Defendant, who had his intermediate license for 8 days, plowed into the side of the Plaintiff’s car, causing her to spin out of control, hit a light poll, and crash into a fence.  The Defendant claimed that cars had waved him across the road and that the Plaintiff’s car struck Defendant’s car, whereas the Plaintiff and an independent witness testified that the defendant raced across the road to avoid oncoming traffic and then struck her car. 

 

After the crash, the Plaintiff had signficant neck and shoulder pain, and a MRI revealed two cervical disk herniations. An orthopedic spine surgeon testified that the Plaintiff now has a 10 percent increased risk of needing surgery as a result of these disk herniations. 

 

The Plaintiff made a reasonable settlement offer  even before filing the suit, but Shelter Insurance refused to offer a fair amount to compensate  her for serious harms and losses.  As a result, Shelter forced its insured, a young boy, to sit through a needless trial.  The jury then awarded $110,000 -- significantly more than what Plaintiff had demanded before trial started to settle the case.  According to Mr. Blake, the Plaintiff’s senior trial attorney, "Shelter mounted a frivilous defense in my view.  Shelter must have thought its lawyer could fool the St. Louis County jurors.  The jurors, however,  saw right through the defense, fairly compensating  the Plaintiff for her harms and losses."