Rear Impact Exacerbates Pre-existing Injuries

• Our client was a restrained back-seat passenger in a vehicle that was stopped for traffic when it received a hard rear-end impact.
• He began having severe pain in his head and neck and blurred vision, indicating that he probably struck his head on something in the vehicle.
• Later that day he went to the emergency room at Swedish Medical Center where he was given a thorough examination. His pain level was reported as 7/10 in the shoulders bilaterally, neck and head.
• CT scans of the head and neck were ordered and revealed C5-6 and C6-7 degenerative changes and C5-6 bilateral neural foraminal stenosis. These conditions were aggravated by the auto accident causing his pain.
• On 12-10-2014 Walter went to his primary care doctor who noted the acute cervical strain and bilateral should pain and headaches. She prescribed Vicodin for pain and physical therapy.
• His pain evaluation at his first physical therapy appointment noted an inability to look down or side to side without pain which impairs his ability to safely drive. He also has pain when reachng for dressing.
• He continued physical therapy for several weeks but continued to have significant pain. He decided to try chiropractic care to get relief.
• The chiropractor diagnosed contiued pain in the shoulders, cervical spine, hip and headaches. X-rays noted the degenerative disc disease that was aggravated by this accident.
• He continued with chiropractic care for several weeks and noted some relief from his pain. It was recommended that he continue with the treatement but he had to discontinue due to family circumstances.
• He suffered months of pain from the injuries received in this accident.
• When a client has injuries that pre-exist the current accident it is more difficult to negotiate a settlement. It is importent that the attorney has the expertise and experience to prove that the pre-existing injuries were exacerbated by the current accident thus making them compensable.
• After several weeks of intense negotiations, attorney Chuck Martin was able to obtain a substantial mid-five figure settlement for our client.

If you or a loved one is injured in a motor vehicle accident, call attorney Chuck Martin of the law firm of MartinLaw PLLC for a free evaluation of your case. Chuck will use his 40 years of experience to guide you through the frustrating process of dealing with the insurance companies and obtain the best possible settlement for you in the least amount of time. Call Chuck now at 206-360-8141.

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