Receiving a call that your son or daughter has been involved in a car accident is every parent’s worst nightmare. Unfortunately for one Ohio family, this nightmare became a reality. When Marc’s* family learned that he had been injured in a car accident they were distraught. His life had been spared, and for that they were grateful. They were not, however, prepared for the complications that would follow the accident.
The car accident
Marc and two of his friends were on their way home from a night out, when the driver took a curve too fast, causing the car to fly off the road and hit a tree. Because they had been wearing their seatbelts, the driver and front passenger were able to walk away from the accident. But Marc, who’d been sleeping across the back seat, was not as lucky. For a while, doctors were not sure if he would survive. To his family’s relief he did survive, but his neck had been broken and he was left paralyzed—he’d lost the use of his arms and legs.
As time passed, Marc made progress—first he moved a finger, then a hand, then he regained some sensation in his upper body. Despite his progress, doctors told his family he would be permanently paralyzed from the waist down. They would have to reconfigure their home with wheelchair ramps, pay for expert home care, and purchase a van to transport Marc to medical appointments and anywhere else he needed to go. Ensuring a good quality of life for Marc and themselves was going to be costly.
The insurance complications
Though Marc had insurance, there was some question as to what costs the various policies would cover. Because his situation was complicated, the family could look forward to two or three years of court battles before any settlement would be made.
Marc’s family decided to seek help from Ohio accident attorneys, and that’s when we got involved. Our goal was to help make life as easy as possible for Marc and his family, as quickly as possible.
Avoiding a trial
The great part of this story is that we were able to achieve positive results for Marc and his family without actually going to trial. Many complicated insurance cases end up in court because the insurance companies push the limits, and refuse to settle in cases where they know the insured has weak legal representation. We, on the other hand, have established a strong reputation across the state of Ohio as litigators who will certainly go to trial—and succeed, if insurance companies won’t settle. And frankly, that can be intimidating. Our reputation makes good-faith negotiations seem like a better alternative than a court battle.
We gathered information and spoke with experts. But most importantly, we identified the decision-makers at the various insurance companies—which can be a daunting task, especially for a family undergoing such a drastic life change. We then negotiated with those decision-makers and their attorneys. Through hard work, creativity, and forceful arguments, we were able to secure the family’s economic future. Marc could continue to live at home with his family and begin moving forward with his life.
A new lease on life
Beyond the insurance settlement for Marc’s family, his story has an even greater positive outcome. He’s not letting his injury hold him back. He’s active in the Christopher Reeve Foundation, helping others who share his disability. Marc has even gone bungee-jumping—in his wheelchair. Everybody who knows Marc is cheering for him from the sidelines, including us.
*Names in this article have been changed to protect our clients’ privacy.
The outcome of any client’s case will depend on the particular legal and factual circumstances of the case.
