Woman had wreck while swerving to miss tire in road – $450,000 Settlement

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Plaintiff was traveling home to Emporia from work in the Richmond area on Interstate 95 south when she encountered remnants of a tractor-trailer tire in her lane. She swerved onto the left shoulder and was struck in the rear by the defendant’s truck. The defendant claimed that she cut in front of him as he was also moving onto the shoulder to avoid the object in the road.

Plaintiff was seen initially by her family physician and was treated conservatively with medication and physical therapy before receiving lumbar medial branch blocks and lumbar medial radio frequency ablation followed by the C5-C7 anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.

The defense challenged both liability as well as the causation of the plaintiff’s injuries and treatment.

The matter resolved at mediation immediately after suit was filed. Judge Michael C. Allen served as mediator.

[19-T-010]

Type of action: Personal Injury

Injuries alleged: Thoracic strain, lumbar strain, compression fracture of thoracic vertebra, chronic neck pain

Court: Richmond Circuit Court

Name of judge or mediator: Hon. Michael C. Allen (Ret.)

Verdict or settlement: Settlement

Amount: $450,000

Attorneys for plaintiff: John C. Shea and Joanna L. Suyes, Richmond

Plaintiff’s experts: Dr. John Snyder, Orthopedics; Dr. Jay Pavan, Orthopedics