Virginia Lawyers Weekly VA Lawyers Weekly
Type of action: Personal injury/motor vehicle accident/stacking UIM
Injuries alleged: Soft tissue neck injury
Special damages: Medical bills totaling $52,703.81
Verdict or settlement: Settlement
Amount: $125,000
Attorney for plaintiff (and city): W.F. Drewry “Drew”
Gallalee, Richmond
Description of case: Plaintiff was a passenger in a friend’s vehicle which was struck by another vehicle. Plaintiff’s injuries were general soreness from which he recovered, but he had continued neck complaints. He received conservative treatment and one doctor announced that his symptoms had resolved. He also became active in various sports and was able to continue his work as a mechanic. There was then an eight-month gap in treatment. He started treatment with a physical medicine doctor who treated plaintiff with multiple injections. Damages were strongly contested. The defendant had $25,000 of coverage, which was tendered. The next layer of coverage was on the friend’s vehicle and that coverage was tendered. Plaintiff had a policy and lived with his mother who also had a policy, and plaintiff had a motorcycle policy. Stacking the UIM of all these policies generated contributions from the multiple carriers which allowed the case to get resolved prior to suit being filed.
[021-T-115]
