$50,000 – Wrongful Death & Auto Accident

Settlement: $50,000

Attorney: Gene Riddle

Our client and her husband were rear-ended while traveling on the highway. Although our client did not feel seriously injured immediately after the accident, tests later revealed that she had suffered an unknown subdural hematoma from striking her head on the seat back during the accident. Tragically, after a period of declining health, our client died from her injuries.

The liability insurer originally attempted to settle both our client and her husband’s claims at the same time but communicated only with the husband. Although the adjuster reached a $15,000 settlement for our client’s injuries with her husband while she treating in the hospital, our attorneys learned that the husband did not have power of attorney over the client, nor did the adjuster speak with the client at any point while she was alive. Additionally, the liability release was never signed by the client while she was alive. Although the insurance company contended that the claim was settled because the settlement check had cleared the bank, our attorneys argued that this did not constitute acceptance because the funds were electronically dispersed via auto-draft. After our client died from her injuries, her husband approached our attorneys at Riddle & Brantley to reach a new settlement for his wife’s wrongful death.

After negotiating with the liability insurer, our firm successfully reached a settlement in which the insurer tendered its policy limits of $50,000, exhausting all available coverage. Although no amount can ever truly compensate a family for the loss of a loved one, our attorneys played a crucial role in reviewing our client’s wrongful death claim and ensuring that her family received the justice they deserved in the aftermath of this tragic loss.

For more than 35 years, the North Carolina car accident lawyers at Riddle and Brantley have successfully represented the great people of North Carolina.