In 2019, Bennett Legal settled a case for $950,000, putting $420,000 in the client’s pocket after paying off all expenses and medical bills attributed to the crash. Prior to signing up with Bennett Legal, Corey fired his previous lawyer for attempting to pressure him into settling the case for $25,000 because the lawyer thought that’s all the case was worth. Corey needed a law firm willing to fight for him, and he came to Bennett Legal.
THE CRASH
Corey was involved in a car crash in September of 2015, when a man driving his Company’s vehicle ran a red light in Dallas, Texas, hitting Corey’s vehicle at nearly 40 miles per hour in the middle of the intersection. Below is a photograph of Corey’s vehicle after the crash:
“MY BRAKES FAILED”
Right after the crash, the man who ran the red light told the police officer “my brakes failed.” Through the lawsuit, Bennett Legal discovered the brake fluid on the company’s truck had not been changed in over 104,000 miles. We hired an expert who provided a report stating, more likely than not, the old brake fluid and the Company’s failure to properly maintain the vehicle had caused or contributed to cause the crash. The expert stated the Company was grossly negligent:
“It is extremely probably the 10 year, 3-month-old 2005 Ford F-150 suffered hydraulic brake vapor lock and brake failure which resulted in this collision.”
“WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL? YOU’RE NOT THAT HURT!”
The defense argued Corey was not that hurt in the crash.
But according to Corey’s treating doctors and the MRIs taken after the crash, this crash caused serious injuries to the intervertebral discs in Corey’s neck. Corey underwent a surgical procedure that provided him with substantial relief from the pain radiating down his arms. As the owner of a construction company, Corey needed the use of his arms to run his business. Prior to the crash Corey was very active, but for several years after the crash, Corey struggled to perform his job at the same level and his personal life suffered too. After the surgery, Corey could again run his business and be nearly as active as he was before the crash.
Bennett Legal hired Medivisuals, Inc. to provide artistic drawings of Corey’s surgical procedure so a jury would understand the seriousness of the injuries and procedure (if the case went to trial). These drawings were provided to the defense prior to mediation. Below is an example of the drawings:
MEDIATION AND SETTLEMENT
At mediation, faced with a Jury hearing the expert’s report about the Company’s gross negligence in maintaining its vehicle and seeing the drawings of Corey’s surgical procedure, the Company’s insurance agreed to pay Corey $950,000 to settle the case and avoid trial.
“After my prior attorney tried to settle my case for $25,000 and only put $8,000 in my pocket, Charles Bennett and his staff took up the case and for the first time really listened to me and how hurt I was. Mr. Bennett got me $420,000 in my pocket after settling the case for $950,000.” – Corey
