Ms. L was a student at the University of Georgia. She was driving to class when another driver crashed into her car, totaling it. She hurt her knee in the accident, requiring arthroscopic knee surgery. Michael secured a $100,000 settlement for her, which was the maximum amount of the other driver’s insurance.
Here’s what she had to say about our work for her:
The Accident
Mr. L was driving on Timothy Road in Athens, Georgia, and was stopped waiting to turn onto Loop 10. Another driver wasn’t paying attention and crashed into the back of her car. The force of the impact pushed her car into the vehicle in front of her, damaging it too. The police cited the other driver for following too closely. Here’s what Ms. L’s car looked like after the wreck:
The Injuries
Ms. L was sore after the wreck but thought she was going to be OK. However, she kept getting worse and when she woke up the next morning she was in serious pain. She went to the emergency room where she reported neck pain and knee pain. The doctor prescribed her anti-inflammatories and muscle relaxers and told her to follow up with an orthopedist if her pain persisted.
While Ms. L’s neck got better, her knee unfortunately did not. Her knee pain got worse and it began popping when she walked and went upstairs. She went to an orthopedist, who performed physical exams that suggested a torn meniscus.
The doctor ordered an MRI, which showed torn cartilage on the inside of her kneecap, likely from her knee striking the inside of the car during the wreck. The doctor recommended four to six weeks of physical therapy.
Ms. L attended physical therapy for several weeks. However, she continued having knee pain and her kneecap began popping out of place, which was very painful and would cause her knee to swell up very badly. Given this, the doctor determined that Ms. L likely had torn her medial patellofemoral ligament, which connects the kneecap to the femur and helps stabilize the knee. He recommended surgery to repair it, and Ms. L decided to have the surgery.
The surgery involved smoothing out the torn cartilage on the inside of Ms. L’s kneecap, reconstructing the medial patellofemoral ligament and reconnecting it to the kneecap and femur. The surgery went well, and the doctor was pleased with how it went. After she recovered from the surgery, she had physical therapy several times a week for four months. While she fortunately made a good recovery, the surgery and physical therapy made for a tough several months.
The Settlement
We obtained Ms. L’s medical records and bills and prepared a settlement demand to the other driver’s insurance, which they accepted. We’re glad to have helped Ms. L and wish her the best.