Car accidents can happen any time you’re on the road. Whether driving in stop-and-go traffic or flying down the highway, whether only going down the street to the grocery or heading out on a road trip.
There are a lot of statistics surrounding car accidents that guess at what time of day you’re more likely to get into a crash, and where, but you should always drive defensively. It will help you avoid as many dangerous issues as possible, although, for our client, her care on the road wasn’t able to prevent one particular accident.
Sometimes you can’t get out of the way
While driving down I-75, a negligent driver hit our client while changing lanes to avoid a collision with another vehicle. This distracted driving had the driver’s focus on the accident they were trying to avoid leading to another one taking place. This maneuver led to our client losing control of her car and crashing into the concrete barrier.
There are ways to correct when your car goes out of control, such as:
- Keeping calm
- Pumping the brakes
- Taking your foot off the gas
- Steering in the opposite direction
- Using the car’s emergency brakes
Traveling at highway speeds though, with an obstacle (the concrete barrier) so close made it impossible for our client to avoid the collision resulting from the other car’s maneuver into her lane.
The pain was immediate, and a consult with a doctor led to a surgical diagnosis to alleviate neck pain. Symptoms were so bad she was unable to work or perform her normal daily activities.
Bringing in professional support ASAP
Although able to get the treatment she needed to medically recover quickly, dealing with all of the insurance companies involved with the car accident became quite a challenge.
Luckily, hiring Watson Injury Law early on meant the bad behavior of the insurance company wasn’t something our client had to battle alone.
When one insurance company tried to lowball our client’s settlement with an insulting amount of money, we immediately went to work filing a lawsuit.
It was time to prove to the other side how severe our client’s damages were.
Talking the talk
As the trial date approached, the defense requested mediation. This is where a third-party representative listens to both sides of the conflict, and through specialized communication and negotiation techniques offers a solution. There’s no judge or jury. If this interactive process fails to reach a solution to the conflict, the case goes to trial.
We accepted the offer for mediation, all the while standing firm in our position that the insurance company, if we went to trial, would have to pay any jury verdict, regardless of the insurance policy limit. With the strength of our case, the insurance company had a lot to lose should the evidence get presented to a jury. This position was enough to give the insurance company an incentive to settle.
The end result was a substantial six-figure compensation for our client, which was more than 10 times the original insurance policy offer.
Finding a law firm that works for you
There are plenty of personal injury law firms out there that claim to help you fight against insurance companies, but not all can guarantee customized, personalized attention. We treat each case as its own entity. We get to know you, and the details of your situation, before crafting a strategy to get you the best settlement possible. Our goal is to take the stress of fighting for the compensation you deserve off your plate, so you can concentrate on healing, both emotionally and physically. To learn more, contact us today and schedule a free consultation.