It was a chilly winter afternoon. Raquel and her teenage passenger were driving through a quiet residential neighborhood in Elgin, IL.

As she approached an intersection heading east, a Ford F-250 driven by a 21-year-old man blew through a stop sign and entered the intersection directly in her path. Raquel, who did not have a stop sign in her direction, had no way to avoid the collision.

Raquel’s car smashed into the front left section of the truck with enough force to deploy both airbags, and it was immediately obvious that she was hurt.

Raquel Requires Multiple Treatments to Manage Her Pain

After the crash, Raquel felt pain in her neck, right shoulder, and lower back. She mentioned the shoulder pain to the responding officer, who noted it in the official crash report.

Raquel declined emergency care at the scene. Unfortunately, the symptoms did not go away with rest and significantly impaired Raquel’s ability to manage her daily tasks without pain.

Raquel’s doctors performed multiple procedures to help get her symptoms under control. These included steroid injections and radiofrequency ablations, a technique that uses radio waves emitted by a needle to disrupt nerves sending pain signals to the brain.

While these treatments can provide temporary relief, they don’t address the root causes of pain. It is likely that Raquel will need further medical procedures in the future. In less than a year after the crash, she had already racked up more than $100,000 in medical expenses.

Powell and Pisman Injury Lawyers Team Counter Unfair Initial Offer with Hard Evidence

There was no question that the F-250 driver was at fault. The responding police officer pinned 100% of the blame on him, citing him for failing to yield the right of way and disregarding a stop sign.

However, getting a good outcome in a personal injury case requires more than just proving fault. In this case, the insurance company’s first offer was underwhelming to say the least.

The insurance company only offered to pay for the medical expenses that Raquel had already accumulated. They gave no consideration whatsoever for any future medical treatments she would require—to say nothing of the very real physical and emotional pain and suffering she had endured.

We knew this wasn’t right, so we got to work.

If you want to convince an insurance company to offer reasonable compensation, you must provide extremely thorough medical records and doctor opinions. They do not give claimants the “benefit of the doubt” about their symptoms and treatment needs.

Our legal team worked closely with Raquel’s doctors to obtain all the necessary documentation of her injuries and treatments. We also gathered expert projections of her future medical needs and costs, and detailed evidence of how her day-to-day life has been affected by the crash.

Getting Raquel the Care She Needed

At Powell and Pisman Injury Lawyers, we care deeply about the people we represent. It’s never just about the check at the end. It’s also about giving them peace of mind, knowing that we’ll do everything in our power to take care of them. That’s a big part of what “more lawyer, less fee” is all about.

“Every time I needed something, I contacted you and you always had good answers for me,” Raquel told us. “I didn’t [even] have to deal with the bills to pay for the hospitals and all that. You guys took care of everything.”

Tough Negotiation Results in a Great Offer for Raquel

Our hard work paid off. After sending our demand letter, the insurance company nearly tripled its offer. The case ultimately settled for $350,000. We didn’t even have to file a lawsuit, which meant that Raquel was able to get her check within a matter of months, not years.

If you or someone you love is also dealing with pain and injury following an Illinois auto accident, give us a call. We were extremely proud to get a great result for Raquel and we’d love the opportunity to help you, too. Give us a call at (312) 635-5400 or fill out the contact form below to get started.

Contact our Personal Injury Law Firm at Powell and Pisman Injury Lawyers

If you’ve been injured in an accident in Chicago, IL, don’t navigate the legal process alone. Our dedicated team is here to provide the expert guidance you need to secure the compensation you deserve. Contact our experienced attorneys at Powell and Pisman Injury Lawyers for a free consultation.

We serve Cook County and its surrounding areas:

Powell and Pisman Injury Lawyers
875 N Dearborn St 4th Floor
Chicago, IL 60610

(312) 635-5400