• Our client was stopped in traffic on Meeker Street in Kent when the negligent driver slammed into the rear of his vehicle causing him to hit the vehicle in front of him. He thus suffered two impacts.
• It is noteworthy that the negligent driver had a “Daylight Driving Only” restriction on his driver’s license. The accident occurred at 17:40 (5:40 pm), which in January in the Pacific Northwest it is already dark.
• Due to intense neck pain and a spliting headache, our client went to the MultiCare Urgent Care Clinic where he was treated with Toradol for pain and Flexeril, a muscle relaxant. He was diagnosed with cervical sprain, muscle spasms, headaches with radiation around the sides of the head, and nausea.
• As stated in the Patient Instructions, a cervical (neck) sprain or strain is a tear of a muscles or tendons around the neck. It can take up to six weeks to recover.
• The Urgent Care report indicates that our client was excused from work.
• The enclosed lost earnings statement from his employer shows his lost income. The supplementary statement from his supervisor describes the physical problems he was having on the job.
• His condition did not improve and he returned to Urgent Care. The report indicates that he possibly had a brief loss of consciousness at the time of the accident. He continued to have headaches in the back of his head, dizziness, feeling “out-of-it” and spacey. CT scan of the head found bilateral nasal bone fractures.
• The significant diagnosis of the January 15 visit was “concussion syndrome” with referral to the Concussion Clinic. It was also noted that he continued to suffer from the cervical sprain/strain and spasms previously diagnosed.
• The Urgent Care notes for January 31 indicate that he continued to have problems and was calling for an appointment.
• The notes from his next appointment on February 5 indicate that his headaches were continuing to be a concern. The doctor describes the headaches as pain starting at the neck and causing pressure around his head. The headaches are constant.
• His next encounter was on February 19 for a two week renewal of his medications.
• He endured several weeks of pain and headaches, and suffered the consequences of a concusion. The effects of concussions often cause problems for years after the injury.

Attorney Chuck Martin was able to negotiate a substantial settlement for this client. If you or a friend or family member have been injured in a motor vehicle accident, you should contact the law firm of MartinLaw as soon as possible. Statistics compiled by the Insurance Research Council show that people with attorneys recover three and a half times larger settlements than those who try to go it alone. This is why insurance adjusters attempt get injured parties to quickly sign a release in return for a substantially lower settlement than what their case is worth.