GLP Attorneys proudly pursues justice for those injured in car collisions. We are pleased to share the success story of the case of McDonald v. City of Port Orchard, where we helped a client and her mother reach a large settlement after a life-altering car accident.
Car Collision
On November 12, 2015, Shari, a 45-year-old woman with cerebral palsy and a developmental disability, was walking home when she was hit by a car due to low visibility and unsafe flooded roadway conditions.
Shari’s injuries from the car accident were massive. She broke all four limbs, sustained fractures to her chest, and suffered other internal injuries which required a colostomy bag. Shari was put on a trach and was unable to speak or breathe on her own.
Instead of being discharged from the hospital, Shari was transferred to a nursing home, a skilled living facility where she lived for almost a year. Shari’s mother who is retired, lost her apartment and all her belongings to support Shari in her recovery.
The Case Against The City
When Shari’s mom reached out to GLP Attorneys, Shareholder Sean Ayres and Partner John Acken recognized that this was a serious and complex case. They were determined to bring justice to Shari and her mother.
Since Shari did not remember the impact due to her disability, she would not be able to testify, and GLP Attorneys did not want her to be taken advantage of by the defense attorney. The team was able to protect Shari from being manipulated by the defense attorney by proving to the court that she was not legally competent to testify on her own behalf.
This case was also unique because Sean and John were dealing with the city of Port Orchard, rather than the typical auto vs pedestrian case involving an insurance company. They had to demonstrate that the roadway was unsafe, with flooding and no sidewalks, leaving Shari no safe place to walk and that the city was responsible for the conditions. There was also insufficient lighting due to an overgrown tree which made it difficult for the driver to see Shari.
Sean and John go to great lengths to take care of their clients. For the case, they reviewed more than three terabytes of data to find other times the city received complaints on the roadway. Through this discovery, Sean and John found that the city of Port Orchard knew about the condition of the roadway for 20 years and did nothing to fix the issue.
What Was the Settlement?
After nearly two years of litigation, summary judgment motions, extensive discovery, and filing a mediation, the case was resolved in a settlement with all parties for over three and a half million dollars.
Sean and John also helped set up a special needs trust for Shari to financially plan her life. This greatly helped Shari and her mother set up a new life. They both went from losing everything in the collision, to now having the ability to live comfortably. GLP Attorneys’ continuous advocacy and hard work brought Shari and her mother the justice they deserved.
GLP Attorneys is Proud to Make a Difference
GLP Attorneys is one of the largest personal injury firms in the state of Washington and we are able to leverage knowledge across the state from all of our attorneys to assist our clients.
Our goal is to get the best possible outcome for our clients, which means that we are in it for the long haul. We work as hard as possible to ensure that justice is done and that our clients get the best possible recovery.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an automobile collision, please call 206.752.4866, or email our attorneys at attorneys@glpattorneys.com for a free consultation.