Unemployed Miami-Dade woman settles auto accident case for $100,000

Author: Attorney Jason Macri

A 54 year-old, unemployed woman from North Miami received a $100,000.00 auto accident settlement after becoming injured in an auto accident. Our client was a passenger in her friend’s vehicle and was on her way back home from the grocery store when their vehicle was sideswiped by the Defendant’s vehicle. That collision caused our client’s vehicle to then sideswipe another vehicle on the road, resulting in a total of two separate collisions. The Defendant was not cited for the accident however, as the arriving officer stated that it was not clear to him as to which driver caused this accident.

Our client began to complain of neck and shoulder pain almost immediately. The arriving officer felt it was necessary to call the paramedics. Paramedics responded to the scene and transported our client to the local hospital where she was treated for her neck and shoulder pain. X-rays were taken by hospital staff but no injuries were discovered. Our client was discharged from the hospital with a neck and shoulder sprain. Though her diagnosis was not serious, our client began to experience an increase in pain over time. Worried about the extent of her injuries, she decided to reach out to a lawyer. Our accident lawyers met with the woman almost immediately and could tell that she was not doing very well. She appeared to be in a great deal of pain and appeared to suffer from a serious shoulder injury.

It was clear to us that our client needed help. She was unemployed, not doing well financially, and had no medical or governmental benefits to speak of. It would be very difficult for her to get the help she needed on her own. Our lawyers were able to get her an appointment with a board certified orthopedic surgeon. An MRI of her right shoulder was taken which revealed a torn rotator cuff. Her doctor recommended diagnostic arthroscopy of the shoulder to correct her issues. The surgery was a success and our client noted a significant reduction in her painful symptoms.

Our attorneys demanded the Defendant’s policy limits of $100,000.00. The Defendant’s insurance company refused to make an offer, arguing that their insured was not negligent. Our attorneys were able to show that the property damage to the vehicles was such that the driver of our client’s vehicle could not have possibly caused the accident. We were also able to secure a statement from an independent witness who confirmed what our evaluation of the property damage had shown. Our attorneys were prepared to file a lawsuit against the Defendant.

Confronted with the evidence our attorneys uncovered and faced with the prospect of a lawsuit, the insurance company decided it was not worth it for them to continue to deny the claim. Instead, they tendered the policy limits of $100,000.00. Our client was able to pay all medical bills and receive compensation for her pain and suffering and inconvenience. She was happy with the medical attention she received and reported a positive recovery. Though the money she received in compensation could not remove the pain she suffered, she reported a sense of relief in knowing that the claim was resolved and that she could move on with her life.