Car Accident

Woman Suffers Injuries in Rear-End Car Crash on Highway Off-Ramp

Client Expectation: $25,000
Insurance Company Offer: $7,500
Snow Law Firm Settlement: $92,500

Case Description 

Kathleen, an Administrative Assistant at the Milton campus of Curry College, was on her way to work from Norton at approximately 8:00 a.m. Traveling on Route 93A, she merged into the exit lane at Exit 2B near the Milton/Canton line and brought her car to a complete stop in accordance with traffic when she was rear-ended by a young man. He was looking over his right shoulder while merging into the exit lane and couldn’t stop in time before hitting her vehicle. Despite the fact that Kathleen was driving a 2005 Chevy Uplander (an SUV that looks like a Suburban and weighs over 4,700 lbs.) and the young man was driving a 2001 Saab 9-3, Kathleen’s vehicle was damaged and she suffered a shoulder injury. Her recovery included approximately fifteen (15) doctor office visits, two (2) shoulder injections, one (1) surgery causing a painful 3-month recovery with little use of her arm, and a succession of seventy eight (78) physical therapy sessions over the course of a year and a half.

Legal Issues

Attorney Steven T. Snow set out to prove ‘drivers that cause collisions must accept responsibility for all resulting harm.’ The defendant breached his duty of care causing damages both physically to the vehicle and the person in the car. Kathleen expected her case to be worth $25,000. The young man’s insurance company offered to pay $7,500.

In addition to retaining two (2) separate industry experts to conduct medical and vocational assessments, Attorney Snow conducted a focus group (or a full ‘mock trial’) with approximately twelve (12) attendees serving as a mock jury. The audience of men and women, ranging in age from 25-65 were comprised of all income, education and socioeconomic levels. In the four-hour focus group, where Kathleen was included, Attorney Snow and his associates ‘tested’ opening and closing statements, rules, demonstrative evidence, photos and expert reports. In summary, they were expecting to go to trial to secure an approximate $50,000 settlement, but the audience in the focus group established a minimum parameter of $75,000 (meaning, if they were a jury they would award Kathleen at least $75,000 in damages). Attorney Snow entered the (real) courtroom in Norfolk County with the $75,000 expectation set by the focus group attendees. However, he exited with a Settlement of $92,500.

Outcome

A settlement in the amount of $92,500 was awarded.