These next couple of weeks, we will be taking a look at some of our favorite Golden Advocates recipients. Becoming a Golden Advocate is our way to recognize those willing to go above and beyond the expectations set in the legal field. This week’s Golden Advocates recap features 2018’s “The Prestige” award given to R. Rex Parris and Alexander R. Wheeler of the PARRIS Law Firm.

A California jury awarded a $42 Million verdict to a man left quadriplegic as the result of a car collision, which was caused by a careless driver who was texting at the wheel. Although 27-year-old Taylor was previously diagnosed with scoliosis, and lived with developmental disabilities, he was fully self-sufficient prior to the incident. However, due to the resulting injuries, Taylor will now need attentive medical care for the rest of his life. Attorneys R. Rex Parris and Alexander R. Wheeler, from the PARRIS Law Firm, took on the case to help Taylor and his family pursue the financial support they would need to afford the kind of lifelong care that Taylor now requires.

As a result of the collision, Taylor sustained bilateral jumped facets at the C5-C6 vertebral level, 8-mm C5 anterolisthesis (grade 1-2), edema within the spinal cord from the C4-C5 to C6-C7 levels, and prevertebral fluid at the C6 and C7 levels. Coupled with the already existing scoliosis and developmental issues, the injuries ultimately meant that the Plaintiff would never be able to walk again.

DK Global worked alongside attorneys Wheeler and Parris to create a presentation that would clearly explain the life-altering injuries the Plaintiff suffered, along with the invasive and excruciating medical procedure that followed. With so much damage, it was imperative to accurately represent Taylor’s suffering in a way that would help connect the jury to the man’s painful experience. The 3D animations and medical imagery that were created covered the mechanism of injury, which used a 3D likeness of Taylor and depicted the immediate effects of the impact on the cervical spine. The surgical portion of the visuals showed the 3 different procedures endured by Taylor: the application of halo rings for stabilization of the head and neck, surgery for the C5-C6 fusion, and a tracheostomy.

The visuals of the extremely invasive surgeries, along with the reconstructive animation, successfully conveyed to the jurors the ongoing trauma that Taylor will have to endure in his new way of life – and ultimately helped lead to a $42 Million verdict that will hopefully afford Taylor some financial stability in the rough years to come.