Our client was a beloved team member at her job at a local gas station where she worked in Nassau County, Florida. She was so liked that her fellow workers and regular customers would even turn out to be pivotal character witnesses in court. That’s because the insurance company tried to discredit her claims and refused to pay anywhere near a fair amount after a car accident left her with injuries so serious that she was unable to return to work.
We sat down with Khalil Farah and Dalya Farah, who worked together alongside legal legends Frank Fratello and Jonathon Carter, to see how the team was able to bring this case to court and secure a $752,000 win for such a deserving client.
A Crash on the Way to Work Changed Everything
Our client’s story started on a day just like any other as she was on her way to work at a Circle K gas station in Nassau County. She had happily worked at this location for more than 20 years and was well-known and respected by everyone in her community. However, her life changed in an instant when another driver swerved in front of the vehicle she was in and caused a severe crash.
Our client’s injuries were extensive. Medical tests would confirm she suffered back and neck damage with disc herniations likely requiring a lifetime of treatment. Despite all the treatment she received, our client was left in a condition where she physically couldn’t return to a job she once cherished–a job she’d worked diligently at for more than two decades and earned glowing reviews from her managers.
It Was an Uphill Battle With the Insurance Company From Day 1
Despite these injuries, the insurance company refused to offer a fair amount for everything our client went through. They went so far as to say she was faking the extent of her injuries and using the accident like a lottery ticket. But in reality, anyone who knew this hardworking woman would never question her character. Witnesses made that fact clear in their testimonies.
Having dropped out of high school, our client raised three successful daughters while she worked nights at the gas station. The insurance company’s lawyer was a defense attorney from Miami who didn’t know anything about our client or what she’d been through. All he knew was that he had a job to do – to minimize how much the insurance company had to pay out for the claim. To do so, he tried to discredit not only the woman’s character but also the medical evidence.
Our team knows the insurance companies’ tactics, which is why our pre-litigation team hit the ground running with crucial case actions like gathering medical evidence, helping our client seek the right treatments, finding witnesses, and investigating the crash. Dalya and Jonathon’s efforts during pre-litigation were pivotal, providing Khalil and Frank with a solid foundation to continue the case into litigation.
Overcoming Bias and Helping Present the Truth in Front of the Jury
As the case moved to litigation, Khalil and Frank stepped in to prepare for trial. One of the defense team’s main arguments was that our client couldn’t have been that hurt since she didn’t need surgery. However, we used her spinal doctor’s testimony to show that our client would need epidural injections, likely for the rest of her life, merely to function in her daily life.
Working at the gas station was the only career she’d ever had. She had been diligent in her work and loved by all who interacted with her. In fact, her former manager drove all the way from North Carolina to testify on her behalf at the trial. Her regular customers sent cards and letters wishing her a speedy recovery, with some even giving her a scrapbook with their phone numbers to stay in touch.
At Farah & Farah, when our legal team considers a case, we evaluate all of the costs involved. We present medical bills and future medical costs, lost wages and future earnings, damaged property, and what we call “human costs.” These are things like not being able to spend as much time with your family or doing certain activities you once felt passionate about.
When Khalil and Frank showed just how much the accident had disrupted our client’s life and how she’d never be the same again, the jury decided to do the right thing and awarded our client the full amount we were seeking—$752,000 in total.
“What secured this case was all the community support,” Khalil explained. “Seeing our client’s former manager drive all the way from North Carolina to Nassau County to be there to support her was really cool to see; it was raw and human, showing that good does prevail. That was one of the most impactful moments of the case for me.”
Feeling Uncertain With Insurance After Your Crash? Let’s Talk
Experiencing an accident can be one of the worst moments of your life. Literal insult to injury can occur when you don’t feel like your insurance carrier is addressing all of your needs after the crash. If you feel like you’re getting the runaround from your insurance company after an accident, we can help evaluate your case. Contact our attorneys to talk about the accident and see what options you may have–all at no cost.
