Settlement Reached in NYC Taxi Accident Case
Martin + Colin P.C. announces a settlement for our client who was injured by a New York City taxi driver. The settlement occurred in the middle of the trial. One cold winter day, our client was waiting with other people for a cab near Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan. After the cab came to a complete stop, one person entered the cab, and then, with the door still open, our client asked the passenger, through the still-open door, if they could share the taxi. The passenger agreed and slid across the back seat to the other side. As our client’s body was halfway into the taxi, the taxi driver negligently began to drive away, causing our client to be hurled out of the open door of the taxi and knocked to the ground. The client immediately felt immense pain on her right side upon the forceful impact with the asphalt. While attempting to stand up, the client then experienced sharp pain in her left knee and was unable to get up on her own, requiring the assistance of three witnesses. With assistance, the client was able to finally get into the taxi and return home.
After a week of constant pain, the client sought professional help to assess and treat her injuries. Consulting a neurologist, our client was diagnosed with lumbar spine injury with signs of radiculopathy, left knee joint injury, left hip joint injury, discus bulges at L4/L5, L3/L4, and L1/L2, annular tear and herniation at T12-L1 and sensory polyneuropathy. The neurologist affirmed that our client was experiencing constant immense pain and that the client was permanently partially disabled. The client began sessions of physical therapy and chiropractic treatment several times a week at the recommendation of the neurologist, meeting with the doctor periodically to monitor progress. Unable to work at all post-accident, our client was faced with a decreased quality of life due to the inability to work or socialize, constant pain from sensory polyneuropathy, and decreased mobility forcing the client to walk at a slow pace with assistance of a cane. Sensory neuropathy is the medical diagnosis of numbness with painful pins and needles sensation in the extremities of the body, caused by injuries.
The constant pain limited the client’s ability to enjoy her life, left her discontent with her life and without the fulfillment and personal satisfaction that she enjoyed before the accident. Continuing the weekly chiropractic and physical therapy, along with periodic neurologist consultation, our client underwent a recovery and recuperation process for two years. After two years of continuous treatment with little progress, the neurologist found with reasonable medical certainty that the client was totally disabled with her limitations and functional disabilities causally related to the accident. Eventually, the client applied for, and was granted, social security disability benefits.
Cases such as this one are especially difficult because no amount of money can adequately compensate the client for the loss of enjoyment of life she is now suffering. However, we are pleased to announce that, while the jury trial was ongoing, we reached an agreement with the taxi cab’s insurance company. The satisfied client asked the judge to stop the trial so she could place the settlement on the record.
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.
