At 29 years old, the client had built a career as a civilian nuclear engineer working for the Department of Defense. Following the collision, his injuries prevented him from returning to work. His employer warned that continued absence could jeopardize his position, creating significant uncertainty about his professional future.
The injuries also affected his personal life. The engineer and his fiancée were planning their wedding, and his injuries made him uncertain if he would be able to walk down the aisle or stand beside her at the altar on their big day.
Because the collision occurred while the client was walking to work at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, his injuries also involved a claim under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA). The federal workers’ compensation process raised questions about medical benefits, wage replacement, and how those benefits would interact with his personal injury claim.
There were also questions about whether the driver was employed by another Department of Defense entity, which could affect the legal claims available to the client.
Rutter Mills attorney Chris Daughtry worked through the insurance and liability issues while continuing to pursue compensation for his injuries.
The client’s ankle injuries required three surgeries, including a joint fusion that permanently limited his mobility. His inability to return to work, ongoing physical limitations, and psychological symptoms increased the importance of pursuing all available compensation, as his lost wages grew to a substantial amount.
Chris knew he needed to look for additional insurance coverage to get his client full compensation for the damages this pedestrian accident caused. Luckily, Chris found that the at-fault driver’s liability insurance was not the only potential source of recovery.
