Recently, Mulvey, Cornell & Mulvey obtained a $45,000 settlement for a client that was injured in a car accident in Hampton, NH. On October 29, 2011 our client approached the toll booth on Interstate 95 in Hampton, NH. As she slowed to stop at the toll, she was rear-ended by the vehicle behind her, which caused the vehicle to jolt, and sent our client's head snapping forward and backward. The force of the impact created whiplash injuries, including neck and back soft-tissue injuries and pain.
At the time of the accident, our client was traveling down to Massachusetts with her husband for a weekend vacation. As a result of the accident, the vacation had to be cancelled. On that night of the accident, our client went to the emergency room with neck and back complaints. She was treated and released with instructions to rest and follow-up if her symptoms worsened. After a few days, her symptoms became worse and she again reported to the emergency room, where the doctors recommended she begin physical therapy.
Between November 16, 2011, and January 18, 2012, our client attended 12 formal physical therapy sessions where the therapist used heat, ice, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, and therapeutic tissue release in an attempt to alleviate her symptoms. As of January 10, 2012, she reported that she was still only feeling 50% recovered from her physical injuries. She was formally discharged from physical therapy on January 18, 2012. The discharge note indicated that she continued to suffer from intermittent neck and right should blade pain and she was prescribed a home exercise program to continue to deal with the remaining issues.
Following the accident, our client missed 2 weeks of work from her job as a wine maker. Her job required her to lift and move heavy vats of wine and she was unable to perform these duties for the 2 weeks following the accident. Her total lost wages were $1,417.38.
After a few weeks, our client could not shake her anxiety about the accident, her injuries, her financial losses, and her uncertainty about her ability to continue to work as a wine maker. So, she began therapy with psychologist. The psychologist diagnosed our client with post traumatic stress disorder stemming from the collision and gave her several coping strategies to deal with her PTSD. She only had one visit with Mr. the psychologist
The total medical expenses, including mileage and parking fees, incurred to date were $1,777.95.
The insurance company for the at-fault driver conceded that their insured was negligent and at fault for the accident. However, the insurance company contested the nature and extent of our client's injuries, especially the claims surrounding the anxiety/post-traumatic stress issues. They argued that because our client only attended 12 physical therapy sessions and 1 mental health visit, the injuries could not have been severe in nature. After weeks of negotiation over the phone, we were able to get the insurance company to increase their offer to $45,000, which are client was pleased to accept.
Slow-speed, low-impact car accidents that result in whiplash symptoms can often result in long-term debilitating pain. However, without the aid of experienced personal injury attorneys, most injured parties won't be able to obtain a fair and equitable recovery from the insurance company.
We here at Mulvey, Cornell & Mulvey have been dealing with all kinds of injury claims for over 30 years and our experienced injury attorneys can help you get the largest recovery possible for your injuries. If you have been injured through no fault of your own, please contact us immediately to discuss your claim. We will evaluate your case for free and, if it's more convenient, we will travel to your home to meet with you.