$3,700,000 Jury Verdict – Motor Vehicle Collision

A Gwinnett County, Georgia jury awarded a $3,700,000 verdict to Shiver Hamilton Campbell’s client. Our client sustained injuries in a wreck that occurred while he was taking his daughter to school. The defendant turned left in front of our client’s vehicle and caused a severe impact collision. Immediately after the wreck, our client rushed over to check on his daughter, who also injured. Our client, who was bleeding from a head laceration, refused treatment at the scene so he could accompany his daughter to the hospital.

How Do Car Accidents Occur?

What our client did not know at the time was that he suffered a herniated disc in the wreck. A few days after the wreck, he experienced sharp pains in his lower back. He had never had any back problems prior to the wreck. Our client treated with a chiropractor for several months, but his back pain lingered. The chiropractor referred him to a spine specialist, who conducted several imaging studies, including an MRI. The MRI revealed a significant disc injury including a herniation and tear. Ultimately, our client underwent a lumbar spine surgery called anterior lumbar discectomy and fusion (ALDF).

Contact an Experienced Atlanta Car Accident Lawyer

Our client’s case was initially handled by another Atlanta area law firm. That firm was unable to negotiate a settlement with the defendant’s insurance carrier. A few months before trial, that firm asked Shiver Hamilton Campbell to assist with the jury trial.

The defendant insurance company hired one of Atlanta’s most successful car wreck defense firms. The insurance company and that firm spared no expense, hiring an expert witness to review our client’s medical records. That expert witness, an orthopedic surgeon, told the jury that his injuries were caused by degenerative age-related changes and not due to the wreck.

Shiver Hamilton Campbell called our client’s treating physicians to testify at trial, and they all stated that his injuries were due to the wreck and not age-related changes. During cross-examination of the defense expert orthopedic surgeon, he was forced to admit that medical literature he referenced in his report refutes his opinion that disc injuries are caused by age-related changes.

In closing argument, the defense lawyer asked the jury to return a verdict of $15,000. The jury returned a verdict in the amount of $3,700,000. The insurance company’s highest offer before trial was $25,000.