Leon, a retired minister, former football coach, and family man was no stranger to tough life circumstances. But when he set out in his van one breezy October day, the last thing Leon expected was to get hurt in a crash that would change his life forever. But that’s exactly what happened.
As he passed through an intersection at a green light, another car came speeding out of nowhere, crashing into the side of his van, just behind the driver’s side door. Leon lost consciousness. When he awoke, he was surrounded by first responders, lucky to be alive.
Leon Faces a Tough Road to Recovery—and Little Support From the Insurance Company
Leon was rushed to the emergency room with pain in his head, neck, shoulder, hip, and knee, as well as a head injury. His injuries were severe. Leon thought he might lose the ability to walk.
The doctors and nurses did their best to provide Leon with the care he needed to recover. But despite their efforts, Leon’s pain only increased in the months after his crash. Leon dealt with facial muscle spasms, dizziness, numbness, tingling, decreased range of motion, constant headaches, memory issues, fatigue, and more. Even now, when he sits for too long, he feels pangs of electricity shoot down his legs from damaged nerves.
To make his recovery more complicated, Leon had several severe pre-existing health conditions, including diabetes, degenerative disc disease, and persistent mobility issues from a car accident in 1996.
After the 1996 crash, Leon lost the use of his legs for more than four years. He got around using a motorized scooter and wheelchair, but he was determined to get back on his feet—literally. Through the efforts of his medical team, Leon slowly regained use of his legs. An experimental treatment helped him gain feeling and eventually use of his legs, and pool exercise helped him get back into shape. Leon felt like his old self again, the one who coached football and enjoyed spending time with his wife.
Getting t-boned, although it was more than a decade later, reverted all his healing and progress, and Leon found himself in more pain than ever before, to the point where he needed regular epidurals to manage his pain.
Leon knew he needed help, so he filed an insurance claim. That’s when things went from bad to worse.
The Insurance Company Offers Leon an Insufficient Amount, so Leon Called Andy
The driver who hit Leon was uninsured, so Leon filed an insurance claim with his own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance policy. These policies are designed to protect motorists in case they’re ever in a crash with someone who doesn’t have enough insurance to cover their costs—just like Leon.
However, Leon’s insurance would only offer him $30,000-$40,000 for his injuries—a pitiful amount.
So, Leon called the Andy Citrin team for help.
Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys Fights for Deserving Family Man
As soon as we heard Leon’s story, we knew we had to fight for him. However, our commitment to winning on his behalf only grew as we learned everything Leon had been through.
Shortly after he regained the use of his legs after his 1996 accident, Leon’s daughter unexpectedly passed away. He and his wife Cynthia took in their two granddaughters, one of whom has special needs. They began to rebuild together, relying on each other for support in difficult times.
However, just months after surviving getting t-boned, Cynthia also died. Leon was suddenly wheelchair-bound, in tremendous daily pain, and parent to two dependent grandchildren. The insurance company didn’t care that Leon was suddenly a widower and a legal guardian, but we did.
The Citrin Team Demands Fair Compensation at Trial
The insurance company bent over backward to get out of paying the policy limits for Leon’s claim. They tried to blame his condition on his stature, his diabetes, his existing health issues from the 1996 crash. Our team knew that insurance companies can’t deny claims based on pre-existing conditions, so we had no qualms about going to bat for him.
Furthermore, there was no question about who was at fault for the accident. Although the other driver initially tried to say he’d had a yellow light—not a red one, our team secured testimony from a witness who clearly saw him run a red light and hit Leon.
When the insurance company still wouldn’t provide full compensation for Leon’s injuries, even in the face of all the evidence and the law, we decided to hold them accountable in court.
Ultimately, the case ended up going to trial. Our team won a verdict of $150,000, and because Leon’s policy limit was $125,000, that’s the final amount he secured.
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When Your Family Needs to Fight the Insurance Company, Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys Isn’t Afraid to Go to Trial
We were honored to help Leon get the compensation he deserved, not only after his accident but after the string of tragedies that befell him and his family. Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys knows this will support him and his grandkids as they move forward together.
If you or your loved one is getting pushback from the insurance company after an accident that wasn’t your fault, contact our law firm of experienced personal injury attorneys. We’ll get started with a free consultation to determine the best path forward. Call at 228-888-8888 or fill out this simple online contact form.
