Ricky was a 50 year old man who lived with his mother in a suburb in California. He worked driving a taxi, frequently working until 2 in the morning. He would save up for a while and when he had some money saved he would take a motel room for a week and invite his girlfriend to join him for some private time.
A drunk driver seriously injured him
One night around 2 a.m. after driving many drunk customers home from the bars that were closing, Ricky pulled out from a stop sign and his car was struck broadside on his drivers door. The other car which did not have a stop sign was being driven by a 20 year old who was drunk. Ricky was thrown out of his car when his door opened and landed on the street. He suffered fractured ribs and struck his head on the ground causing a small bleed inside his head and a large blood clot (hematoma) on the outside of his head.
He was taken by ambulance to the hospital where he stayed for about a week until he was recovered enough to go home. His medical bill from the hospital was 6 figures. He had no insurnace.
Ricky was referred to a personal injury lawyer. The lawyer took the case and started an investigation. It turned out that the other driver had a minimal insurance policy of only $15,000. The lawyer knew that this meant Ricky would only get $5,000 if the case were settled for that amount. One third would be the lawyer fee, and the balance would be split between the hospital and Ricky under Medicare rules.
His lawyer went to trial against the drunk driver, then pursued a "bad faith" case against the insurance company
The lawyer told Ricky that the only chance or recovering any more money would be a long process and would depend on whether the insurance company acted in "bad faith". Ricky agreed to wait and fight, and the lawyer made a "time limited" demand to the insurance company to pay the $15,000 along with the proof of the limited policy limit by 5 p.m. on a specified date. When the time expired and the company had not responded, the lawyer filed suit against the drunk driver.
The insurance company for the drunk driver hired a defense lawyer who called Ricky's lawyer and immediately offered the policy limit of $15,000. Ricky's lawyer rejected the offer and told him it was too late, that the insurance company had its chance and blew it! After a year of litigation the lawyer took the case to trial by jury. The jury awarded over $600,000. The insurance company said they would appeal. Ricky's lawyer took steps to take the pay check from the defendant immediately. The drunk driver's insurance company then called and settled the case for $500,000.
Life changing results for the client
Ricky received a net settlement of $250,000 tax free. His lawyer had succeeded in turning a possible $5,000 recovery into one 50 times greater. Ricky took his money and moved to Reno, where he bought a 3 unit building, moved into his own apartment, and started collecting rents from the other units. He also bought himself a nice car. His life had been transformed.
The difference? Choosing the right lawyer! Not all personal injury lawyers are the same, and the results they can get for clients can vary tremendously. It is important after a serious injury accident to select a lawyer with the skills and experience to maximize the possible results.
In this case the lawyer was Clifford A. Blackman of the Blackman Legal Group in California.
If you or a loved one was seriously injured in an accident, you can call the Blackman Legal Group toll-free 24 hours a day at 1-866-528-8115
1 comment:
Your post is a good one to inspire many of the accident victims to claim for compensation. It is painful to undergo an accident, but when suffered from injury that could have been prevented due to the recklessness of a drunk driver, the resulting effects are utterly crushing. The actions of someone who decided to drive after even just a few drinks can alter your life and the lives of loved ones forever. Claims for wrongful death or injuries are the process of making the negligent party liable for the death or injury of another. These types of claims tend to be filed by family members of the deceased or hurt party. Obviously, a dead person cannot sue, but others can take action in proving that the activities of an individual resulted in their loved one's death with the help of an accident lawyer. For more information visit accidents at work .
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