- A driving instructor, who had a student in the vehicle with him, failed to yield right of way at 20th Avenue and Yesler, and turned left into oncoming traffic crashing head-on into our client’s vehicle.
- Our client hit his head on the steering wheel causing a concussion and blurred vision.
- Due to headaches and neck and lower back pain he went to the emergency room at Swedish Medical Center where it was noted that he had contusions on his forehead and left knee, acute cervical strain, lower back pain and a closed head injury.
- He was given CT scans of the head and cervical spine which revealed head atrophy and degenerative disc disease in the cervical spine.
- He was prescribed pain medications (Norco) and muscle relaxants (Robaxin) and discharged with diagnoses of closed head injury, acute cervical strain and acute knee contusion. He was advised to see his primary care doctor without delay.
- He did visit his primary care doctor who prescribed physical therapy.
- The physical therapy records note degenerative disc disease in his cervical spine, osteophyte formation in the lumbar spine, disc space narrowing at L2-3, lumbar facet arthropathy, anterolisthesis and excessive lumbar lordosis. These are medical conditions that develop over time and are not immediately caused by a traumatic injury. They would be considered preexisting conditions.
- The physical therapist observed guarded walking and excessive eye movements to avoid cervical rotation and continually using his arms for support. Pain level is 8 out of 10. Also noted, pain can cause migraines.
- He was unable to continue physical therapy as his wife had a stroke and he is her caregiver.
Despite that fact that our client’s medical treatment was intermittent and of short duration, and his primary diagnoses were for preexisting conditions, Chuck Martin was able to negotiate a substantial five figure settlement.
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