From Devastating Crash to $1 Million Recovery
Expert Strategy and Compassion Made the Difference
This is how my firm helped a kind couple, Richard and Marie, recover settlements from both a workers’ compensation claim and a catastrophic trucking accident. A wheel from an 18-wheeler detached, flew across I-85 near Duncan, South Carolina, and smashed into the work van Richard was driving. Another attorney, who recognized the case’s complexity, brought it to us. In 2022, Richard and a coworker were driving to Greenville when a dual wheel assembly came loose from a tractor-trailer in the opposite lane. It jumped the median and struck their windshield at high speed. The impact knocked Richard unconscious as the van accelerated. His coworker unbuckled, tried to brake, and steered into barriers before finally crashing into a ditch and a tree. Another vehicle was struck by the same wheel, severely injuring that driver, and then collided with Richard’s van seconds later. Richard sustained a traumatic brain injury, a shattered jaw requiring metal reconstruction, multiple hand fractures, lumbar spine damage, and double vision.
His medical bills exceeded $315,000, all covered by workers’ compensation.
We needed to prove negligence before seeking any settlement. I hired a mechanical engineer specializing in trucking equipment failures. After inspecting the preserved wheel assembly, he confirmed it was improperly tightened. The trucking company’s lawyers couldn’t dispute it, leading to a full-policy settlement shortly before employee depositions. Workers’ compensation initially resisted specialized brain-injury treatment since scans showed no abnormalities. I pushed for and secured referrals to a brain injury team in Charlotte, including a neurologist, psychologist, and neuropsychologist. A speech pathologist’s findings revealed the full extent of Richard’s cognitive impairment, prompting intensified therapy and steady recovery. We first settled Richard’s workers’ compensation case for $160,000, preserving lifetime medical benefits. Six months later, we mediated the trucking case and secured
a $900,000 global settlement. Though funds were limited among multiple victims, Richard selflessly agreed to share fairly. We also negotiated a substantial reduction in the workers’ compensation payback, which ensured meaningful compensation for Richard and Marie. This case reinforced the value of collaboration between lawyers, experts, doctors, and clients. Persistence, empathy, and strong relationships turned a near-impossible situation into over $1,060,000 in total recovery and lasting trust with a remarkable family.
*Past outcomes don’t guarantee future results. Every case is different, and all cases depend on unique facts and laws.
“Here there is no [social or cultural distinction], but Christ is all, and is in all. Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” –Colossians 3:11-15 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35 Good News
APPLE-CRANBERRY SALAD
Ingredients
• 6 slices of bacon • 1/3 cup balsamic vinaigrette • 1/3 cup olive oil • 2 tbsp raw honey • 8 oz fresh baby spinach, rinsed and dried
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries • 1 Honeycrisp apple, peeled and thinly sliced • 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced • 1/2 cup feta cheese
Directions 1. In a large skillet, cook bacon until crispy. Remove it from the pan and set on a paper towel-lined plate to cool. 2. In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinaigrette, olive oil, and honey. Set aside. 3. In a large bowl, add spinach, cranberries, apple slices, red onion, and feta. Crumble bacon pieces over the top. Use salad forks to toss ingredients thoroughly. 4. Add dressing to the salad and toss again until well-coated.
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