A man who suffered a neck injury that required spinal fusion surgery when a log truck crashed into his car has agreed to a $1 million pre-suit settlement with the trucking company’s insurance company, his attorney reports.
Brent Arant of Joye Law Firm in North Charleston said the pretrial settlement was reached with Progressive Insurance for the policy maximum of $1 million on Oct. 14 in Dorchester County.
The plaintiff, who was 51 at the time of the 2017 crash, was driving on a rural two-lane road in Dorchester County near Jedburg when he attempted to pass a log truck. Arant said his client was lawfully driving his pickup truck in the passing lane when the log truck entered his lane without using left turn signals.
As a result of the crash, the plaintiff suffered injuries to his hand and neck. After an initial surgery on his neck did not relieve his symptoms, the plaintiff had a cervical spinal fusion surgery 16 months after the crash. He also needed carpal tunnel surgery. Arant said his client went back to work as a heavy equipment machine operator but the neck pain continues.
The plaintiff accrued $180,000 in medical expenses, and future medical expenses are anticipated. Arant said he stood firm pursuing the insurance policy limit of $1 million for his client.
“In this particular situation the insurance company agreed with us that the reasonable thing to do was to pay the policy limits and they did,” he said. “Thankfully the insurance carrier, the defendants, and the defense counsel realized the gravity of the situation and they offered the policy limits soon thereafter, which saved both parties a great deal of time, expense, and obviously, saved us from the need for litigation.”
Arant also said he continued to keep the insurance company informed of his client’s medical status and treatment.
Tom Chase of Moseley Marcinak Law Group in Greenville represented the defendant. He did not respond to a request for comment.
Followed Renee Sexton @BobcatRenee
SETTLEMENT REPORT – MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT
Amount: $1 million
Injuries alleged: Arm and neck injuries requiring cervical spinal fusion surgery and carpal tunnel surgery
Venue: Dorchester County
Date of settlement: Oct. 14
Demand: $1 million
Insurance carrier: Progressive
Attorney for plaintiff: Brent Arant of Joye Law Firm in North Charleston
Attorney for defendant: G. Tom Chase of Moseley Marcinak Law Group in Greenville
The post Log truck crash prompts $1M settlement 
first appeared on South Carolina Lawyers Weekly.