Our nine-year-old client was sitting in the back seat of a vehicle behind the driver’s seat one day in Beaumont, California, when she found herself the victim of a terrifying car accident. An elderly driver of another vehicle caused a T-bone crash with the vehicle she was riding in. Although the force of the impact was relatively minor, our client’s head hit the screen on the backside of the driver’s headrest. Her injuries were severe enough that she was transported to the hospital by an ambulance.
Our Client Suffers Permanent Scarring
Our client suffered a serious laceration on her forehead. At the hospital, she underwent the ordeal of receiving 50 stitches to repair the damage caused by the gash. While the laceration eventually healed, our client must now live with a permanent scar on her forehead.
Peter Steinberg Obtains Justice for His Young Client
Peter Steinberg faced a number of challenges in obtaining the compensation his client deserved. First, the accident itself was relatively minor, and the client’s injury was not as serious as traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, or other serious injuries caused by auto wrecks. In addition, the doctor treating her concluded that her future medical costs would only be about $1,000. In reality, this was because no more could be done to repair the permanent scarring to the client’s face. Finally, our client downplayed the seriousness of her scar when speaking to her doctor, and these statements were included in the medical records.
Given all these factors, the negligent driver’s insurance company did not want to pay a settlement that fully compensated our client, arguing that she even said that the scar was not that bad. However, Peter Steinberg knew that our young client’s opinion of a permanent scar on her face would change dramatically as she became a preteen, teenager, and an adult. Some of the greatest losses for her would be the emotional trauma of dealing with her appearance as she matured and better understood the true consequence of her injury. He used his persuasive skills to convince the insurance adjuster of this.
Realizing the riskiness of not resolving the claim, the adjuster agreed to settle our client’s claim for $135,000. While the settlement will not remove the scar she will be forced to live with, it will help provide her with a brighter future as she starts her adult life.
If you or a family member were hurt in an automobile accident caused by another driver, Steinberg Injury Lawyers is here to help you obtain the compensation you are entitled to. Call our firm today toll free at 800-989-6385 to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.
