Seeking Fair Resolution for Motorcyclist in Car Accident

This is a case study about the journey of a Hancock Law client. Actual client names and facts are changed to protect privacy; the names used in the blog post below are pseudonyms.

The Accident

Aaron was on his way to work, headed to a new job. He was commuting through DeSoto County on his motorcycle. Even though there was a motorcycle involved — as opposed to two cars — private driver-to-private driver accidents are the most common types of personal injury accidents that Kenneth works on. His motorcycle was his only means of getting to and from work. An older woman was driving east in her 20-year-old truck and turned left in front of him. After the accident, she shared that the sun had been in her eyes. 

Unfortunately, between a motorcycle and a pickup truck, the truck always wins. Unable to see him, she hit Aaron, causing him to fly completely off his bike. Aaron immediately sought medical treatment, having to be air-lifted from the scene. He quickly found out that his leg was shattered. He was lucky to be alive. After emergency surgery, Aaron was instructed to not put weight on that leg for three months. 

How Aaron Found Hancock Law

Aaron was referred to Hancock Law by a colleague with whom Kenneth Hancock has a long-standing relationship. This lawyer practiced criminal law, but knew Kenneth well and trusted his experience of over fifteen years to seek a fair resolution for Aaron.

Working with Hancock Law

Aaron came to see Kenneth as soon as he was physically able to. While it’s always prudent to call a lawyer as soon as possible, Kenneth always recommends that clients seek medical treatment first, even if they do not have health insurance.

Fact: In the state of Florida, there is no no-fault coverage for motorcycles. This means that Aaron did not have access to the standard maximum of $10,000 in Personal Injury Protection (PIP) that car accident victims use for necessary medical treatment before their personal health insurance comes into play.

When Kenneth saw the full details of the case, he knew that this would be a challenging case. Aaron had objectively severe injuries, no health insurance, no PIP, medical bills in the six-figure range, and was unable to work…You name it, he had it. The driver at fault was no longer a wage-earner, owned no other vehicles, and after a search owned no assets that could have been used to further compensate Aaron. 

But there was a silver lining. Given the age of the truck being driven by the at-fault party, Kenneth thought there might not be much coverage in the way of car insurance. Despite that instinct, Kenneth always does his due diligence to ensure that he’s ready with all the details possible to help his clients. As it turned out, the at-fault driver had good insurance coverage on that truck. Especially given the critical condition and long-term repercussions of this accident on Aaron, Kenneth did everything possible to go the extra mile for him, like conducting an in-depth asset check. The check returned very little: she had no property, no liens out on any assets, etc.

The Resolution and Recovery

All in all, this case lasted only four months, which is excellent timing for a personal injury case. In cases like Aaron involving life-changing injuries, much of Hancock Law’s work is done on the back end of the case…negotiating medical bills and liens for the benefit of the client to ease the financial burden caused by the collision.

In cases where the bills are more than the maximum recovery, Kenneth always works with the client on his fees. “I never get more than my clients,” Kenneth shared. “My clients are the guests of honor, not me. That is my golden rule; I even state it clearly in all my contracts.”

Additionally, with the expertise of Brandy, our registered Florida Paralegal, she was able to work with the hospitals, medical providers, and insurance companies to minimize all medical bills and liens.

Aaron was relieved to hear this. He just wrapped up four years of litigation with the assistance of a big law firm, only to have his lawyer walk away from the ordeal with more than him! This is unfortunately a common reality when working with big law firms versus smaller, more personalized firms. By working with Kenneth and the Hancock Law team, Aaron was able to receive the lion’s share of the settlement money.

If you need help weighing your options following an accident, contact us. No matter how big or how small your case may be, Hancock Law can help you to receive the settlement you deserve.

DISCLAIMER: Please note that the information provided in this blog is general in nature and should not be construed as legal advice or as creating an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different and legal advice cannot be provided by Hancock Law unless/until we meet to discuss the particulars of your case. Whether an attorney-client relationship exists can differ on a case-by-case basis, but at Hancock Law we consider such a relationship to exist only upon a potential client’s request and our agreement to accept that representation.