Demonstrating once again why Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers is a leader in securing justice for automobile accident victims, attorneys Jon Ostroff and his team have obtained a nearly two million dollar settlement for their clients, Tom and Sherry Brintzenhofe.
The Accident and its Repercussions
In May 2008, Tom Brintzenhofe drove his car into a van that had failed to stop at a stop sign. He chose limited tort on his insurance and was unsure whether he was even entitled to a recovery. Tom went to a nearby hospital emergency room. He complained of neck pain, shoulder pain, and headache. The ER doctors found no serious injuries and discharged him the same day. He missed only one day of work immediately following the accident. However, over the next 18 months, several doctors examined him. They attempted to determine the cause of his intensifying neck, shoulder, and head pain. Ultimately, he underwent two surgeries — for thoracic outlet syndrome and for a rotator cuff repair. Tom’s surgeries relieved some of his pain. But he was unable to return to his job as a heavy equipment mechanic.
Although Tom’s injuries seemed relatively minor at the beginning, they worsened over time. Tom had only limited tort insurance, making it unlikely early on that the insurance companies would offer him any compensation, especially because Tom continued to work at his job for nearly a year and half before he underwent surgery. Tom hired Jon Ostroff as his personal injury attorney. Jon felt he could prove that Tom sustained a serious impairment to a significant bodily function, which is one of the key exceptions to limited tort coverage. Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers worked hard to succeed at proving that this exception applied to Tom.
From that starting point, and with a firm belief that their client’s injuries entitled him to compensation, Jon and Michael went to work. The medical experts that treated Tom’s ongoing symptoms were very helpful in supporting Ostroff’s position that Tom’s injuries were disabling and that his injuries stemmed from his 2008 accident. Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers retained a top expert to perform a vocational evaluation. This expert, named Mark Lukas, confirmed that Tom’s injuries disqualified him from his heavy-labor job. The firm also investigated and proved that the driver of the van that caused the collision with Tom’s vehicle had improper training and supervision. He was also in violation of his employer’s safety practices.
The Trial
A trial date for the driving injury case was February 2012. Both sides attended mediation sessions in Philadelphia, moderated by Retired Federal Judge, James Melinson. On November 16, 2011, both sides agreed to a final settlement of $1,950,000.
“We are very proud of this settlement for clients that we care deeply about. More importantly, our clients were very pleased.” Jon Ostroff said after this settlement was reached. “Not only does this settlement provide financial security to the Brintzenhofes, but it proves that our aggressive, strong approach to helping our clients makes a huge difference in the amount of the recovery they receive. We were in constant contact with our clients. When the Brintzenhofe’s had needs, we met them.
We made sure they received the best medical treatment from the best medical experts available. Many depositions secured the testimony and evidence we needed to win, so that we were always well ahead of the attorneys for the other side. We were very prepared to win this case at trial and we had the right experts to prove it. We even were able to help Tom and Sherry get loans they didn’t have to pay until their case settled, so they could hold on until a fair settlement or jury verdict occurred.”
The insurance industry knows that accident victims who have good lawyers are likely to obtain significantly higher settlements than victims who represent themselves. Don’t settle for less than what you are due! Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers will spend the time and money it takes to figure out exactly who is responsible for your injury. Once they do, the lawyers at Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers will make them pay.
