Attorney Matthew Haicken, of Haicken Law, PLLC, secured a $325,000 settlement for a case involving a woman hit by a bicyclist in one of the busiest areas of Manhattan. There were many issues with liability for this case because the Plaintiff admitted to jaywalking and had allegedly darted out from between two vehicles.

Reconstruction Animation Aids in Mediation

The animation was modeled to draw the viewers’ attention to the collision by keeping the presentation simple – no busy backgrounds and no distracting elements.  The animation begins with the woman looking left to right before proceeding forward. She is then forcibly struck by the bicyclist and thrown onto the ground, the right side of her head hitting the pavement. The video is then replayed as the camera follows the Plaintiff’s movements, and we see her being hit once again. We see one more replay of the animation, and then the camera zooms into the woman’s face so that we can clearly appreciate the injuries.

The Plaintiff suffered lacerations and bruising to the right side of her face and head, fractures to her facial bones and clavicle, cervical disc protrusions, and a brain injury. The video of her coup-contrecoup lets the viewer focus on how her brain moved violently inside her skull when her head hit the ground, and understand the resulting brain damage. The presentation concludes by showing the impact from different angles and in slow-motion to demonstrate the brutal nature of injury experienced by the Plaintiff.

Matt Haicken of Haicken Law PLLC, has over 12 years of experience as a personal injury attorney and has started his own firm 5 years ago. For 3 years, Matt has worked at a large insurance company where he was able to get a full comprehension of the strategies and techniques of Defense attorneys. Matt is actively involved in the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, a group that works on behalf of injury victims against lawmakers and corporations that seek to limit the access of average people to the courts. He believes that the courthouse doors should be kept open to everyone regardless of his or her immigration status or financial situation. He is committed to fighting for a strong civil justice system that enables people who have been harmed to hold wrongdoers accountable.