Future Back Surgery; Verdict nearly $1.2 Million

BATON ROUGE, La. - April 14, 2015 - PRLog -- Plaintiff, a 38 year old single mother, was on her way to work on I-10 when she was rear-ended by a Baton Rouge Department of Public Works pick-up truck.  As a result of the collision, the Plaintiff sustained herniated discs in her lower back.  The plaintiff’s treating physicians attempted to treat her pain conservatively through medications, epidural injections, nerve burns, and even a spinal cord stimulator.  Unfortunately, oral medication was the only treatment that seemed to provide pain relief.  The plaintiff was also evaluated by a local neurosurgeon who testified that she would eventually need to undergo a two level lumbar fusion.

The defendants contested medical causation and argued that the wreck was too minor to have caused the claimed injuries.  Throughout trial, the defense displayed pictures of the property damage to the jury and asserted the wreck was a very low speed bump that could not cause injury.  In response, the Plaintiff called the defendants’ own property damage appraiser as a witness who conceded that although there was very little visible damage to the rear bumper, the vehicle’s frame had been slightly bent.

The Plaintiff’s past medical expenses totaled $122,000.00.  Prior to trial the defendants offered less than $10,000 to settle the case.  The final verdict, with interest, totaled nearly $1,200,000.00

Patricia Aguillard v. Jeremie Gregory and the City of Baton Rouge  No. 594908, 19^th JDC, 7/14

Plaintiff’s counsel:  Richard “Richie” Zimmerman, III, and Gordon McKernan, Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys, Baton Rouge

Plaintiff’s experts:  Dr. Kelly Scrantz, Neurosurgery, Dr. Michael Burdine, Pain Management, Stephanie Chalfin, Life Care Planning