Inattentive Driver Swerves and Knocks Socks Off Teen Pedestrian – $4 Million
Despite congenital learning and cognitive impairments, our young client functioned self-sufficiently enough to hold a job at the drive-through of a local Popeye’s. Living with her parents for her entire 18 years, she contributed to the household and performed simple tasks to care for herself, and to function semi- independently. In all respects, her life operated at an optimal level for her mental capabilities.
On a clear July afternoon, an oncoming driver violently struck our client as she was walking across the street within the crosswalk. The driver, distracted by the movements of a nearby bicyclist who was changing lanes, swerved away from the bicyclist and slammed into our client. The driver made no attempt to brake, and the force of the vehicle’s impact literally knocked our client’s socks – and sandals – right off.
The driver realizing she had struck our client stopped the vehicle. Paramedics arrived and rushed our client via ambulance to a nearby medical facility. Medical staff admitted her for extensive injuries, including a closed head injury and brain bleed, as well as extensive burns and skinning injuries to her legs and right knee. Doctors performed multiple surgeries to graft skin to her legs, and attended to the traumatic brain injury resulting from the crash.
After weeks of hospitalization to recover from her surgeries, brain injury and other medical conditions, doctors established that our client could no longer function as before. Her inability to work or even perform basic care for herself diminished her from being partially self-sufficient to being entirely dependent on others, particularly her parents.
Within a few short months of taking the case, our attorney gathered witness statements, discovered all insurance policies available for recovery, and obtained medical expertise and assessments to build the most effective and thorough arguments possible for our client’s case.
The strength of the case resulted in but a single demand, wherein our attorney successfully obtained a multi-million dollar settlement of $4 million on behalf of the client. Going the extra mile, our attorney then established a special needs trust to help take care of her needs for the rest of her life, and negotiated reductions to the balance of her medical expenses. With more funds made available to the family rather for the payment of medical bills, the family purchased a home capable of accommodating the client’s needs.