After a driver suddenly pulled out in front of a young woman, the property damage was all insurance wanted to pay. Digging through the case revealed extensive injuries and a clear need for a better settlement. Savannah personal injury attorney Bradley Robinson and his team transformed a low-balled offer into a $490,000 win for our client.
We sat down one-on-one with Bradley to get the details of the thrilling victory and how he helped turn the tide for his client.
The Accident Occurred in the Blink of an Eye
This case began with a young client who was in a major collision through no fault of her own. When an at-fault driver abruptly pulled out in front of her, there was no time to brake and avoid the collision. Our client’s life was turned upside-down in the blink of an eye. Her insurance kept refusing to offer a fair amount for everything she went through, so she turned to Farah & Farah.
Insurance Company Originally Offered $17k; We Said, “We’ll See You in Court”
Because of the extent of our client’s injuries and the damages to her personal property, we knew we would need to work hard to get her the full value of her case. What made the case difficult was that the insurance company only wanted to offer $17,000 in total.
Insurance companies often want to rely on simple calculations for what they think a case is worth. And in this case, they wouldn’t budge from the low-ball offer, which is why our team moved forward with filing a lawsuit to get everything our client deserved.
We Prepared for Trial From Day One
From the start, Farah & Farah prepares each case as if it’s going to trial. We’ll investigate all the facts and find the right experts to back up our valuation of the case. Even as our team began taking depositions, hiring experts, and preparing for trial, the insurance company tried to offer significantly less than the case was worth.
Digging into the various insurance policies applicable to the case, Bradley found two different policies that could be tapped simultaneously. With two different policies, there were two different defense firms. One insurance company’s team recognized that we wouldn’t back down and wanted to tender the full amount of the policy—$250,000. The other side wouldn’t budge so we moved forward with mediation.
When it comes to our clients’ recovery, we leave no stone unturned.
More Than Just Property Damage
Our client’s injuries in the case were downright severe. After her initial hospital visit, she underwent multiple chiropractic and pain management visits, including epidural steroid injections to try and ease her pain. She had a disc herniation that required radiofrequency ablation to her lumbar spine when the conservative treatment plan failed.
Because of her age, we knew she would likely face additional treatments and a future forever altered by the accident. That fact was a crucial factor in how our firm valued the case.
What Is Mediation?
Mediation is where both parties go in front of a neutral third party and present their side of the case. Our team went to mediation in good faith and even reduced what we were asking for to help get our client’s case resolved. When the other insurance company initially refused, we said we’d see them in court. “You’ve got to see a case through to the end,” says Bradley. “You have to dig your feet in and can’t be scared to litigate.”
Getting to the Final Settlement Offer
Every accident case is different because there are so many different variables at play. Our attorneys look at all the details to accurately determine how much we feel our client is entitled to recover under the law.
One expert we turn to in cases like these is what’s known as a physician life care planner. This type of expert can accurately predict the future costs associated with an injury. Because our client was so young and had zero back issues before the accident, we would need to seek a settlement that would help address her needs both today and down the road.
At the 11th hour, the insurance company’s defense team decided to take the offer we presented in litigation and we were able to secure our client $490,000 for everything she’d endured. As you can imagine, our client was thrilled with the outcome and happy to finally be able to put the entire ordeal behind her.
Facing an Uphill Battle? Let Our Team Do the Heavy Lifting
Trekking through an uphill battle with your insurance company shouldn’t be something you do alone. The experienced team at Farah & Farah tackles the challenges head-on to lay the foundational steps to victory. Whether you’re frustrated with a low offer from your insurance company or need help navigating a personal injury suit, our tenacious attorneys are here to help.
When you need legal support you can rely on, contact a Farah & Farah attorney. We’ll shoulder the burden and set right to work in uncovering what options you have available.
