$18.25M Settlement: Colombo Law

$18.25 Million Settlement – Woman Suffers Multiple Injuries Including a TBI when Struck by a Natural Gas Service Truck

Congratulations to Dino Colombo, Esq. and Travis Mohler, Esq. of Colombo Law in Morgantown, WV for the $18,250,000.00 settlement they obtained on behalf of their client, a 46-year-old female who was hit by a natural gas service truck that ran a red light. She suffered multiple injuries, was placed in an intensive care unit, and remained unresponsive and on a ventilator for nearly 3 weeks.

The Plaintiff was stopped at a stop light when her light turned green. As she entered the intersection with the intention of turning left, a Dodge Ram 4500 Heavy Duty pickup truck pulling a 20 ft. steel trailer ran the red light and slammed into her driver’s side door at approximately 50 mph. Paramedics found the plaintiff trapped in the car and unconscious. She was taken by ambulance to a local hospital where she was intubated as a result of respiratory failure and then flown to the closest trauma center. The Plaintiff was placed into the intensive care unit where she remained unresponsive and required a ventilator for nearly 3 weeks.

The Plaintiff suffered a left femur fracture, which required surgical repair using intramedullary nailing; a T4 Chase fracture, requiring a C7-T7 posterior fusion with pedicle screws and hooks; and left lower leg ischemia, which required an embolectomy and four compartment fasciotomy of the calf. She also sustained a severe traumatic brain injury requiring 24/7/365 attendant care.

Through discovery it was learned that the Defendant, who was driving the commercial motor vehicle, had two previous DUI convictions and was a fugitive from justice on the day he was hired. Mr. Colombo and Mr. Mohler alleged that not only was the driver negligent for running the red light and hitting the Plaintiff but that the motor carrier was negligent and reckless for hiring this particular driver to drive their CMV.

The Defendants admitted that their driver ran through the light but denied any corporate negligence. They also tried to blame the collision on the Plaintiff by alleging that she should have seen the truck coming and had the last opportunity to avoid the collision. The initial settlement offer was $7,000,000. Just 4 days before trial, the case settled for $18,250,000.00.

Colombo Law partnered with MediVisuals to develop multiple illustrations of the Plaintiff’s injuries and surgical procedures.