Client Settlements & Awards

We settled a motorcycle injury case for $650,000 following mediation. Our client was rear-ended while slowing for construction on I-5. The injuries are an ankle fracture and their great toe was nearly amputated. There are residuals to both injuries. The case is remarkable because the at-fault party had only $50,000 in liability coverage. Our client had no underinsured motorist insurance. The defendant’s insurance company tried to put 20% of the blame on our client forcing us to file suit. That backfired and the case settled following mediation for 13 times the at-fault party’s $50,000 insurance policy limit. We believe this represents at least the 20^th time one of the CCRS lawyers has “opened” a policy to make a recovery in excess of policy limits.

Rear-end collision on I-205 in Vancouver. 93-year-old stepfather of 4 adult children was injured when the vehicle he was in was struck from behind by a construction van. Poorly secured cargo from the van came through the back window of the car, hitting him in the back of the neck causing a laceration. He also suffered a spinal fracture causing a bone spur to tear his esophagus. Doctors were unable to help him due to his age and multiple pre-existing conditions including dementia. He was discharged and passed away in hospice care. We recovered $1,015,000 and secured a substantial lien waiver.

Automobile collision near La Center. The defendant was traveling in excess of 90 mph in a 50 mph zone when he lost control, crossed the center line, spun around backward, and hit the full-sized pickup truck our client was in. The collision resulted in multiple soft tissue injuries to our client, but no broken bones. An MRI was originally read as showing no disk injury yet the client had persistent symptoms of such an injury. Based on our suspicion the MRI had been “under interpreted”, we forwarded the MRI films to a local radiologist. The local doctor noted the original hospital reading did not discuss the level the symptoms originated at. We resolved the case against the at-fault driver for all of the insurance coverage available. We then made an underinsured motorist insurance claim. Our client’s insurer refused to acknowledge the severity of the injury and offered only $15,000. The arbitration award was $423,099.23.

Rear-end collision jury verdict of $348,000 for our client.  Our client suffered soft tissue and cervical ligament damage.  The defense attempted to claim low-speed impact, but we proved otherwise.

A truck driver failed to check the crosswalk for pedestrians when making a right turn. Client suffered a degloving injury of the foot. Settlement in mediation $1.5 million.

Hip injury. Our client developed hip pain shortly after a rear end collision. We were retained over a year later. An independent doctor spotted the problem right away and recommended tests that proved the need for hip replacement surgery. This doctor related the necessity to the crash. The insurance defense doctors pointed to delayed onset of hip pain, client age, and a prior work injury to deny causation. The treating doctor, and an independent Radiologist, found no evidence of pre-existing hip degeneration in x-rays taken by the client’s chiropractor days after the crash. This resulted in policy limits settlements from both the third party liability carrier and underinsured motorist insurance. Significant medical lien waivers were obtained.

Our client required low back surgery following a high-speed rear end collision. The client had been treated conservatively for the condition as a teen. For many years no problems were experienced. The defense blamed the need for surgery on the pre-existing condition. By obtaining a leading expert in injury causation we convinced the insurance company to pay policy limits settlement for the client.

Our client suffered a shoulder injury in a high speed “T” bone type collision. After several weeks problems surfaced in the other shoulder due to over compensation. A previous surgery to the shoulder and the delayed onset greatly complicated the case. The case settled in litigation for policy limits, the under insured motorist insurer contributed to the settlement. Lien waivers exceeding $90,000 were obtained and increased the net to the client substantially.

Our client suffered a ligament injury to his neck when his small SUV was struck from behind. The little SUV suffered $400 damage. Damage to the other car was not well documented. The defense claimed the impact was too slight to cause the ligament injury diagnosed by the treating chiropractor. The defense hired three experts to support their claim that the car damage didn’t support a serious injury. We successfully excluded two of the experts from testifying due to unscientific methodology. The pretrial offer was $30,000 and policy limits $100,000.  We were able to obtain a $150,000 jury verdict in excess of policy limits. The entire verdict and costs were paid in full.

LOSRIC case for an octogenarian client. Client was in a vehicle that backed into a much larger vehicle. Damage was relatively severe but the impact speed was estimated at between 3 and 5 mph. The client had significant pre-existing medical conditions. There was also a delay in treatment. The treating doctor did not support the client’s case. After a hard fought pretrial process, with trial looming, the case was settled in mediation for $135,000. There were no medical bills that were related to the crash by the treating doctors.

Automobile collision resulting in death.  Received wrongful death jury verdict of $1,000,000.

Car accident resulting in wrongful death.  Received jury verdict for $1,000,000. Liability was denied and the case vigorously defended. Our investigation allowed us to expose the fallacies of the two primary defense contentions.

Semi truck vs. car collision resulting in death.  Received settlement in excess of $1,000,000 plus UIM coverage.

Fall resulting in head and spinal injuries.  Received settlement in litigation of $1,500,000.

