Mr. D was a volunteer firefighter who was responding to a call when he was severely injured by a hit and run driver. He suffered deep lacerations to his face as well as injuries to his neck, back, knee and shoulder. He had to undergo surgeries to his face, shoulder and knee, multiple epidural injections into his neck and back and months of physical therapy. Days before trial, Michael secured an $850,000 settlement with the at-fault driver’s insurance and Mr. D’s uninsured motorist coverage. The uninsured motorist company’s highest settlement offer before Michael filed a lawsuit was $150,000. The settlement was nearly six times Mr. D’s medical bills.
The Wreck
One night in the summer of 2021, a big storm knocked down multiple trees, including one that was blocking the on-ramp to Highway 316. Mr. D and a Sheriff’s Deputy of the county both responded to the scene and they parked on the side of the road with their emergency lights activated to warn oncoming traffic. Mr. D got out of his truck and began to walk toward the downed tree to start moving it out of the way. A driver ignored the emergency lights on the vehicles and tried to drive around them and the tree. He struck Mr. D, throwing him to the ground, and then fled the scene but was fortunately caught by police a short distance down the road.
The Injuries and Treatment
Mr. D was nearly killed by the impact of the wreck. His injuries included severe facial lacerations, three broken bones in his face, a broken pelvis, torn meniscus and cartilage in his knee, a SLAP tear in his shoulder and herniated discs in his neck and back. in his car.
This is a exhibit we prepared for trial to help the jury understand the extent of Mr. D’s injuries.
Immediately following the accident, National EMS transported Mr. D to Piedmont Athens Regional Hospital. He required 16 stitches to close the injuries to his face and multiple medications and injections to help control his pain.
Over the next 6 months, Mr. D would undergo multiple surgeries and procedures to address his injuries, including:
- A left knee surgery to repair his torn meniscus and damaged cartilage
- A left shoulder surgery to repair his torn labrum and remove damaged cartilage
- Nasal surgery to repair his broken septum and revise his facial scars.
The wreck also caused herniated discs in Mr. D’s neck and back. The herniated discs caused him significant pain and doctors first tried treating it with prescription medication and physical therapy. When that didn’t help, they tried epidural steroid injections to inject anesthetic into the nerves causing pain and radiofrequency ablations to burn away the nerves causing pain. While the injections and ablations have helped manage Mr. D’s pain, they usually wear off after three to four months and he has to get around round of them to help keep the pain under control.
Lawsuit & Settlement
The hit and run driver had only $25,000 in insurance, which his insurance company agreed to pay. Fortunately, Mr. D had a significant amount of uninsured motorist coverage with Georgia Farm Bureau. When Georgia Farm Bureau refused to make a fair settlement offer to Mr. D, Michael filed a lawsuit and prepared the case for trial. Less than a week before trial, Georgia Farm Bureau offered $825,000, which Mr. D decided to accept.
We’re glad we could help Mr. D and wish him the best in his continued recovery.