OUR FIRM'S SUCCESS
In addition to the numerous six figure and million dollar settlements we have secured for our clients over the past twenty years, here are just a few of our firm's verdicts to provide you with an overview of the success we have enjoyed trying cases in State Supreme Court before trial judges and juries throughout all of Western New York.
"NEWFANE RESIDENT RECEIVES $335,000 ARBITRATION AWARD"
Our client, a 46 year-old woman from Niagara County, was awarded $335,000 by an arbitrator for injuries she sustained in a rear end collision. The arbitrator's award was intended to compensate our client for the injuries which eventually resulted in neck surgery. The attorneys for the other driver's insurance company (State Farm) unsuccessfully attempted to prove our client's neck injuries were caused by a previous car accident. The doctor State Farm hired and paid to examine our client (Robert M. Lifeso, M.D.) failed to recognize that MRI's taken before and after the accident proved our client's injuries could not have been caused by the prior car accident. The arbitrator's award was entirely for pain and suffering as lost wages were not at issue.
"CORRECTIONS OFFICER ACCEPTS $100,000 SETTLEMENT"
Our client, a 47 year-old New York State Corrections officer already totally disabled from his employment as the result of injuries suffered on the job, accepted a $100,000 settlement from the insurance company of the driver who rear-ended him as he was stopped in traffic. Our client, who several years prior to the rear-end collision had undergone multi-level fusion surgeries of both his neck and lower back, experienced sharp neck pain after being hit from behind at relatively low speed. Our client's orthopedic surgeon eventually determined that he would need yet another level of his neck fused due to the accident. Since the other driver's only insurance policy was in the amount of $100,000, our client accepted the insurance company's policy limit offer to settle his claim.
"SOUTHERN TIER COUPLE ACCEPTS $800,000 SETTLEMENT"
Our clients, a Southern Tier couple injured when a tractor trailer ran a flashing red light, accepted the trucking company's settlement offer of $800,000 as the case was about to go to trial in Federal Court. The husband suffered a left heel fracture when the floorboard of his vehicle buckled on impact. His wife suffered a knee injury when her leg struck the dashboard. They both underwent surgery for their injuries. After intially attempting to blame our clients for not paying attention at the intersection, our firm's private investigator tracked down an independent eyewitness and was able to obtain a statement from the witness which established the tractor trailer never slowed down before running the red light.
"ORCHARD PARK WOMAN ACCEPTS $1,750,000 SETTLEMENT"
Our client, an unemployed homemaker from Orchard Park, accepted an insurance settlement of $1,750,000 for injuries she suffered when her car was rammed at high speed by a local landscaping company vehicle. Our client's car was T-boned by the landscaping company's owner, who failed to stop for a red light just before the impact. She eventually underwent fusion surgery at multiple levels of her neck and low back, in addition to suffering a traumatic case of facial TMJ.
"SOUTH BUFFALO MAN ACCEPTS $400,000 SETTLEMENT"
Our client, a truck driver for a local paper company, accepted an insurance settlement of $400,000. He was injured when a railing he was leaning on at one of the stops on his route came loose and caused him to lose his balance and fall, injuring his neck. Although our client never underwent the surgery recommended by his orthopedic surgeon, the insurance carrier for the business who owned the railing agreed to settle our client's case to avoid going to trial.
"JURY AWARDS 32 YEAR-OLD WOMAN $460,000"
Our client, a 32 year-old woman from Hamburg, New York was awarded $460,000 by an Erie County jury for a serious neck injury suffered when the car she was riding in was hit head-on. After being admitted to the trauma services unit at ECMC, our client underwent a single level cervical fusion surgery to repair a broken vertebrae and torn disc in her spine. Owing to the great care she received at the hands of her orthopedic surgeon, Joseph Kowalski, M.D., the Director of the Spine Center at ECMC, our client was able to return to work just 3 months after her surgery, and she continues to work full-time. The jury's award was almost entirely for her pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life, with a very minimal amount designated to reimburse her for income she lost while she was recovering from surgery.
“HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT AWARDED $945,000"
A 16 year-old high school student was awarded $945,000 by a State Supreme Court justice for injuries he suffered while attending an unsupervised gym class three years earlier when he was only 13 years of age. My client injured his knee during a “pickup football” game inside the gymnasium when one of his classmates pushed him into the bleachers. He eventually underwent three knee surgeries. The Court determined that the school was negligent for failing to provide a substitute physical education teacher when the regularly assigned teacher called in sick that day.
“EX-UNION LEADER AWARDED $2.3 MILLION”
A retired steelworkers’ union leader was awarded $2.3 million by a State Supreme Court jury for injuries he suffered when the motorcycle he was riding was struck by a drunk driver. The jury’s award was based ntirely on my client’s pain and suffering for the head injury he sustained in the accident.
“STAY-AT-HOME MOM AWARDED $740,000"
A 27 year-old mother of two was awarded $740,000 by a State Supreme Court jury for neck and back injuries she suffered when the car she was driving car was rear-ended by another vehicle. Although she had not yet undergone surgery at the time of trial, my client’s treating orthopedic surgeon told the jury she would eventually need to have her neck and left shoulder surgically repaired.
“NEW YORK STATE INSURANCE COMPANY FOUND GUILTY OF BAD FAITH”
A State Supreme Court jury determined that an insurance company located in New York acted in bad faith when it refused to pay my client the entire policy covering their insured, who had caused the accident and left my client with a permanent brain injury. The jury’s determination allowed my client to then recover over four times the amount of the insurance coverage that was available, leaving the insurance company on the hook for the entire verdict.
“POLICE OFFICER AWARDED $900,000 FOR ON-DUTY INJURY”
A local police officer was awarded $900,000 by a State Supreme Court jury for injuries he suffered when another driver failed to yield the right of way to his patrol car, which was responding to an “officer in trouble” call with its lights and siren activated. Although my client suffered permanent back pain and underwent emergency surgery to repair multiple broken bones in his face and jaw, he was fortunate to recover and return to work as police officer.
“POLICE OFFICER AWARDED $835,000"
A local police officer returning home while off-duty was awarded $835,000 by a State Supreme Court jury for injuries he suffered when the car he was riding in was struck by a drunk driver. My client underwent emergency surgery to repair a fractured arm and continues to suffer back pain, which thankfully does not prevent him from working full-time as a police officer.
“ACCOUNTANT AWARDED $353,000"
A 57 year-old accountant was awarded $353,000 by a State Supreme Court jury for neck and back injuries he suffered when a car driven by a teenager who had just obtained his driver’s license ran a stop sign. Even though my client missed just two weeks of work, a jury found that his permanent neck and back pain entitled him to damages for his pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life.
“WOMAN AWARDED $210,000"
A 42 year-old woman who suffered a left shoulder injury when she was hit head-on by a vehicle which crossed the solid double yellow lines was awarded $210,000 by a State Supreme Court jury. My client, who was unemployed at the time of the accident, eventually had to undergo shoulder surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff.
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