Halpern Santos & Pinkert Scores Win for Disabled Veteran

Accepting difficult cases is something we pride ourselves on. Many of our clients have met with countless other Florida personal injury attorneys, only to be told, “Sorry, but we don’t think you have a case.” When they come to us, they are often afraid that obtaining badly-needed compensation is out of reach.

A recent case involving a 90-year-old veteran is a case in point. This man was injured at a private event after another person fell on him. Initially, he was diagnosed with a trimalleolar ankle fracture, which required surgery. Unfortunately, our client contracted an infection during surgery which ultimately led to his leg being amputated below the knee. Although he met with nine other personal injury firms in the area, not a single one agreed to take his case.

We did. And we obtained a 7-figure settlement on his behalf.

Filing a Quick Lawsuit

Our lawyers saw that the case had potential. Whenever a person acts without sufficient care, they can be held legally liable for any injuries they cause. This is called “negligence,” and we saw that it possibly applied to the person who fell onto our client.

Our lawyers quickly filed a lawsuit in court asserting negligence and other causes of action. The person who fell on our client had a homeowner’s policy, which we believed would pay out compensation in the event that the defendant was liable.

We also moved quickly for a speedy trial. It’s no secret that the wheels of justice move very slowly in South Florida, especially for personal injury cases. But we believed in our client and believed in our legal theories.

Making the Evidence Come Alive

A case is only as strong as the evidence. As experienced personal injury attorneys, we know that we can only obtain justice for our clients if we carefully document how they were injured. We also need evidence to “come alive” for jurors and insurance claims adjusters, who otherwise might not understand how an accident unfolded.

Our lawyers used several innovative techniques:

• We videotaped our client’s deposition testimony so that it would be available for trial. Given our client’s advanced age, this was a prudent step.
• We created medical illustrations to show the surgical treatment our client received. This helped our audience visualize the care.
• We made a “day in the life” video showcasing our amputated client’s life. Amputations do more than cost money to treat. They also dramatically impair a person’s quality of living, making it difficult to perform daily tasks that others take for granted.

Armed with this evidence, we approached the insurance company to open settlement negotiations.

Obtaining Just Compensation for Our Client

As lawyers who work on contingency, we took a big risk accepting our client’s case. If we were unsuccessful, we would have received nothing for our labor. But we believed in this veteran’s case, and we believed in our ability to convince the insurance company that their insured was legally responsible for the loss.

We ultimately settled for $1.3 million for our client, a mere six months after agreeing to represent him. We are happy that our client obtained a measure of justice for the tragedy that he suffered, and we are grateful for the chance to represent him.

Contact Halpern Santos & Pinkert Today

Our South Florida personal injury lawyers have represented countless clients and obtained more than $200 million in compensation. Please call us today to schedule a free consultation.