OUR LAW FIRM HAS SUCCESSFULLY REPRESENTED THOUSANDS OF CLIENTS
Caron, Colven, Robison & Shafton P.S. has successfully represented thousands of clients in many different areas of law. Our dedicated team of experienced Vancouver trial attorneys have the expertise to litigate personal injury, insurance, employment, real estate, fraud, probate, and business-related legal matters. Contact our law firm today for more information about our legal services.
The most frequently seen automobile policy limits are $100,000. Many folks only carry the statutory minimum of $25,000 or buy up to $50,000. With medical bills what they are today, the most frequent resolution of personal injury cases is a policy limits settlement. This means the real work is done making sure the client keeps the money. For that reason, we stay at the cutting edge in resolving liens and subrogation claims asserted by health insurance plans, Medicare, Medicaid, auto insurers and disability insurers. The sad truth is that many folks never see full compensation for their harms and losses. We do everything we can to try to right that wrong. Cases that present great challenges include those with contested liability, pre-existing conditions and whiplash injuries resulting in Low-Speed Rear Impact Collisions referred to by the acronym Lo.S.R.I.C.
Below is just a small sample of cases our team of attorneys has successfully litigated on behalf of our valued clients.
TRUCK V. PEDESTRIAN
A truck driver failed to check the crosswalk for pedestrians when making a right turn. The client suffered a degloving injury of the foot. Settlement in mediation $1.5 million.
HIP INJURY
Hip injury. Our client developed hip pain shortly after a rear-end collision. We were retained over a year later. An independent doctor spotted the problem right away and recommended tests that proved the need for hip replacement surgery. This doctor related the necessity to the crash. The insurance defense doctors pointed to the delayed onset of hip pain, client age, and a prior work injury to deny causation. The treating doctor, and an independent Radiologist, found no evidence of pre-existing hip degeneration in x-rays taken by the client’s chiropractor days after the crash. This resulted in policy limits settlements from both the third party liability carrier and underinsured motorist insurance. Significant medical lien waivers were obtained.
LOW BACK SURGERY
Our client required low back surgery following a high-speed rear-end collision. The client had been treated conservatively for the condition as a teen. For many years no problems were experienced. The defense blamed the need for surgery on the pre-existing condition. By obtaining a leading expert in injury causation, we convinced the insurance company to pay policy limits settlement for the client.
SHOULDER INJURY
Our client suffered a shoulder injury in a high speed “T” bone type collision. After several weeks problems surfaced on the other shoulder due to overcompensation. Previous surgery to the shoulder and the delayed onset greatly complicated the case. The case settled in litigation for policy limits, the underinsured motorist insurer contributed to the settlement. Lien waivers exceeding $90,000 were obtained and increased the net to the client substantially.
NECK INJURY
Our client suffered a ligament injury to his neck when his small SUV was struck from behind. The little SUV suffered $400 damage. Damage to the other car was not well documented. The defense claimed the impact was too slight to cause the ligament injury diagnosed by the treating chiropractor. The defense hired three experts to support their claim that the car damage didn’t support a serious injury. We successfully excluded two of the experts from testifying due to unscientific methodology. The pretrial offer was $30,000 and policy limits $100,000. We were able to obtain a $150,000 jury verdict in excess of policy limits. The entire verdict and costs were paid in full.
LOW-SPEED REAR IMPACT COLLISION
LOSRIC case for an octogenarian client. The client was in a vehicle that backed into a much larger vehicle. The damage was relatively severe but the impact speed was estimated at between 3 and 5 mph. The client had significant pre-existing medical conditions. There was also a delay in treatment. The treating doctor did not support the client’s case. After a hard-fought pretrial process, with a trial looming, the case was settled in mediation for $135,000. There were no medical bills that were related to the crash by the treating doctors.
WRONGFUL DEATH
Automobile collision resulting in death. Received wrongful death jury verdict of $1,000,000.
CAR ACCIDENT
Car accident resulting in wrongful death. Received jury verdict for $1,000,000. Liability was denied and the case vigorously defended. Our investigation allowed us to expose the fallacies of the two primary defense contentions.
WRONGFUL DEATH
Semi-truck vs. car collision resulting in death. Received settlement in excess of $1,000,000 plus UIM coverage.
PERSONAL INJURY
Fall resulting in head and spinal injuries. Received settlement in litigation of $1,500,000.
WRONGFUL DEATH
Trucking accident: illegal U-Turn, lack of training of driver, failure to instruct the driver on a safe route, defective equipment. Company drivers originally lied about their actions leading to contested liability. A careful investigation turned up details showing the at-fault driver was grossly unqualified. Our investigation revealed witnesses who disclosed facts destroying the driver’s claims. Policy limits settlement for $1,300,000 including $200,000 more in coverage than the insurers originally disclosed.
CAR ACCIDENT
A car accident caused by loss of control resulting in wrongful death. A policy limits settlement of over $1,000,000 was obtained. Complex insurance and choice of law issues were litigated in a multi-state case.
