A man was struck by a tractor-trailer as he was driving north on Route 440 near its intersection with Newark Avenue in Jersey City, New Jersey. Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C. Partner Samuel L. Davis filed suit in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Hudson County, proved that the tractor trailer driver had been negligent in his failure to properly pay attention to the road, and won the client a $600,000 settlement.
The tractor trailer cut off the client and struck him on his car’s front driver side. The client sought treatment several weeks later, when he continued experiencing pain in his neck, back, and right knee. He suffered from disc herniations and disc bulges in his cervical and lumbar spine, and a meniscus tear in his knee. He underwent epidural steroid injections to treat his spine, and an arthroscopic meniscectomy to treat his knee.
This case was complicated by the fact that he was injured in a subsequent collision a year later that aggravated his cervical spine injury. After the second collision, the client underwent a spinal fusion surgery with instrumentation to treat his lumbar spine. However, to clarify the cause of his injuries, medical experts were hired by Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C. who wrote expert opinions proving that the first collision alone had caused the client’s lumbar injury.
With the help of these experts, Partner Samuel L. Davis ensured that the client received proper compensation for his injuries, pain, and suffering caused by the first collision, in the form of a $600,000 settlement.
Settlements are often limited by the total available insurance coverage. Insurance company adjusters and their lawyers often defend cases by claiming that a client was negligent and could have avoided being injured by arguing comparative negligence on the part of an injured client; or that their pain and suffering was caused by pre-existing medical conditions or prior injuries. Despite those defenses, the Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, PC lawyers won their client’s injury claim. Each client’s case is unique. Results may differ because of different facts, circumstances and available insurance coverage.
Call us now for a free and confidential case evaluation. We are also available 24/7 online at our website, www.dsslaw.com.
Medical Glossary
Arthroscopic surgery: A surgical procedure used to diagnose and treat joint problems, involving making a small incision to allow an arthroscope to access the problem.
Cervical spine: The first seven vertebrae in the spine.
Disc bulge: Bulging discs are a condition in which the inner portion of a spinal disc remains contained in the outer portion of a spinal disc. The outer shell often becomes weaker, and the disc begins to bulge to one side of the spinal canal or flatten. Many experience bulging discs after an injury.
Disc herniation: Occurs when the exterior of a disc cracks and its nucleus pushes into the spinal canal and irritates surrounding nerves.
Epidural steroid injection: Epidural steroid injections are a minimally invasive procedure that can relieve neck, arm, back and leg pain. The steroid calms down the irritated nerve that is causing the pain and swelling. Relief from the injections typically last for three months or more.
Lumbar spine: The lower back; consists of five bones.
Meniscus: The meniscus is a crescent-shaped piece of fibrous cartilage that helps protect the knee from shock protection. It also cushions the tibia and femur from each other.
Meniscectomy: A meniscectomy is a surgical procedure that removes a torn meniscus from the knee. This procedure is usually used for more severe tears that will not heal on their own.
Spinal fusion surgery with instrumentation: A procedure through which a surgeon uses instruments including rots, plates, and screws, to help spinal bones fuse together.
