The Way A Comparison Of Settled Auto Accident Lawsuits Can Teach Us Regarding The Factors That Affect Settlements
By: J. Hernandez
Submitted: 2010-08-03 21:08:39 | Word Count: 625
There will be around 3 million individuals injured this year in a motor vehicle accident. Two million of those will experience lifelong disabilities. That is approximately 1 irreversible injury from a motor vehicle accident every 16 seconds. Each lawsuit is distinct and has its own specific challenges. Three such lawsuits are analyzed below so as to see the lessons that might be learned from the way they were handled.
In one case involving a motor vehicle accident, while his view of a stop sign was obstructed by a truck that was parked in a no-parking zone, a driver from a local Pizzeria failed to stop the a stop sign. As the driver entered the intersection without stopping he broad-sided a second car. The driver of that car sustained an injury to the nerve in her left hand.left-hand nerve damage, and herniated discs in both his neck and lower back. He had to undergo a total of four surgeries for his neck and back and yet another surgery for his arm. He was not able to play] sports, something he had previously tremendously liked, following the accident. The law firm that helped the victim was able to document that they obtained a settlement on his behalf from the driver, the truck owners, and the pizzeria employer for $900,000.
[ advertisement ]
In a different matter, a driver lost control of her vehicle, crossed lanes, and hit an automobile coming in the opposite direction in a head-on collision. Because of the accident, the driver of the car that was hit sustained injuries to both her cervical and lumbar discs, and tore both the lateral and medial menisci of her right knee. She required surgery for her knee injury. The report of this lawsuit pointed out that the case went to trial and the jury found for the victim in the sum of $625,000. The defendant's insurance policy had a liability limit of only $100,000.
A lesson is that there may be yet other parties who were not directly involved in the accident but who can still be held liable. In case 1 above, the pizzeria employed the driver who caused the accident. Given that the accident happened while the driver was acting within the scope of his employment, the pizzeria was liable. In addition, the owners of the truck were also liable.
Another important lesson is that victims of car accidents can sustain severe injuries - injuries that may need extensive and costly medical care, that can force the plaintiff to lose time from work, and that can result in lifelong disabilities. Because of this, the recovery can be substantial.
The third and final lesson is that one should always have sufficient uninsured and underinsured coverage under one's own policy to handle potentially serious lifelong disabilities. Taking out extra insurance to cover substantial damages is only marginally more costly than taking out basic coverage. Too many individuals are just not properly insured in the event the other driver does not carry enough coverage.
A skilled motor vehicle accident lawyer will treat each case as unique, will calculate an appropriate value for the lawsuit, and will check out all possible means of compensation. Since the law limits the time within which a victim can pursue a personal injury case, you should consult with a lawyer immediately.
Author Resource:-
Joseph Hernandez is an Attorney accepting car accident cases. To learn more about
how a motor vehicle accident lawyer can help you and about other matters including pedestrian accident visit the websites
