“GMC” was imprinted on his door!
Darren worked as a superintendent for a construction company in St. Tammany Parish. He was a hard worker and a family man, spending most of his days coaching baseball and softball for his son and daughter.
On a morning a few days before Christmas, Darren was headed to check a job site off Highway 59 in Mandeville. He was driving his Dodge truck and proceeded into the turning lane, where he slowed to a stop, waiting for oncoming traffic to clear. Before he had a chance to turn, he was T-boned in the driver’s side door. The impact imprinted the other truck’s “GMC” onto Darren’s driver’s side door.
After the wreck, Darren was brought to St. Tammany Parish Hospital where he was treated for severe neck pain, rib, shoulder, and low back injuries. Although he was hurt badly, Darren was a good worker and couldn’t afford to miss work. Fortunately, the company he worked for was understanding and Darren was in a role as superintendent, where he was able to run jobs without having to do too much physical labor himself.
Darren struggled through each day, doing his best to work through his pain. It was all he could do to get through the workday and when he got home, he couldn’t be the husband or father he once was. He couldn’t throw baseballs with his son or catch for his daughter, who was a college-level softball player. That hurt him even more than the physical pain he was enduring.
For many months Darren participated in physical therapy and received chiropractic care, which made his pain only manageable. Still, Darren struggled to sleep at night without waking up in pain every hour.
Eventually, an MRI revealed that several of Darren’s cervical discs had been herniated causing severe impingement and leading to his constant pain. In an effort to avoid surgery, Darren’s doctors recommended epidural steroid injections, which provided only temporary relief, at best. Having no other choice, Darren finally received a cervical disc replacement and fusion. His recovery was long and arduous, but with the support of his family, he began the rehabilitation process and slowly regained strength and range of motion in his neck.
Flattmann Law filed suit against the at-fault driver and his insurance company. Through the discovery process, it was determined that the at-fault driver that hit Darren had come from a side street and had “gunned it” in hopes of beating traffic onto the highway. It was also uncovered that the other driver had caused an almost identical accident at the same location a year prior and had caused several other accidents in years past.
Even though Darren had been at a dead stop when he was hit, the insurance company tried to blame Darren and other causes for the accident. First, the insurance company lawyers said that Darren had “zoomed” into the turning lane and could have avoided the accident. When that didn’t work, the insurance company said that the road was under construction, making it difficult for the other driver to see Darren in the roadway. We were able to investigate all of these claims, take depositions, and prove that those defenses were meritless.
After setting a trial date, obtaining pre-trial deadlines, and engaging experts to help us prove Darren’s case, the insurance company asked for a settlement demand. After a lengthy negotiation that included mediation, we resolved Darren’s case for $850,000.
The money we were able to obtain for Darren helped to alleviate some of the stresses that had been building up since his accident, including bills and the worry of not being able to provide for his family. While the money couldn’t replace the two years he had lost being able to physically participate like he wanted to with his kids, it did help him to reclaim dignity in his role as a husband and father.
Have You Been Injured In A Car Accident In St. Tammany And Just Want To Be Treated Fairly?
At Flattmann Law, we represent hard-working people in St. Tammany and its surrounding areas who just want to be treated fairly. If you have been injured in a car accident and have questions about how we can help, contact us online or call our Covington office directly at 985.590.6182 to schedule your free consultation today. Flattmann Law serves clients on the Northshore, including Covington, Mandeville, Abita Springs, Bogalusa, Franklinton, Folsom, Madisonville, Goodbee, Hammond, Lacombe, Pearl River, and Slidell.