Trucking accident: illegal U-Turn, lack of training of driver, failure to instruct driver on safe route, defective equipment. Company drivers originally lied about their actions leading to contested liability. A careful investigation turned up details showing the at fault driver was grossly unqualified. Our investigation revealed witnesses who disclosed facts destroying the driver’s claims. Policy limits settlement for $1,300,000 including $200,000 more in coverage than the insurers originally disclosed.

Car accident caused by loss of control resulting in wrongful death.  A policy limits settlement of over $1,000,000 was obtained. Complex insurance and choice of law issues were litigated in a multi state case.

Trucking accident caused by driver inattention and unsafe speed, resulting in wrongful death.  Policy limits settlement of $1,000,000 for the family of a woman killed through the inattention of a driver for a small trucking company.

Car vs. motorcycle accident caused by failure to yield resulting in wrongful death.  Settlement in excess of $1,300,000.

Trucking accident resulting in spinal injury and loss of employment contract.  Court finding of damages of $1,000,000 for a woman who suffered a torn ligament in her cervical spine when an inattentive truck driver struck the rear of her vehicle.

Shoulder Injury, PTSD. This case was referred to us by another law firm with an offer of $15,000 pending. A Federal Court Jury awarded $460,000.

Settlement $450,000 for a pedestrian trapped when a semi tractor trailer rig executed a right turn cutting off the crosswalk.

Car accident, speeding, driving off roadway resulting in wrongful death.  Received $525,000 policy limit settlement in a case where even determining who was driving the car was difficult.

Car accident resulting in shoulder, neck and carpal tunnel injuries. A combined verdict of over $550,000 was obtained for a mother and daughter injured when their SUV was rear ended by a small car.

Spinal injuries, under insured motorist case. Low speed rear end collision. An arbitrator awarded in excess of $750,000. The insurer’s offer was $100,000.

Car accident causing spinal injuries and laminectomy, under insured motorist. Our client’s insurance company offered nothing and demanded repayment of PIP from the $100,000 settlement with underinsured at fault driver. An arbitrator awarded $410,000 resulting in recovery of the $300,000 UIM coverage and waiver of the $10,000 PIP reimbursement.

Car accident causing spinal injuries and loss of business income. The owner of a labor intensive start up business was injured when his car was struck by an Uninsured Motorist. An arbitration panel award resulted in recovery of the $300,000 policy limit and waiver of a substantial PIP reimbursement claim.

Car accident causing chronic neck pain and headache, Under Insured Motorist.  A jury returned a verdict of $148,000 in a case involving a lengthy delay in obtaining treatment. The insurer had offered $1,500.

Car accident causing shoulder injury. Jury verdict of $124,000.

Car accident: Jeep passenger ejected, dislocated hip, head and neck injuries, insurance bad faith. Although medical bills were less than $15,000 the effect of the collision was severe. The driver’s insurance company offered only $60,000, we demanded the limit of $100,000. The jury awarded $261,000 and the full amount was paid immediately.

Ulnar nerve injury. Client suffered an injury to her ulnar nerve when her elbow struck an angled door handle in a low speed, rear end collision. Medical expenses were under $2,000. Settlement $125,000.

Car vs. Motorcycle, driving at night against doctor’s instructions, failure to yield, contested liability. The driver at fault had been told not to drive at night due to vision issues. She drove anyway and broadsided our client’s motorcycle. Liability was denied based on a claim that the motorcycle displayed no lights. Our experts established all lights were functioning. Injuries included leg and arm fractures, extensive soft tissue injury, complex regional pain syndrome. Total recovery was $1.250 million plus UIM of $50,000.

Car vs. motorcycle, sudden left turn during passing. The inexperienced driver missed her turn and decided to pull into a driveway to turn around. She executed a sudden left turn without signaling as our client attempted to pass her. Liability was denied. After a deposition of the defense expert exposed numerous errors in his work the case settled for $300,000 policy limit.

Car vs. motorcycle, failure to yield, driver inattention. The defendant made a sudden left turn in front of an oncoming motorcycle. Liability was contested based on the defendant’s claim the motorcycle had not light on and was traveling at an excessive speed. After discovery and depositions policy limits exceeding $1,000,000 were tendered.

Car vs. motorcycle, failure to yield, driver inattention. The defendant made a sudden left turn in front of a motorcycle. The defense expert claimed the motorcyclist’s speed was excessive making him at fault. Bill Robison was retained by the plaintiff’s attorneys to cross examine the defense expert and present the plaintiff’s expert. The jury found no negligence on the part of the cyclist.

Defective man-lift. Recovery of $250,000 for a spleen injury suffered when a man-lift tipped over due to faulty maintenance, design and warnings.

ATV collision. In a case preventing daunting insurance coverage challenges we recovered $740,000 combined.

Defective Propane Tank valve. Confidential settlement for burns suffered when the valve on a propane tank came off due to improper seating of a pin designed to prevent precisely that.

Flammable child’s clothing. Confidential recovery for a child injured when a spark ignited his newly purchased shirt.

Defective clothing manufacturing. Arbitration award for $50,000 for a child who suffered an elbow fracture in a bicycle accident caused by failure cutting corners when making clothing.