An office manager for the New Hope Police Department was on her way to work one morning when she was rear-ended by a motorist who lost control of his vehicle. She suffered what her doctors initially thought was a mild strain of her neck. However, when the pain did not go away, she underwent an MRI scan which revealed significant and serious damage to her vertebrae and discs, which was pinching her nerves and sending pain signals down her arms. Her doctors elected to perform radiofrequency neurotomy, which was a tremendous success for her, reducing the pain.

The catch was that relief from radiofrequency neurotomy is of limited duration, requiring the patient to repeat the procedure every 12 to 16 months; and the procedure is not inexpensive.  To make matters worse, her doctors imposed permanent restrictions which precluded her from returning to the job she loved.

Our attorneys attempted to negotiate a settlement with the insurance carrier that will cover not only future medical coverage for the neurotomy procedures, but also money to cover her lost wages to her age of retirement. When the insurer would not negotiate, our attorneys filed a lawsuit. After several months of litigation, our attorneys were able to secure a settlement, from which the client could set aside money to cover future neurotomies, as well as sufficient cash to cover her lost wages.

A retired Vietnam veteran suffered injuries to his neck, low back and left shoulder, when he was struck in an intersection by another vehicle whose driver ignored a red light.

Before the motor vehicle crash, he had years of treatment to his neck and back, including fusion surgery. In negotiations, the insurance carrier presented very small offers giving the significant pre-accident treatment history.

Our attorneys worked with our client’s doctors and were able to secure supportive reports, showing he sustained a significant aggravation of pre-existing conditions. More specifically, his low back surgeon indicated that the motor vehicle crash had damaged the hardware in his low back, and another surgery was necessary.  These reports significantly increased the value of the claim. After filing a lawsuit and preparing discovery and depositions, the insurance carrier finally agreed to settle the case.