Injury

Healthy, active, 21 year old injured in rear end car collision. Client sustains back and neck injuries resulting in permanent nerve damage (occipital neuralgia) and recurrent debilitating headache. Client forced into honorable medical discharge from Army National Guard Unit, left with 6% whole person permanent impairment.

Challenge

Client settles initial personal injury claim against responsible driver for policy limits of $20,000 but his own insurance carrier will not make offer to compensate him under UNDERINSURED provisions of his own policy, carrier refuses to submit claim to arbitration and forces client to file suit to recover any portion of his own insurance policy.

Result

Jury trial proceeds in Hillsborough Superior Court, Nashua, NH (December 2009). Insurance carrier makes first offer of $40,000 at jury selection, increase offer to $60,000 at trial. Client rejects low offers well below his original demand, which is within the available remaining policy limits of $230,000. Jury returns verdict against insurance carrier of $695,000.