Case at a glance
- Recovery: $1.5 Million Settlement
- Injury: Neck injury requiring disc-replacement surgery
- Practice: Personal Injury
- Attorney: Vuk Vujasinovic
Slowing for traffic on I-45
Myra was driving south on Houston’s Gulf Freeway during evening traffic. She slowed with the vehicles ahead of her. A Porsche traveling behind her struck the rear of her Toyota Tacoma.
The other driver initially stopped and exchanged information, then left the scene. Police later arrested him. The case required an investigation of the collision itself as well as the evidence concerning suspected alcohol involvement.
Myra reported neck, jaw and lower-back pain after the crash. Her neck injury would ultimately require surgery.
An active life interrupted by a neck injury
Before the collision, Myra had served in the Army as a driver with a Patriot missile crew. She enjoyed camping, hiking, bike rides and trips to the beach with her family. She also volunteered in her community.
The injury affected far more than those outings. Persistent pain, stiffness and spasms made ordinary activities difficult, including washing her hair, cooking and doing laundry. Sleeping became a struggle; she spent an extended period sleeping in a recliner.
Physical therapy and injections did not give her lasting relief. Her surgeon diagnosed a herniated disc in her neck. She underwent surgery to relieve pressure on the spinal cord and nerves and replace the damaged disc with an artificial disc.
The VB Attorneys team documented how those physical limitations affected the life Myra had lived before the crash, alongside the medical treatment she required.
Using the vehicle data to reconstruct the collision
Vuk retained an accident-reconstruction expert to inspect Myra’s pickup and analyze its electronic crash data. The investigation also examined scene photographs, the police report, the vehicle’s seat belt and its brake lights.
The crash data supported Myra’s account of slowing for traffic. It showed braking before the impact and no steering input suggesting a lane change. The physical evidence and recorded data also confirmed that she was wearing her seat belt.
The reconstruction expert concluded that the following driver was traveling too fast for the conditions and following too closely. The expert found no fault on Myra’s part.
The legal team also obtained the driver’s criminal file and retained a toxicologist to evaluate the alcohol evidence. This added a separate line of investigation to the physical reconstruction of the crash.
Pursuing the available insurance coverage
Vuk sent a formal demand seeking payment of the available policy limits. The demand brought together the crash investigation, the medical evidence and the consequences of Myra’s injury.
The team continued preparing the case through discovery and mediation. Its presentation explained not only why the driver was responsible for the collision, but why a neck injury requiring disc-replacement surgery had lasting consequences for Myra.
The case settled for $1.5 million following a mediator’s proposal. That amount represented the available insurance policy limits.
Questions about the case
Related legal help
Learn about serious injury claims, or read about commercial vehicle injury claims.
To speak with Vuk Vujasinovic about a serious injury, call 877-724-7800 for a free consultation.
Every case is different. Prior results depend on the facts of the individual case and do not guarantee a similar outcome.