Just because an auto collision doesn’t cause visible property damage doesn’t mean there won’t be personal injuries.
When Johnson & Biscone’s client Renee Lewis was rear-ended in her car, her left shoulder and elbow were injured, although there was little damage to either vehicle. Renee was taken to a hospital emergency room after the wreck. She later learned her injuries required surgery.
The other driver admitted liability for the collision, but her defense attorney disputed our client’s claim that her injuries were caused by the wreck.
Attorneys Bryce Johnson and Sherman Reed took the time to learn Renee’s story so they could prove their client was telling the truth and deserved to be compensated.
The defense contended Renee did not report any injury to the investigating police officer at the scene of the incident, nor did she report any injury at the ER. They claimed she waited until 60 days after the wreck to notify anyone she was hurt.
There were two key factors in proving the defense’s assertion was wrong.
First, the defense doctor overlooked the ER triage record in which Renee reported left shoulder pain on the day of the wreck.
Second, we were able to get the investigating police officer to testify at the last minute. Because the other driver admitted liability, we did not previously list the officer as a witness, and the defense did not think we would be able to track him down. The defense attorney told the jury in his opening statement that Renee did not report any injury to the investigating police officer at the scene. We knew from the police officer’s report this was not a true statement.
However, through our staff’s hard work, we were able to locate the police officer. The judge allowed him to be our last witness. The officer testified that Renee told him at the scene of the wreck she felt like she was injured and he noted this in his report.
We were confident these two revelations during trial would secure a long-awaited victory for Renee.
The case was a four-year process. While trying to prove her case, Renee was also trying to recover from her injuries. Long days of pain and rehabilitation after surgery were made even more emotionally difficult because the defense refused to accept responsibility for the injuries.
Prior to trial, the defense offered a settlement. But we knew Renee had a good case and deserved more than what was being offered.
In May 2018, the jury awarded Renee $300,000, three times what she was offered before trial.
“Without Johnson & Biscone, I honestly don’t think the case would have turned out the way it did,” Renee said. “I felt like I had a good case. I just didn’t know I would’ve found someone who would take time and effort, and put passion into it. Bryce Johnson and Sherman Reed truly care about their clients. They made me feel like family.”
