Going the Distance
At the conclusion of Sunday service, after catching up with friends and saying good-bye, Jason got in his car to drive home. It was a sunny, late summer day. He was looking forward to a quiet afternoon with family. The route home was familiar, one he had taken hundreds of times before. As he approached the busiest intersection on his way home, he could see his light was green. He had the right of way, so he believed he could proceed through safely. That confidence was shattered seconds later when a truck traveling the other way suddenly turned left in front of him. Jason reflexively reached for the brake but there was no time. The collision occurred almost instantly. What followed was the deafening sound of crushing metal, shattering glass and the unimaginable pain of a broken body.
Seventy-four days, four surgeries, two acute hospitalizations, and one rehabilitation stay later, Jason was finally able to return home. He wasn’t well and life wasn’t normal. He was still in a wheelchair and recovery had just begun. That road would ultimately involve additional surgeries, sustained physical therapy, financial pressure, and months of pain, frustration, and despair. Overcoming these challenges requires more than good medical care. Sustaining the journey is always an innate expectation of justice, the unwavering belief that responsible individuals and institutions will stand accountable for burdens wrongfully imposed.
Like most seriously injured people, Jason understood that the scales of justice cannot be balanced without help. The at-fault driver had the multi-billion-dollar insurance company, State Farm, behind him. Jason needed warriors at his side to level the playing field. That led him to Kinnally Flaherty Krentz Loran Hodge and Masur, P.C., and to Paul Krentz and Chris Warmbold. They stood shoulder to shoulder with Jason as it became clear State Farm had no intention of doing the right thing. State Farm conditioned payment of its liability limits upon execution of an improper release. A proper offer was finally made a year later but this was rejected as being too late, utilizing a law that requires insurance companies to settle claims in good faith or pay a jury award when it exceeds the limits of the insurance policy. The jury ultimately awarded Jason 13 times the amount of the at-fault driver’s policy limits which the insurer promptly paid following the verdict.
This case demonstrates the power of advocacy and the capacity of a jury to recognize the truth. Unlike “a good neighbor”, State Farm ignored the truth, refused to accept responsibility, and disputed everything: fault, injuries, medical bills, pain, suffering, and disability. Rather than wear Jason down, as corporate abuse is designed to do, it made him stronger. Alongside Krentz and Warmbold, they turned back every challenge thrown at them over the course of a four-day trial. The jury’s vindication confirmed the ability of ordinary people to stand up for justice against the most powerful companies in the world.
This case also confirms the importance of experienced trial lawyers committed to equal justice for their clients. Any lawyer can settle cases, and a simple internet search will direct you to many who advertise themselves as being personal injury lawyers. Full and fair settlements, however, are paid to our clients because insurance companies know the attorneys at Kinnally Flaherty Krentz Loran Hodge & Masur P.C. will try the case if a settlement offer is inadequate. A trial lawyer is, therefore, your best chance of winning a trial and your best chance of obtaining a full and fair settlement. Kinnally Flaherty Krentz Loran Hodge & Masur P.C. is composed of experienced trial lawyers ready to fight for you. If you or someone you know has been seriously injured, we can level the playing field and make true justice possible. Please contact us by calling (630) 907-0909 or email one of our attorneys through www.KFKLLAW.com. Contact one of us, and we will all roll up our sleeves and work for you.
