GWC attorney Louis Anthony Cairo recently obtained an $800,000.00 settlement for a woman who was injured in a semi-tractor-trailer accident in Calumet Park, IL.
A Sudden Left Turn Changes Everything
In March 2016, at around 6:30 a.m., Mr. Cairo’s client, a 54-year-old home care worker, was a passenger in a vehicle heading eastbound on 127th Street towards its intersection with Paulina Street in Calumet Park. At the same time, a semi-tractor-trailer was heading westbound on 127th Street, approaching the same intersection from the opposite direction.
Despite not having a green left-turn traffic signal, the semi-tractor-trailer failed to yield the right of way and made a sudden left turn directly in front of the vehicle in which the client was traveling, causing it to collide with the truck’s right rear tire.
Severe Injuries, Multiple Surgeries
An ambulance rushed Mr. Cairo’s client from the scene of the semi-tractor-trailer accident to an area hospital for her serious injuries, including a plafond right ankle fracture with distal tibia comminuted fragments. She required emergency surgery that same day, and pins were placed in her right ankle as external fixation to improve alignment.
The client then had to undergo a second surgery less than a month later, a definitive open reduction and internal fixation with removal of the external fixator. She underwent inpatient physical therapy at a rehabilitation center following each surgery, and later took part in extensive outpatient physical and occupational therapy regimens.
During her recovery process, the client was unable to perform the duties of her job as a home care worker, putting a significant strain on her finances.
GWC Overcomes Defense Objections
In seeking to obtain fair compensation for his client, Mr. Cairo filed suit against the semi-tractor-trailer driver and his employer and fought vigorously to overcome the Defense’s objections.
“The Defense’s liability in this matter was so clear that it was desperate to place the blame on somebody else,” said Mr. Cairo. “My client was a passenger and could not have been at fault in any way for the accident, so the Defense tried to argue that her driver was the one responsible.”
Because the vehicle in which the client was traveling was uninsured, financial recovery would have been nearly impossible if its driver were determined to have been at fault for the semi-tractor-trailer accident. Fortunately, Mr. Cairo was able to present a strong case against the truck driver, arguing that he was guilty of multiple acts of negligence, including:
- Failing to yield the right-of-way to oncoming traffic;
- Not keeping an adequate (or any) lookout while operating a semi-tractor-trailer;
- Turning left when it was not safe to do so;
- Not exercising a reasonable degree of care and caution while driving a semi-tractor-trailer; and
- Failing to sound a horn or otherwise give timely and adequate warning.
In developing his argument about the truck driver’s negligence, Mr. Cairo was assisted by an unlikely ally – the truck driver himself. During a deposition, Mr. Cairo was able to get him to admit that he ignored nearly every standard safety practice for someone in his profession, including leaving himself an out, aiming high in steering, yielding the right of way, and not taking risks.
“In his own words, the Defendant failed to follow everything he was trained to do as an ‘experienced’ semi-tractor-trailer driver, and my client paid the ultimate price for it,” Mr. Cairo said.
Mr. Cairo’s masterful deposition work proved effective. Following a brief mediation with the Defense, he was able to negotiate a settlement for his client in the amount of $800,000.00 – far in excess of her medical bills and lost wages.
Our Semi-Tractor-Trailer Accident Attorneys Fight for You
The insurance companies representing the parties involved in a semi-tractor-trailer accident have a financial incentive to fight the Plaintiff every step of the way. They may try to downplay liability or shift blame outright to another party in order to reduce the amount of compensation they have to pay. It is essential that injured victims have somebody to fight back, like the Illinois semi-tractor-trailer accident attorneys at GWC Injury Lawyers.
With over $2 billion recovered for our clients and more than four decades in the business, GWC is one of the premier Personal Injury and Workers’ Compensation law firms in Illinois. We have the experience, the determination, and the reputation of success you need to help get you the justice you deserve.
If you have been hurt in a semi-tractor-trailer accident, contact GWC today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with one of our attorneys. Call our office at (312) 464-1234 or click here to chat with a representative at any time.
<< BACK TO BLOG POSTS