Washington Law Firm Secures $850,000 Settlement After Insurance Companies Initially Offered Less Than $25,000
TL;DR
Herschensohn Law secured $850,000 for a client by leveraging litigation and expert partnerships to overcome low insurance offers and maximize compensation.
The firm used strategic litigation and underinsured motorist claims to demonstrate permanent injury severity, achieving a settlement far exceeding medical costs.
This case ensures fair compensation for permanent injuries, protecting victims from undervaluation and improving access to justice in personal injury law.
A car accident victim with $38,000 in medical bills received $850,000, highlighting how legal expertise can dramatically alter compensation outcomes.
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A Washington personal injury law firm secured an $850,000 settlement for a client who was initially offered less than $25,000 combined by two insurance companies after a 2020 car crash caused a permanent neck injury. The case highlights common insurance tactics that undervalue claims based on medical expenses alone, ignoring the long-term impact of permanent injuries.
Monty Dodge was rear-ended with tremendous force by a blue Toyota FJ Cruiser on November 10, 2020, in Sumner, Washington, after he had stopped to avoid a collision ahead. Although Dodge had fully recovered from a prior cervical surgery, the new crash injured a different part of his neck, resulting in a diagnosed permanent facet joint injury. Despite this clear causation, the at-fault driver's insurance carrier refused to pay the $100,000 policy limit, arguing his symptoms were related to the old accident, and made an initial offer of $13,078.
Herschensohn Law, which specializes in car accident claims and litigation with offices throughout Washington State, filed a lawsuit. The firm's methodology, detailed at https://www.herschelaw.com, involves allocating resources based on case demands. After years of delay and litigation, the at-fault insurer tendered the full $100,000. However, Dodge's own underinsured motorist carrier then offered only $11,000 for damages exceeding that limit.
Faced with this second low offer, Herschensohn Law partnered with trial attorney Joe Pipinich, known for securing substantial verdicts. Continued litigation led Dodge's insurer to agree to a $750,000 settlement, bringing the total recovery to $850,000. This outcome is significant given Dodge's medical expenses were only $38,000, and his treatment was primarily palliative radiofrequency ablations to manage symptoms. The legal team successfully demonstrated the profound, permanent nature of the injury beyond the cost of care.
The case underscores a critical issue for accident victims: insurance companies frequently undervalue claims by focusing narrowly on medical bills, often ignoring the lifelong consequences of permanent injuries. For individuals with similar experiences, this settlement illustrates the potential gap between initial insurance offers and fair compensation, emphasizing the importance of legal advocacy in challenging insurer denials and lowball tactics.
Curated from 24-7 Press Release
