First Car accident
He was 55 years old at the time of the first accident. The first car accident occurs on April 24, 1993. He was driving when he was rear-ended by another car going at a fast speed. The impact sent his car flying forward and broke the driver’s seat and he ended up in the backseat of his vehicle in a twisted position. Police brought him home but then he took a cab to the hospital. He suffered a spinal cord injury and soft tissue injury to his neck and back. As a result, he experienced headaches, neck pain, low back pain, and right shoulder pain. Later on, he developed numbness on the right side of his face. He was doing physiotherapy and a rehab program after the accident. He had not yet returned to work when he was involved in a second car accident
Second Car accident
On May 25th, 1993, he was driving his vehicle in a parking lot when his car was hit on the front end by a car pulling out of a parking spot. His head hit the door frame and triggered pain in his neck and head immediately. He was brought straight to the hospital. He continued in his rehab program and tried to return to work twice with a modified work schedule of 5 hours a day 4 days a week but could not continue. After the second accident, he experienced pain in his right shoulder, neck, back, and down his thighs and legs. He also started to experience bladder problems and some sexual dysfunction.
Third Car accident
On December 7, 1994, he was involved in a third accident. He was the passenger in a vehicle that was hit by a car that was t boned by another car that ran a red light. After the hit, he felt a sharp pain in his lower back and down his legs. He had a complete loss of feeling from the waist down. He remained seated and gradually got some feeling back in his lower body. After the third accident, he felt an increase in severity in his headaches and pain in his neck. He also had worsening pain in his lower back and burning in his thighs and pain and numbness down both legs. He also developed a left shoulder problem that required surgery and after it felt much better.
In 1996 he saw a neurosurgeon who performed two surgeries that helped reduce his neck legs and back pain, headaches, and facial numbness. He has not returned to work since, and his doctor believes he never will. He worked primarily as a welder and was specially qualified as a diver to do underwater welding.
Liability
The drivers admitted liability in all three accidents. The judge ruled that the injuries from all three accidents resulted in permanent and serious limitations to important functioning.
Compensation
For the first car accident, he was awarded general damages, past and future loss of income, and future care costs for a total of $239,961 in damages. In the second accident, he was awarded money for general damages and future care costs for a total of $31,603. For the third accident, he was awarded $11,079 in general damages.