Smith & Hassler wins car accident jury trial against Allstate
On Thursday August 25, 2011 Smith & Hassler trial attorney Daragh John M. Carter was able to secure a favorable verdict in Harris County District Court for a Smith & Hassler client who sustain a back sprain/strain in a May 2008 rear-end collision. The car accident happened when a female driver in her 20’s, insured by Allstate, was driving on Eldridge near Memorial with her purse in her lap. She had just left the bank and took her eyes off the road to move her purse to the passenger seat. When she looked up it was too late to stop and her Chevy Equinox rear-ended the Plaintiff’s Toyota Tundra. The Equinox sustained heavy damage and was deemed a total loss. Three days after the collision the Plaintiff saw a chiropractor and had a total of 11 visits and claimed 3-days of lost wages. Before suit was filed, while the suit was pending and all the way up to trial Allstate never offered enough money to cover the Plaintiff’s medical bills and continued to deny that the Defendant was negligent in causing the rear-ender. The morning of trial Allstate‘s attorney stipulate to liability, which means the Defense attorney told the jury that his client admitted she was negligent, and that the case was just about money. After a short trial where the only witness was the Plaintiff (the Defendant was unavailable at the time of trial) the jury returned a verdict awarding the Plaintiff his medical bills in full and 2.5 days of lost wages.