After coming to a stop at the intersection of Grand Avenue and Fort Lee Road in Leonia, New Jersey, a driver was rear-ended by a commercial truck. Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C. Partner Samuel L. Davis filed suit in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Bergen County, proved that the truck driver had been negligent in failing to observe the driver ahead, and won our client a $950,000 settlement.
The client was stopped at a red light intersection when he was rear-ended by the truck. The police arrived at the scene, however, the client denied medical help until a few days later. He sought help when his pain continued.
The truck accident caused injuries to the client’s neck, back, and right shoulder. In his neck and back, he suffered disc herniations and a disc bulge, while his shoulder suffered a rotator cuff tear. He underwent epidural steroid injections to treat his cervical and lumbar spine; however, the injections provided only temporary relief. The client ultimately had to resort to spinal surgery consisting of a lumbar interbody fusion. The torn rotator cuff in his shoulder required arthroscopic surgery with debridement and decompression.
This case was complicated by the fact that the client had prior lumbar spinal injury. However, Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C. hired medical experts who authored narrative reports showing the causality between this truck accident and the man’s injuries. The firm also hired a vocational expert to determine the future employability and the cost of our client’s future care.
With these experts’ help, Partner Samuel L. Davis proved our client’s need for monetary compensation and secured him a $950,000 settlement for his pain, injuries, and suffering.
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 lasts for three months or more.
Interbody fusion and instrumentation: A surgical procedure involving the removal of a damaged intervertebral disk and the replacement of the disk with bone graft material. Surgical instruments like rods, plates, and screws are used to help the bones fuse together.
Lumbar spine: The lower back; consists of five bones.
Rotator cuff tear: An injury to the shoulder muscles and tendons that work to stabilize the joint and enable arm movement.
