Our client, a 31‑year‑old nurse practitioner, was involved in a violent motor vehicle accident in the city of Virginia Beach. The crash happened on November 3, 2020, when another motorist negligently failed to yield the right of way when attempting to cross a busy highway. Our client was traveling at approximately 45 miles an hour and had no time to react and slammed into this other vehicle, causing significant damage to both vehicles. Our client was back boarded at the scene by EMS and rushed to the emergency room. Following medical workup and evaluation, our client was diagnosed with a mild concussion, soft tissue injuries to her back and neck, and a laceration to her face that did not require any stitches. After approximately 3 months of physical therapy to treat her back and neck strains, our client was released from medical care as she had reached maximum medical improvement from her injuries.
SIGNIFICANT MEDICAL COSTS
Our client, in her efforts to cure herself and improve physically in the wake of the accident, incurred approximately $47,000.00 in medical costs with the bulk of expenses coming from her initial visit to the emergency room following the accident.
SHAPIRO, WASHBURN & SHARP GOES TO WORK BUILDING A COMPELLING CASE ON BEHALF OF THEIR CLIENT
Our client reached out to Mr. Washburn and quickly retained his services and resources. While the client’s injuries were significant, Mr. Washburn also focused in on the aspects of how these injuries and this accident effected the client’s daily activities and her life as a 30‑year‑old nurse practitioner and the fact that she was merely 2 weeks away from her wedding at the time that the accident took place. In addition, the client had to move her house from California back to the Hampton Roads areas as her husband was in the military and was deployed shortly after their wedding. Mr. Washburn focused in on these aspects as it was extremely difficult for her to manage a wedding and a move across the country. Mr. Washburn also focused in on the fact that his client, while she was getting married, had a noticeable scar above her left eye, because of accident, and that this caused significant emotional pain and anxiety for the bride‑to-be.
Following significant negotiations and the threat of litigation, the insurance companies made a reasonable offer of $235,000.00 to settle this claim. One thing that Mr. Washburn and the client did that was a key aspect of this was that they were not afraid to file suit, even during the pandemic, they made clear that they were ready, willing, and able to take the matter to a jury, even with the restrictions that COVID produced for the court system.
Attorney Eric K. Washburn always looks beyond the medical bills with his clients. He knows that those that are hurt and injured, that their life is turned upside down and that it is not just another doctor’s appointment or another physical therapy appointment. That those injuries clients suffer, it effects other aspects of their life and getting to know this client and knowing that she was only 2 weeks away from her wedding day, it was imperative to get that story and that position across to the insurance companies so that they could put a proper value on the claim.
OUTCOME
- Settlement $235,000.00
CASE INFO
- Court: Virginia Beach Circuit Court
- Attorney: Eric K. Washburn
- Paralegal: Heather G.