our client qualified as “seriously injured” under the statute.
Eventually, the Insurance Company Sought Mediation to Resolve This Case
We had to overcome several efforts to defeat our case. However, eventually the opposing counsel sought to settle the case. The legal team at Martin + Colin was able to secure a six figure settlement, the full policy of insurance on the defendant’s vehicle. Although money cannot restore our client’s quality of life, it is better than the alternative.
We Can Help You, Too!
If you or a member of your family has been hurt in an accident due to the negligence of another person or firm, the experienced personal injury lawyers at Martin + Colin, P.C. may be able to help.
Call us now at (914) 771 7711 and let us apply our expertise to your case.
