Motor Vehicle Accident Cases

Boating Accident – Severe Injury & Death

Mr. C and his wife Erin were passengers aboard a recreational vessel when the vessel exploded and caught fire. Mr. C was severely injured, and his wife died. Suit was brought against the boat owners for improperly fueling and starting the engine and the yacht club, who assisted with the fueling while Mr. C and his wife remained on board. The case eventually settled through mediation in the low to mid seven figure range. Talarico & Associates served as co-counsel, with Robert P. Sweeney of Cleveland, Ohio as lead counsel.

Auto Accident – Cancer Patient Death

Mr. W sustained a closed head injury with multiple lacerations when he was rear-ended while slowing down to stop behind a tractor trailer. Surgery to his left frontal temporal scalp resulted in an infection and extended hospital stay. Unfortunately, at the time of the accident, Mr. W was treating for myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) secondary to chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CCL). He was in the middle of a regimen of chemotherapy with the hope of obtaining a lifesaving transplant. Unfortunately, the accident and his hospital stay interrupted the course of his chemotherapy treatments, accelerated his underlying disease and dashed any hope for a transplant. His condition rapidly progressed to acute myelodysplastic leukemia (AML), and he died shortly thereafter. The case successfully mediated in the low to mid six figure range.

Drunk Driver – Tragic Car Accident

Mrs. G and her husband were driving south on I-79 between West 26th Street and Interchange Road. A young man under the influence took the wrong exit off Interchange Road, turning north onto the north/south off ramp of I-79 directly toward Mr. and Mrs. G. At a high rate of speed, he collided head on with Mr. and Mrs. G, severely injuring Mr. G and killing Mrs. G. The case settled at the pretrial conference in the low to mid seven figure range.

Pedestrian / Truck Accident – Traumatic Brain Injury

A spunky sixty (60) year old, Ms. P was crossing the Bayfront Parkway to report to work at UPMC Hamot. Just then, a tractor trailer, proceeding south on State Street, turned left onto the Bayfront Parkway and struck Ms. P in the crosswalk. She sustained an intraparenchymal hemorrhage to her brain which left her with permanent cognitive deficits. She tried unsuccessfully to return to work. She filed suit against the driver and truck company for failing to yield the right-of-way. In addition to securing ongoing workers’ compensation, the case successfully mediated in the mid six figure range.

Auto Accident – Multiple Cervical Spine Surgeries

Mr. G was a forty-seven (47) year old electrician when he was broad-sided by another vehicle which had pulled out of a parking lot into the middle of the road. As a result of the accident, Mr. G aggravated pre-existing degenerative changes in his neck which eventually led to a C5-6 cervical debridement and fusion. He returned to work three (3) months later and did well for a brief period of time before his symptoms returned and he began to experience intermittent neck, left arm pain and tingling. Failing conservative therapy, he underwent a second surgery which consisted of a left-sided C6-7 foraminotomy. Three (3) months later, he returned to his time of injury job. Prior to trial, the third-party carrier and UIM carrier tendered the limits of their respective policies resulting in a settlement in the low to mid six figure range.

Car Accident – Persistent Foot Pain & Limitations

A healthy middle aged lady, Mrs. D, sustained severe injuries to her right foot after she was struck head on by an oncoming vehicle which had negligently crossed the center line. She sustained multiple fractures in her right foot, which required a surgical fusion through the mid foot and open reduction internal fixation of the metatarsal head fractures. Surgery was followed by several months of rehabilitation. She continued to complain of right toe stiffness and pain, difficulty performing day to day activities, walking or climbing stairs. She was prompted to seek a consult with a vascular specialist in Pittsburgh, PA. The fractures had damaged adjoining tissue and blood vessels causing intermittent swelling, pain, redness and temperature changes. Her case settled for the third-party policy limits, plus under-insured motorist benefits in the low to multiple six figure range.

Construction Site Accident – Driver Spine Injury

Ms. S was proceeding over West Ridge Road in an easterly direction when several large PVC drain pipes broke loose from a flatbed parked at a construction site, rolled out onto West Ridge Road and struck the driver’s side of Ms. S’ vehicle. Ms. S injured her neck and aggravated pre-existing cervical disc disease. She treated conservatively for two (2) years before undergoing a cervical discectomy and fusion. The case successfully resolved through mediation in the multiple to mid six figure range.

Rear-Ended Driver – Multiple Spinal Injuries

Mrs. F sustained significant injuries to her cervical spine when she was rear-ended at a high rate of speed while slowing down to turn into her driveway. She underwent multiple surgeries including a cervical discectomy and fusion at C4-5, a cervical laminectomy and fusion from C3 through C6, and redo cervical decompression from C2 through C7 and posterior lateral fusion with instrumentation from C2 through T l. Extensive rehabilitation improved her functional abilities; however, she was left with permanent functional limitations, pain and neurological deficits. The case was successfully mediated on the eve of trial in the near seven figure range.

Injured Driver – Back Pain & Limitations

Mr. B was dropping his grandson off at school when the Defendant abruptly emerged from the school’s parking lot and slammed into Mr. B’s vehicle. Mr. B sustained injuries to his cervical spine, low back and right hip. He treated conservatively with physical therapy and injection therapy. He failed to improve and, as a result, underwent surgery to his right hip and later to his cervical spine. The surgeries ameliorated his symptomatology; however, he has continued to complain of pain. The Defendant’ s carrier and Mr. B’ s underinsured motorist carrier eventually tendered their limits and the case settled in the low to mid six figure range.