A careless driver learned just how much damage even a minor car accident can inflict after rear-ending a Washington resident named Mark. The driver coasted toward an intersection with a row of cars waiting at a red light. Mark’s van was the furthest back. The driver failed to stop in time and bumped into Mark. While the fender bender hardly damaged Mark’s vehicle, it left him with a cascading sequence of pseudoaneurysms that ultimately required surgery.
Mark was a relatively healthy man in his late 50s at the time of the crash. Following the pseudoaneurysm, he suffered from symptoms including pain, swelling, and impaired vision. CT results directly after the crash revealed a pseudoaneurysm in Mark’s left carotid artery, where the inner lining of the artery tears and blood pools in the open space. The condition put Mark at significantly increased risk of a stroke. He underwent months of physical therapy and medication to treat the symptoms. However, months later, subsequent tests indicated that his treatment had led to yet another pseudoaneurysm, this time on his right side.
The combination of these symptoms and the mild traumatic brain injury that Mark sustained during the accident left him incapable of working full-time. He could no longer complete the typical activities of daily living and became reliant on family members for care.
Around a month after the crash, Mark hired Chris Davis of the Davis Law Group, P.S., one of Washington’s most esteemed personal injury firms. Chris and his associates were noted for their success in similar collision cases. However, Mark’s case posed some unique challenges, namely due to the collision’s low speed.
Christ conducted extensive research, discovery, and expert consultations. He assembled a team of experts, including an accident reconstruction expert, a biomechanical injury expert, a neurosurgeon, a neurologist, and a vascular surgeon. While Chris built the case, Mark underwent his treatments for the first pseudoaneurysm. When further imaging revealed the second pseudoaneurysm, Chris consulted with several doctors who confirmed that the follow-up injury was also a result of the minor collision.
About six months into litigating Mark’s case, Chris was swimming in complex medical jargon. He realized a visual component was crucial to communicating how such a minor collision could have caused Mark’s life-changing injuries. Chris contacted DK Global to help, which worked alongside the experts testifying in the case to create a realistic depiction of Mark’s injuries.
The first section of the video indicated the location of the crash and displayed an animated reconstruction of the accident, in which the Plaintiff was rear-ended. Next, the animation revealed how the collision threw the Plaintiff’s head forward and then backward into the metal partition within his vehicle. The visual then showed this impact within the Plaintiff’s body, zooming in to highlight where the vertebra and artery collided to cause the pseudoaneurysm. CT scans then further confirmed the abnormality in the artery.
The second section of the video began with an animated rendering of the Plaintiff prepped for surgery before an incision was made in his arm to cauterize the radial artery. Next, the visual focused on an incision to the side of Mark’s head to access the right pseudoaneurysm. The surgical walkthrough then showed the “unroofing” of the bony tunnel above the aneurysm and the completion of a partial laminectomy.
The Defense’s initial offer hovered around a meager $75,000 before Chris filed the lawsuit. Heading into mediation, Chris notified the Defense team of the animation. As they watched the video, Chris could feel the tables turning. The Defense was clearly impressed with the visual and concerned about how it would appeal to a potential jury. A few days later, Chris settled the case for $2,000,000.
Chris Davis is a personal injury attorney and the founder of Davis Law Group, P.S., a Seattle-based law firm that helps victims of life-changing injuries receive justice and fair compensation. The National Association of Distinguished Counsel ranks Chris as part of the Nation’s Top One Percent, and he is a current member of the Distinguished Justice Advocates. Institutions including The American Society of Legal Advocates (ASLA), The American Academy of Trial Attorneys, and The Association of America’s Top Lawyers (AOATL) have designated Chris as one of the state’s Top 100 lawyers. He has received the distinction of Super Lawyer since 2007 and maintains a 10.0 “Superb” lawyer rating on Avvo. He is a devoted supporter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and is often consulted for legal commentary by national news organizations.
