Commercial Truck Accident / Traumatic Brain Injury
Defendant tractor trailer driver, operating his rig on 1-95, ignored and/or did not heed multiple electronic message boards and caution signs placed by DOT that warned of a prior crash and cautioned drivers to “Merge right” and “Prepare to stop”. As a result, tractor trailer driver, without having applied brakes, slammed into Plaintiff’s car, which was the last car in a line of traffic that had slowed and stopped due to the earlier crash. An eyewitness at the scene described Plaintiff as dazed, with a faraway look in his eyes. Plaintiff went to the emergency room and was diagnosed with a post-traumatic headache and discharged. Within days, Plaintiff began experiencing light and sound sensitivity, memory issues, dizziness, symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder including nightmares and flashbacks. Within a few months, Plaintiff began treating with UNC Physical Medicine where he was diagnosed with persistent post-concussion syndrome, post traumatic vision disorder, and low back pain disorder. Months later, Plaintiff was diagnosed with positional orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) which his treating physicians opined was caused by the concussion, a conclusion which was strongly contested by defense experts in cardiology and traumatic brain injury. Plaintiff worked as a technician at a pharmaceutical manufacturer at the time of the crash but according to plaintiff’s treating physician’s and experts was no longer able to return to competitive employment as a result of his injuries, conclusions that were also contested by the defense.
This case was resolved during litigation, defended by counsel, and fully collectible.