Crosley Law Helps Victim With Fractured Collarbone After Truck Wreck

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A Weekend Fishing Trip Is Interrupted by an 18-Wheeler Crash 

Joseph, his father, and a co-worker were headed to the coast for a weekend fishing trip. The three men worked together at a home inspection business and were looking forward to a weekend of fun and teambuilding. During their drive, a severe rain squall temporarily brought highway traffic to a stop.  

Joseph’s father was driving and was able to safely bring their Toyota RAV-4 to a stop without hitting the vehicle in front of them. However, after a few seconds, they were violently struck from behind by an 18-wheeler whose driver failed to slow down for the adverse weather conditions. The 18-wheeler smashed into their car at nearly 50 mph, knocking them into the car in front of them, and causing a four-car pileup. Joseph, who had been sleeping in the back seat, described feeling like they were being knocked around like “pinballs in a pinball machine.” 

During the trucking accident, Joseph’s collarbone was shattered. The two other passengers also suffered serious injuries. The RAV-4’s trunk was crushed into the passenger seats, totaling the vehicle and damaging their personal property. All three men were taken to a nearby hospital where they received emergency medical care.

Joseph’s Fractured Collarbone Required Surgery After the Truck Wreck 

As a result of the collision, Joseph suffered a displaced fracture of his clavicle, or collarbone, causing it to move out of alignment. This injury resulted significant pain and loss of mobility. Joseph needed to undergo an urgent surgery where doctors would insert pins and rods into the broken bone to stabilize it and help the bone heal properly. Unfortunately, the hospital refused to treat him or schedule a surgery because he didn’t have health insurance. 

This put Joseph in a difficult position. His collarbone was severely fractured, he was in extreme pain, and he was concerned that he would lose work and the ability to pursue his other passions: competitive rock climbing and backpacking. The three men were referred to Tom Crosley by another attorney that one of the men had known for years. Mr. Crosley worked with Joseph’s medical providers, making payment arrangements and eliminating delays so that Joseph could immediately have the much-needed surgery. Thanks to Crosley Law Firm, Joseph got the prompt treatment he needed. 

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A Personal Injury Claim Becomes a Learning Opportunity 

Like many young people, Joseph had never dealt with lawsuits, lawyers, and insurance claims before. He was afraid he would make mistakes that would lead to denied claims and unpaid bills. He was happy to discover that Crosley Law Firm does its best to educate its clients about their legal rights and options. In addition to regular client meetings, the law firm assigned him “homework,” including videos that explained the stages of a truck accident claim and medical issues. 

Joseph explained, “The thing I really appreciated with Crosley… They didn’t just come in and… tell me, ‘This is what you need to do, sign this paper.’ They were educating me about the entire process the whole time. ‘This is what we’re going to do, and this is why we’re going to do it.’” 

Deposition Testimony and Accident Reconstruction Lead to a Settlement

It became clear that the tractor-trailer was driving too fast for the road conditions and was in violation of federal trucking regulations. The accident report directly linked the accident to the truck driver’s excessive speed. Crosley Law Firm also quickly began building evidence against the truck driver. They hired a trained accident reconstruction engineer and obtained the 18-wheeler’s black box data. Finally, the truck driver admitted in his deposition that he had been careless and negligent—even though his lawyers argued to the contrary. 

Based on this overwhelming evidence, the insurance companies offered settlements that paid for Joseph’s medical care and compensated him for his pain and suffering. Joseph’s total settlement was $125,000. With Crosley’s help negotiating with medical providers, Joseph took home more than $50,000.00 after paying his medical bills. 

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Learn More About Crosley Law Firm’s Approach to Truck Accident Injury Cases

At Crosley Law Firm, we take a personalized approach to truck accident cases. We try to educate our clients and help them make the best possible decisions in their claim. And we try to combine empathy with cutting–edge technology and aggressive legal representation. If you’d like to learn more about our approach to trucking accidents, complete our simple, online form or call us at 210-LAW-3000 | 210-529-3000. We offer free consultations and a no-fee policy. 

The content provided here is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject.