Kent Police Department responded to the scene and upon investigation and documented the sequence of events in their report. (See Exhibit 1 – Accident Report) It should be note that NS's insurance carrier, State Farm, has completed their evaluation and found that JR was the sole cause of this multi-vehicle collision.
Washington law provides that the drivers on the road have the duty to exercise ordinary care and avoid causing a collision. See RCW 46.61.445 and Washington Pattern Jury Instruction (WPI) 70.01. JR was negligent when he failed to be attentive while driving a vehicle, watch for traffic, and otherwise obey the rules of the road.
JO did nothing to contribute to the cause of the crash and could do nothing to avoid the collision. As a direct result of JR’s negligence, JO sustained injuries to his back and associated body structures. A summary of his injuries and treatment are outlined below.
- Back strain/sprain and subluxations with tenderness, pain, muscle spasms, and limited range of motion (lumbar region) resulting in ligamentous instability and acceleration of spinal disc disease. Initial radicular symptoms down leg and into foot.
- Sleep disturbances/fatigue
JO is a 23 year old man who enjoys spending time with his family and friends. Hobbies include skiing, music, movies, sports, traveling, and outdoor activities. At the time of this collision he was expanding his education, attending college courses part time while working full time.
JO has experienced, and continues to experience, a significant loss of enjoyment of life. He was fairly healthy before the collision and since then has not as active as he was before. He must perform daily exercises at home just to manage/maintain his symptoms and avoid flare ups. His return to recreational activities has been slow and guarded for fear of re-injury. JO has paid, and will continue to pay, an appreciable price, physically and emotionally, as direct result of the injuries he sustained in this collision.
After attempting to work with the claims representatives at Farmers Insurance, JO realized to he would need an experienced attorney. He hired Seattle car accident attorney Chris Davis.
Mr. Davis is a top-rated personal injury lawyer who has had substantial success working with his clients to negotiate fair settlements with major insurance companies, despite meeting resistance from most claims representatives.