Mr. E was driving to a job site when another driver pulled out in front of him. He crashed into the car and injured his leg, suffering a kidney laceration. Before the case went to trial, Michael secured a $355,000 settlement for him. The settlement is notable because the case was filed in Laurens County, Georgia, which is a conservative venue without a history of significant verdicts and settlements.
The Accident
Mr. E was driving on Highway 29 in Laurens County. He had two coworkers in the car with him and they were driving to a job site. A driver pulled out in front of him from a side road. Mr. E tried to stop but couldn’t and crashed into the other driver’s car. Here’s a picture of Mr. E’s truck after the wreck:
The Injuries
Mr. E’s left leg was caught in the wreckage of the truck and he couldn’t get out. EMS and firefighters had to cut him out using the Jaws of Life and it took over an hour to do so. Because of the crush and pressure on his leg, he had very bad bruising and swelling to his leg and couldn’t walk or put any pressure on his leg. EMS transported him to the hospital. He underwent multiple CT scans and MRIs, which showed a laceration to his kidney, and dystrophic calcification to his leg as well as multiple serious bruises all over his body.
Dystrophic calcification happens when your tissue, such as your leg, is injured or dies and builds up calcium deposits, similar to scar tissue. It can be caused by trauma like a car accident and affects a person’s strength and mobility and range of motion.
Mr. E was kept in the hospital overnight and then discharged home the next day. Over the next several days and weeks he slowly recovered at home but still had trouble walking and moving because of the injury to his left leg. Mr. E was 71 years old at the time of the accident and his doctors were concerned that he wouldn’t be able to recover and bounce back because of the severity of his injuries and his age. They recommended physical therapy, which he went to for more than 6 months. He slowly made progress but continued having problems standing up, walking, going up and down stairs and with his balance. He would occasionally have falls or close misses, which he never had before this wreck. His doctors believe he’s recovered as much as he is going to and have cautioned him to be careful while walking and to use a cane or walker to avoid falls.
Mr. E was very active before this accident and enjoyed working in his yard and around the house, fishing and playing with his grandchildren. His injuries and limited mobility have made it hard for him to do things like that. And when he does, he gets tired quickly and is often uneven on his feet. His injury forced him to retire when he wasn’t ready to. He’s frustrated by the impact his injuries have had on his life.
The Settlement
We recovered $25,000 from Mr. E’s uninsured motorist coverage and $325,000 from his employer’s uninsured motorist coverage for a total settlement of $350,000. We’re glad to have helped Mr. E and wish him the best in his recovery.