The Plaintiff suffered neck, back, and shoulder injuries when the defendant driver pulled out from a parking lot right in front of the Plaintiff’s truck. With no time to stop, the Plaintiff t-boned the defendant driver’s vehicle, resulting in permanent injuries and disabling injuries to the Plaintiff’s shoulder and neck.
The collision caused a C3-4 disc bulge, a C5-6 disc bulge, a SLAP tear to the left shoulder, lumbar sciatica, numbness and tingling that radiated from his upper to lower extremities, and headaches. The Plaintiff attempted conservative care, including physical therapy, chiropractic therapy, acupuncture, and steroid injections. The Plaintiff underwent left shoulder arthroscopic surgery, yet continued to have shoulder and neck pain that severely limited his ability to work as a carpenter. The Plaintiff then underwent a C6-C7 anterior cervical discectomy and fusion to address his neck and shoulder pain.
Defendant’s experts claimed that the Plaintiff only suffered a strain/sprain due to the collision and that the need for surgery was due to degenerative conditions made worse by the physical requirements of his work as a carpenter. Defendant also contested liability for the collision. Despite this, the lawsuit settled at mediation for $475,000.00.