$2,925,000 Settlement for Client Hurt in Side Impact Collision

In a New York case, a 39-year-old driver was hit on the passenger side of his car by a school bus that ran a stop sign. He lost consciousness and was transported to the hospital via an ambulance. As a result of the crash, he suffered serious back and other injuries. Represented by attorneys Daniel O’Toole and Frederick Aranki, he received a $2.925 million settlement..

Court and County
Supreme, Bronx

Plaintiff Description
39-year-old factory worker at the time of the accident; Columbian immigrant; Spanish-speaking

For a free legal consultation after a side impact or other serious collision, please call 212-736-5300 or fill out our Contact Form.

Description of Case
Our client was driving at about 5 p.m. with two co-workers in Queens. He soon approached an intersection with the intention to drive straight through it. He did not slow down as he did not have a stop sign. At the time, he was taking a different route home than he would normally take, and estimated he was going about 20mph.

Suddenly, as he passed through the intersection, he was hit on the passenger side by a school bus which had run a stop sign. Our client lost consciousness in the accident and woke up in an ambulance on the way to Elmhurst hospital. He began to suffer immediate pain in his neck and back.

The defendant claimed that their view of the stop sign was obstructed by a tree, but also admitted that the route they were driving that day was one that they took two times a day, five days a week. It was also found that there was a warning sign near the intersection to warn of the upcoming stop sign.

It was ultimately determined that a driver a) has no duty to watch for and avoid a driver who might fail to stop or proceed with due caution and b) an operator who has the right of way is entitled to anticipate that other vehicles will obey the traffic laws that require them to yield. The Appellate Division granted summary judgement to the Plaintiff on the issue of liability.

Injuries/Damages
Our client suffered severe back injuries as a result of the accident, including a bulging disc to his lumbar spine at L5/S1 with left-sided neural foraminal stenosis. This injury required a posterior lumbar laminectomy and discectomy, as well as a posterior lateral lumbar fusion. This spinal fusion surgery did not bring him relief, however, and he eventually required a revision surgery.

Sadly, this surgery left him infertile, which devastated him emotionally. For a time, he reported experiencing anxiety, depression, constant nightmares and eventually suicidal ideation. These symptoms led to diagnoses of PTSD, Major Depressive Disorder and Post-Concussion Syndrome.

He also suffered numerous injuries to his cervical spine, which thankfully did not require surgery:

• C2/3: Focal disc herniation
• C3/4: Broad-based posterior bulge impinging upon the anterior thecal sac
• C4/5: Posterior bulging impinging upon the anterior thecal sac
• C5/6: Central disc herniation with posterior end plate hypertrophy impinging upon the anterior thecal sac and bilateral foraminal stenosis
• C6/7: Central disc herniation

Our client made a claim for future lost wages since he was not able to return to his job as a union shipping packer after his spinal fusion surgery. His prospects for future employment were determined to be severely diminished as well, as he was not able to walk for more than twenty or so minutes without experiencing extreme pain. He began to spend much of his time lying down and needed to use a spinal stimulator roughly four hours a day.

Settlement
This case settled before trial for $2,925,000.

Attorneys
This matter was handled by Partners Daniel P. O’Toole and Frederick C. Aranki.

Skilled Litigation in Side Impact Collision Lawsuits

The Law Firm of Block O’Toole & Murphy has one of the best records in auto injury cases in New York and have recovered over 100 collision results exceeding $1,000,000 each for clients. To date, we’ve recovered well over $1.5 billion for accident victims.

Select results for clients hurt in side impact crashes include:

• $2,500,000 jury verdict for a client involved in a side impact collision with a concrete mixing truck in Brooklyn, New York
• $1,200,000 settlement for a 43-year-old driver who suffered herniated discs after he was broadsided by another vehicle in Queens, New York

To speak with an attorney today, please call 212-736-5300. We serve New York and New Jersey.