Six Figure Settlement Reached for Car Crash Victim

Martin + Colin P.C. announces a settlement for a young tow-truck driver who, unfortunately, suffered physical injuries in a car crash.  While our 26 year old client was gainfully employed driving a tow-truck,  he was unexpectedly and suddenly struck by a Con-Edison vehicle.  The Con-Edison vehicle drove toward our client on the opposite side of the road in the oncoming flow of traffic.  The Con-Edison vehicle drifted across the double yellow line and sideswiped our client’s tow-truck, slamming into the rear driver side of our client’s vehicle.  The sudden and forceful impact jostled our client inside of his vehicle, causing him to hit his head and shoulder against the door. Immediately our client felt severe pain in his neck and back. A bystander who had witnessed the crash checked on the driver of each vehicle to determine if he required additional attention and notified local police.

The driver of the Con-Edison vehicle later denied responsibility for the accident to his employer and to his insurance company even though he had driven his vehicle across the double yellow line directly into our client’s tow truck.

As a result of the Con-Edison driver’s dishonesty, the personal injury lawyers at our firm hired a private investigator to identify, locate and take a statement from the eyewitness to the crash.  The eyewitness supported our client’s testimony that the sole reason for the crash was the failure of the driver of the Con-Edison vehicle to obey the rules of the road.

In the days following the accident, our client felt severe pain in his neck and back. Consulting a neurologist, our client learned that he had sustained a cervical spine injury, bilateral shoulder injury, and lumbar spine injury.  These injuries subjected our client to constant pain throughout the day, as well as decreased range of motion, muscle spasms and tenderness in his spine.  To treat his injuries, our client underwent extensive and exhaustive physical therapy, received epidural steroid injections, and lidocaine injection into the medial nerve.  As a career tow-truck driver, the constant pain in combination with post-traumatic driving anxiety, made a return to this job extremely difficult.  In the two years immediately following this crash, our client started, and then lost, several new jobs due to his back pain and limitations of movement.  His inability to hold steady employment in his career field has led to a decreased quality of life, a lack of career-satisfaction and financial difficulties.  Additionally, as a young man in his mid twenties, our client was unable to continue his previous lifestyle due to pain and restricted mobility.  The legal team at Martin + Colin P.C. recognized the pain and suffering inflicted on our client by the negligence of the Con-Edison employee, and we sought financial compensation in order to alleviate some of our client’s daily hardships.

Initially, Con-Edison insisted on believing its dishonest employee, and refused to settle the case for a fair sum of money.  In response, the legal team at Martin + Colin prepared to go to trial.  A jury was selected and a judge was assigned.  However, as the trial began, it became clear to Con-Edison’s lawyer that Con-Ed’s case was weak.  The testimony of our client, the location of the physical damage on the vehicles, and the testimony of the eyewitness would trounce the Con-Edison employee’s testimony.  During trial, we were able to settle this case for for a six-figure sum that was satisfactory to the client.  In fact, the client was so grateful that, a few months later, he later recommended our firm to a friend who had suffered a fractured wrist and other injuries during a motorcycle crash.

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.