A "fender-bender". That is the name often given to a car accident wherein the damage to the vehicles involved is minor. Not considered serious. No big deal, right?
Not so fast.
In the real world, "minor damage" does not always mean "little impact". And, damage done to a car is not necessarily a predictor of occupant injury.
There are many other factors that come into play, such as age, health condition and position of your body/head at the time the crash occurs.
Recently, ZLF represented a 42 year old man, married with four children who was hardworking and never had missed work due to any health issues.
Rear ended in stop and go traffic, the insurance company for the at fault driver called it a "bump". The day of the accident, our client felt ok.
The next morning, he awoke with low back pain.
By the third day, pain was radiating down his right leg. A month later, after consultations with numerous doctors, he had surgery to remove a herniated disc.
The medical bills piled up. He couldn't work for month. The insurance company for the at fault driver said it was "a bump, a fender/bender" and denied the claim.
They could not say what caused his pain and the need for surgery. Just said it wasn't their driver's "bump".
ZLF knew differently.
ZLF knew this hardworking man did not develop these symptoms "coincidentally" at the same time as he happened to get rear ended.
A lawsuit was filed when the insurer denied the claim. After a short time, realizing they could not win, the insurance company and their attorneys gave up and paid the claim.
Insurance companies and their attorneys want people to believe that "fender-benders" can't result in serious injuries. However, ZLF knows otherwise. We have seen it far too often.
Sometimes, it takes a court fight to prove it. That is what we do best.
