Andy B., an engineering technologist in his late 50s, was riding his motorcycle on Bandera Road in San Antonio, Texas, when traffic suddenly slowed to a halt in front of him. The driver immediately behind him wasn’t paying attention and didn’t keep a safe distance. The vehicle rear-ended Andy’s motorcycle and pushed it into the pickup truck in front of him. As a result of the crash, Andy had back and neck pain. If the story had ended there, it would have been bad enough. Unfortunately, Andy’s problems were just beginning.
Over the next two months, Andy’s injuries started to heal and his bike was fixed. Then, just 63 days after his first crash, the unthinkable happened.
As Andy was riding down the road, a commercial truck suddenly made a U-turn directly in front of his motorcycle. There was no way for Andy to avoid a collision, and his bike hit the side of the truck. This crash was worse than the first one. Due to the severity of his injuries, an ambulance rushed Andy to a nearby hospital.
Back-to-Back Crashes Cause Serious Damage
After the first crash, Andy reported headaches and pain in his neck, shoulder, and lower back. While his symptoms had been gradually improving, his body was still weakened, leaving him more vulnerable to re-injury.
At the emergency room, Andy reported widespread pain, including:
- Headache
- Neck and lower back pain
- Left shoulder pain
- Left hip and leg pain
- Right elbow pain
- Pain in both wrists
The emergency room doctors prescribed medications, ruled out life-threatening injuries, and instructed him to follow up with his doctors.
Unfortunately, Andy’s pain continued to increase over time. Eventually, his doctors ordered MRIs of his neck and low back. The scans showed bulging or herniated discs at C2-3, C3-4, C4-5, C5-6, L3-4, L4-5, and L5-S1. These levels of his cervical and lumbar spine account for most of the spine’s range of motion. His spine specialists told him that he would one day need surgery on his neck and back.
However, the insurance companies kept trying to shift the blame and avoid liability. Andy’s cases were further complicated by the fact that he needed to go overseas for work. He realized that attempting to manage his medical care, sort through multiple personal injury claims, and move around the world to China all at once would be impossible.
After Negotiations Stall, Andy Turns to Crosley Law
The attorney that Andy first hired had been working on the case for nearly four years. The case had been to mediation, but they had not reached a settlement. The insurance companies’ settlement offers from both crashes totaled only $50,000. The defense attorneys blamed Andy’s injuries either on the other crash or on pre-existing conditions brought upon by Andy’s age and lifestyle. That’s when Andy’s initial attorney turned to Crosley Law.
Tom Crosley took over as lead counsel and began preparing Andy’s case for trial.
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A Thorough Investigation Uncovers Clear Liability
Liability was clear in both of Andy’s crashes. In his first crash, the other driver admitted he was at fault and did not maintain a safe stopping distance. In the second crash, the at-fault driver admitted in his deposition that if he had checked his mirrors, he would have seen Andy’s bike.
As Crosley Law investigated the crash more deeply, it became clear that insufficient safety rules had also contributed to Andy’s second crash. During depositions, the driver and company officials admitted that the company did not provide its employees with driver safety training. Even after Andy’s wreck, it did not introduce training or safety programs, nor did it discipline the at-fault driver.
However, our attorneys weren’t done yet. We consulted with an accident reconstruction expert, a fleet management expert, a life care planner, and multiple physicians. With their help, we were able to pinpoint every factor that contributed to Andy’s crashes and injuries, while also assessing his future medical needs.
Crosley Law Negotiates a $450,000 Settlement for Andy
After intense negotiations and mediation, but our team was armed with compelling evidence and arguments. Crosley Law eventually reached a settlement for Andy totaling $450,000. This was a remarkable nine times more than the $50,000 offered by the insurance companies at the first mediation before Crosley Law took over the case.
Crosley Law: Fighting for Crash Victims in San Antonio
Crosley Law’s injury lawyers have earned a reputation for their thorough and aggressive legal strategies, as well as their commitment to their clients. If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a car wreck, please call Crosley Law today at 210-LAW-3000 | 210-529-3000 or fill out our brief contact form. We will set up your no-risk consultation so you can get free expert legal advice about your situation.
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