$1,170,000 Auto Accidents

$1,170,000

Auto/Truck Accident

Jim’s client was a passenger in her son’s car that was struck by a NYC garbage truck on 87th Street and First Avenue in Manhattan. The truck driver claimed he had a green light. Jim’s client suffered injuries to her neck and shoulder. She underwent arthroscopic surgery to her shoulder. She developed a condition known as RSD (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy). Her doctors felt this condition was directly the result of the truck accident and was aggravated by the surgery. Complicating matters was that Jim’s client, on her way to physical therapy after her surgery, was involved in a second car accident, this time she was rear-ended by another vehicle.

Lawsuits were filed with regard to both accidents and the matters were consolidated in New York County (Manhattan) for trial. The City of New York (Sanitation truck) argued that our client’s claims of injury were exaggerated and that the accident was not its fault. The City made a firm pre-trial offer of $185,000. The vehicle in the second accident offered $15,000. Jim and his client rejected these offers and proceeded to trial.

During the course of trial, Jim established liability against the City by flying in a witness to the accident who had moved to Washington State after the accident. This witness confirmed that Jim’s client’s son, in fact, had the green light. Moreover, after calling several of our client’s treating physicians to establish her extensive injuries, Jim subpoenaed one of the doctors who examined her for the defense, and used this defense doctor’s testimony to help prove his case. At this point, during the trial, Jim was able to negotiate a settlement with the insurance company for the driver of the second accident for $170,000.00.

Further, after Jim’s seething cross-examination of the two remaining defense doctors, he raised his demand to a firm $1,000,000 from the City (in addition to the $170,000.00 paid by the other defendants). Immediately before closing arguments were to commence, on the recommendation of the trial judge, the City met Mr. Lynch’s demand and paid $1,000,000 to settle the case.