This was a motor vehicle accident case involving a collision with a public higher education institution employee that resulted in severe spinal injuries requiring significant surgical intervention, including a lumbar decompression discectomy and a single-level cervical fusion. The case was referred in on the eve of trial and required an aggressive litigation approach, including taking approximately 20 to 25 depositions of public employees, witnesses, treating physicians, and retained experts. A key challenge in the case was that the plaintiff had been involved in a prior motor vehicle accident shortly before this incident, which the defense relied on heavily to argue that all injuries were pre-existing.
Through expert medical testimony and objective imaging evidence, it was successfully established that the injuries necessitating surgery were caused by the subject collision. The case ultimately resolved for $1,175,000. This matter highlights the importance of expert-driven causation analysis in cases involving pre-existing conditions and multiple incidents.