Gurnee Left-Turn Collision — $50,000.00 Settlement
Key Takeaways
- The other driver turned left from a stop sign without yielding to our client on Skokie Highway.
- Our client incurred more than $29,000.00 in medical expenses following the collision.
- Farmers Insurance initially offered $26,753.00.
- After litigation began, the case resolved for the available $50,000.00 policy limits before the scheduled arbitration hearing.
What Happened
On October 7, 2022, our client was driving northbound on Skokie Highway in Gurnee, Illinois. Another driver attempted to turn left from a stop sign on St. Paul Avenue to travel southbound on Skokie Highway. The driver failed to yield and entered our client’s path, causing a collision that damaged the front of her vehicle. Both vehicles were towed from the scene.
The Injury
The collision caused neck and back pain that required immediate medical care and approximately three months of physical therapy. Our client’s documented medical expenses exceeded $29,000.00.
The Insurance Company's First Offer
Farmers Insurance initially offered $26,753.00 to resolve the claim.
Why That Offer Was Too Low
The $26,753.00 offer was less than our client’s documented medical expenses alone. It also did not fairly account for the neck and back pain, the course of physical therapy, or the effect of the collision on her daily life. We therefore continued pursuing the claim through litigation.
Damages Breakdown
| Final Settlement | 50000 |
|---|
What We Did
Our firm reviewed the police report and investigated the other driver’s failure to yield. We collected the medical records and bills, documented more than $29,000.00 in medical expenses, and presented the claim to Farmers Insurance.
When the initial offer did not fairly value the claim, we filed a lawsuit in Lake County. We completed the necessary litigation work and prepared for the scheduled arbitration hearing. Before that hearing occurred, the insurer agreed to pay the available $50,000.00 policy limits.
Timeline
- Accident occurred October 7, 2022
- Key treatment began October 7, 2022
- Treatment completed / maximum medical improvement reached January 25, 2023
- Claim opened September 13, 2023
- Lawsuit filed October 3, 2023
- Demand sent October 16, 2023
- Depositions completed January 17, 2024
- Settlement agreement reached January 26, 2024
- Scheduled arbitration hearing February 27, 2024
Total duration: Approximately 15.5 months
Why This Case Matters
An initial offer does not necessarily reflect the full amount available under the at-fault driver’s policy or the fair value of the claim. Here, Farmers initially offered $26,753.00 even though our client’s documented medical expenses exceeded $29,000.00.
We filed a lawsuit and continued developing the medical and liability evidence. The case resolved for the available $50,000.00 policy limits before the scheduled arbitration hearing, increasing the recovery by $23,247.00 over the initial offer.
The Final Result
$50,000.00
The case settled for the available $50,000.00 policy limits, which was $23,247.00 more than Farmers Insurance’s initial offer. The result was reached after we filed a lawsuit and prepared the matter for arbitration. The settlement resolved the claim approximately 15.5 months after the collision without requiring an arbitration hearing or trial.
Frequently Asked Questions
Court-ordered arbitration is a process in which the parties present evidence and arguments to a neutral arbitration panel before a case proceeds to trial. The governing court rules determine how the arbitration is conducted and what happens after an award. In this case, the parties settled before the scheduled hearing.
A policy-limits settlement generally means the insurer agreed to pay the maximum amount of liability coverage available for the claim under the applicable policy.
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