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Truck Accident Victim with Pre-Existing Condition Gets $3.4 Million
Our client contacted us after a big rig collision that resulted in back, shoulder, and neck injuries. As a result of the truck accident, he had to undergo neck surgery; specifically, an anterior cervical discectomy with decompression. This is an operation that helps relieve pain, weakness, numbness, and tingling by removing a damaged disc to relieve pressure on the spinal cord and nerve roots.
Unfortunately, our client’s health didn’t improve immediately after surgery. He experienced complications that required an additional procedure be performed to remove an expanding cervical hematoma (internal swelling of clotted blood in the neck). This is an emergency procedure that can lead to extreme neurological damage and even death.
Factors in a Neck Injury Settlement
Some of the factors that determine the outcome of a case or the amount of the settlement include the severity of injuries sustained by the victim, and how badly the injuries will affect his quality of life. If the injury is so severe that the victim will never be able to work again — for example — an estimate of future lost wages would be considered.
In this case, the defense argued that the victim (our client) did have a pre-existing medical history of neck and back pain, and that there were reasons other than the big rig accident that explained why he’d had the neck surgery.
Fortunately for our client, the personal injury lawyers on our team have years of experience defending truck accident victims and have handled many neck injury cases. We were able to prove that the collision was not only the cause of his injuries, but that they were severe enough to warrant a $3.4 million settlement. The money may not relieve him of the trauma and pain, but at least he won’t have to suffer the added stress of unpaid bills.