WRONGFUL DEATH
Trucking accident caused by driver inattention and unsafe speed, resulting in wrongful death. Policy limits settlement of $1,000,000 for the family of a woman killed through the inattention of a driver for a small trucking company.
WRONGFUL DEATH
Car vs. motorcycle accident caused by failure to yield resulting in wrongful death. Settlement in excess of $1,300,000.
TRUCKING ACCIDENT
Trucking accident resulting in spinal injury and loss of employment contract. A court finding of damages of $1,000,000 for a woman who suffered a torn ligament in her cervical spine when an inattentive truck driver struck the rear of her vehicle.
SHOULDER INJURY
Shoulder Injury, PTSD. This case was referred to us by another law firm with an offer of $15,000 pending. A Federal Court Jury awarded $460,000.
PEDESTRIAN INJURY
Settlement $450,000 for a pedestrian trapped when a semi tractor-trailer rig executed a right turn cutting off the crosswalk.
CAR ACCIDENT
Car accident, speeding, driving off roadway resulting in wrongful death. Received a $525,000 policy limit settlement in a case where even determining who was driving the car was difficult.
CAR ACCIDENT
Car accident resulting in shoulder, neck and carpal tunnel injuries. A combined verdict of over $550,000 was obtained for a mother and daughter injured when their SUV was rear ended by a small car.
CAR ACCIDENT UNDERINSURED MOTORIST
Spinal injuries, underinsured motorist case. Low-speed rear-end collision. An arbitrator awarded in excess of $750,000. The insurer’s offer was $100,000.
CAR ACCIDENT
Car accident causing spinal injuries and laminectomy, underinsured motorist. Our client’s insurance company offered nothing and demanded repayment of PIP from the $100,000 settlement with the underinsured at-fault driver. An arbitrator awarded $410,000 resulting in a recovery of the $300,000 UIM coverage and waiver of the $10,000 PIP reimbursement.
CAR ACCIDENT
Car accident causing spinal injuries and loss of business income. The owner of a labor-intensive start-up business was injured when his car was struck by an Uninsured Motorist. An arbitration panel award resulted in the recovery of the $300,000 policy limit and a waiver of a substantial PIP reimbursement claim.
CAR ACCIDENT
Car accident causing chronic neck pain and headache, Under-Insured Motorist. A jury returned a verdict of $148,000 in a case involving a lengthy delay in obtaining treatment. The insurer had offered $1,500.
CAR ACCIDENT
Car accident causing shoulder injury. Jury verdict of $124,000.
CAR ACCIDENT
Car accident: Jeep passenger ejected, dislocated hip, head and neck injuries, insurance bad faith. Although medical bills were less than $15,000 the effect of the collision was severe. The driver’s insurance company offered only $60,000, we demanded the limit of $100,000. The jury awarded $261,000 and the full amount was paid immediately.
CAR ACCIDENT
Ulnar nerve injury. The client suffered an injury to her ulnar nerve when her elbow struck an angled door handle at a low speed, rear-end collision. Medical expenses were under $2,000. Settlement $125,000.
MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT
Car vs. Motorcycle, driving at night against doctor’s instructions, failure to yield, contested liability. The driver at fault had been told not to drive at night due to vision issues. She drove anyway and broadsided our client’s motorcycle. Liability was denied based on a claim that the motorcycle displayed no lights. Our experts established all lights were functioning. Injuries included leg and arm fractures, extensive soft tissue injury, complex regional pain syndrome. Total recovery was $1.250 million-plus UIM of $50,000.
MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT
Car vs. motorcycle, sudden left turn during passing. The inexperienced driver missed her turn and decided to pull into a driveway to turn around. She executed a sudden left turn without signaling as our client attempted to pass her. Liability was denied. After a deposition of the defense expert exposed numerous errors in his work, the case settled for a $300,000 policy limit.
MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT
Car vs. motorcycle, failure to yield, driver inattention. The defendant made a sudden left turn in front of an oncoming motorcycle. Liability was contested based on the defendant’s claim the motorcycle had no light on and was traveling at an excessive speed. After discovery and depositions policy limits exceeding $1,000,000 were tendered.
MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT
Car vs. motorcycle, failure to yield, driver inattention. The defendant made a sudden left turn in front of a motorcycle. The defense expert claimed the motorcyclist’s speed was excessive making him at fault. Bill Robison was retained by the plaintiff’s attorneys to
PRODUCT LIABILITY
Defective man-lift. Recovery of $250,000 for a spleen injury suffered when a man-lift tipped over due to faulty maintenance, design, and warnings.
PRODUCT LIABILITY
ATV collision. In a case preventing daunting insurance coverage challenges, we recovered $740,000 combined.
PRODUCT LIABILITY
Defective Propane Tank valve. Confidential settlement for burns suffered when the valve on a propane tank came off due to improper seating of a pin designed to prevent precisely that.
PRODUCT LIABILITY
Flammable child’s clothing. Confidential recovery for a child injured when a spark ignited his newly purchased shirt.
PRODUCT LIABILITY
Defective clothing manufacturing. Arbitration award for $50,000 for a child who suffered an elbow fracture in a bicycle accident caused by failure cutting corners when making clothing.
