Lee County Ambulance Accident Results In Elbow Tendon Injury
Author: Attorney Jay Kanter
Our client is a married father of two children who is employed by Lee County Emergency Medical Services. He was driving an ambulance with activated sirens and lights responding to an emergency call and would carefully approach intersections with a red traffic light. When approaching these intersections, he would make eye contact with drivers approaching the intersections and make sure they stopped and knew he was going through the red signal. At one particular intersection all vehicles had stopped before he proceeded and when he was more than halfway through the intersection one vehicle has passed all the stopped vehicles and broadsided the ambulance causing it to flip over and land on the driver’s side. The ambulance driver suffered an injury to his left elbow where the driver’s side hit the road. He was immediately transported to the emergency room at Lee Memorial Hospital where he received treatment for his elbow, which included several sutures to close the wound.
INJURED PARAMEDIC RETAINS ATTORNEYS DELL & SCHAEFER
Dell & Schaefer was retained to represent our client in his claim for injuries and lose wages. Our client was injured in the course of his employment and workman’s compensation was available to pay his medical bills and partial wage loss. However, because our client was injured by a third party, he had a right to bring a separate bodily injury claim against the negligent driver.
PARAMEDIC SUFFERS ELBOW INJURY THAT REQUIRED SURGERY
Our client came under the care of an Orthopedic Surgeon to receive treatment for his ongoing elbow pain. After a few months of treatment, a MRI was ordered which revealed a small tendon injury. Outpatient surgery was performed which effectively treated the injury and allowed our client to make a nearly perfect recovery. Shortly after the surgery, our client was able to return to work full time as paramedic, without any restrictions.
ATTORNEYS DELL & SCHAEFER PURSUES INJURY CLAIM AGAINST THREE INSURANCE COMPANIES TO GET PARAMEDIC CONPENSATED FOR HIS INJURY
The negligent driver who ignored or failed to see an approaching ambulance with activated lights and sirens was driving a relative’s vehicle at the time of the accident. Attorney’s Dell & Schaefer were able to settle with the host vehicle’s insurance company, Allstate, for the $25,000.00 policy limit. Additionally, the driver had a $10,000.00 bodily injury policy on his own vehicle which was insured by Geico. Geico also tendered the $10,000.00 policy limit. Lastly, our client had a $10,000.00 underinsured motorist policy on his personal vehicle and Dell & Schaefer presented a UM claim for the policy limit, which was also tendered by his own insurance company. As a result of presenting the claim to all potential carriers, our client was able to get a $45,000.00 settlement.
ATTORNEYS NEGOTIATE WORKMANS COMPENSATION LIEN AND GET PIP (NO FAULT) CARRIER TO PAY $10,000.00 BENEFIT TO SETTLE LIEN
In an effort to get our client the maximum compensation available to him, Attorneys Dell & Schaefer negotiated with the workman’s compensation carrier to accept the $10,000.00 PIP benefit as full and final payment of their lien. When workman’s compensation pays medical bills and wage loss associated with a work related accident, they have a right to recover some of their payments from the at fault party if an injury claim is successful. The No Fault Carrier’s reimbursement of this lien, permitted our client to settle for the $45,000.00 and not have to use a portion of that settlement to repay the lien.
If you were injured due to someone else’s negligence, whether or not you were in the course and scope of your employment, contact Attorneys Dell & Schaefer for a free consultation.
