Liever, Hyman & Potter, P.C.

CLIENT 16530
A woman was a passenger in a minivan that hydroplaned on Route 422 and swerved violently as the van attempted to come to a stop. Our client was thrown from the middle seating row into the back row and sustained injuries to her neck and low back requiring cervical spine surgery and surgery to her low back. Notwithstanding our client’s advanced age and the degenerative condition of her spine we were able to show that her surgeries were related to accident and we obtained a recovery from the liability and underinsured motorist carriers totaling $340,000.00.

CLIENT 17258
As a result of a work injury, our client suffered a low back injury in the nature of a an annular tear of a lumbar disc; however, he did not require surgery. The Defendant workers’ compensation insurance carrier commenced litigation against our client and hired a vocational expert in an attempt to reduce his disability benefits by proving that work was generally available to him within his restrictions. We hired our own vocational expert in opposition to the modification petition as a result of which we obtained a settlement for our client in the amount of $118,000.00.

CLIENT 17898
Our client, a tractor-trailer driver, had been working for his company for 20 years when he sustained a torn rotator cuff as a result of a fall he took while unloading a truck. Because our client was unable to return to his job as a truck driver, the workers’ compensation insurance carrier filed a petition against our client seeking to suspend his benefits alleging that he had retired from the work force and also sought to modify his benefits alleging that work was generally available to him within his restrictions. In opposition to the vocational and medical experts hired by the work comp carrier we presented the testimony of Claimant’s treating doctor as a result of which we obtained a settlement for our client in the amount of $170,000.00.

CLIENT 16498
Our client, an over-the-road truck driver, injured his neck when he feel from his truck on an icy winter day. The employer and its workers’ compensation insurance carrier denied that Claimant sustained an injury in the course and scope of his employment and we filed a Claim Petition on his behalf to obtain workers’ compensation wage and medical benefits. The Workers’ Compensation Judge ruled in our favor and we were successful in obtaining medical coverage and full disability benefits for our client. As a result of our success during litigation we were later able to obtain a settlement for our client in the amount of $150,000.00.

CLIENT 12519
Our client, a security officer, sustained a herniated disc in her neck as a result of breaking up an altercation between two people. She underwent cervical spine fusion surgery for her injury, which resulted in a small horizontal scar in the crease of her neck. Given the nature of her injury, our client was unable to return to her job in the field of security. We won a workers’ compensation settlement totaling $134,000.00, with $125,000.00 attributable to the wage and medical claim and $9,000.00 attributable to the disfigurement claim arising from the surgical scar.

Client #16665. A 22 year old Schuylkill Haven, Schuylkill County resident was driving his mother’s van on a back road near Schuylkill Haven when a light colored Mustang coming in the opposite direction went out of control and struck the van head-on. Both vehicles were insured by the same insurance company. Our young client suffered very serious injuries including a left leg dislocation, a hip fracture, broken fingers and broken ribs. He went on to require a total hip replacement. A thorough investigation identified multiple eyewitnesses from whom statements were obtained. Extensive scene and vehicle photographs were utilized. All injuries were fully documented and we were able to obtain a $325,000.00 settlement for our client for all available insurance coverage.

Client #16294. A 36 year old, mother of two, was in the course of her employment driving a van for a transportation company on Route 222 in Maidencreek Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania. As she was proceeding toward Reading, Pennsylvania, she was confronted with a Ford Escort that came flying over the median striking her van. The driver claimed that he was cut off by another vehicle that had entered from a ramp. However, our detailed investigation revealed that the Ford Escort had three bald tires and was traveling at an excessive rate of speed. Numerous eyewitness statements were obtained. Our client underwent open reduction and internal fixation of her ankle fractures. She went on to develop severe post-traumatic arthritis requiring an ankle fusion. We were able to obtain the policy limits from numerous motor vehicle insurance policies that resulted in settlement in excess of $405,000.00.

Client #17148. A $1,100,000.00 settlement was obtained on behalf of a severely injured 73 year old retired home economics teacher. Our client suffered severe injury on Route 73 between Blandon and Oley, Pennsylvania when a dump truck coming in the opposite direction swerved into the oncoming lane of traffic and overturned and crushed our client’s car. Although the truck driver claimed that his actions were necessitated by the sudden unexpected stopping of a car in front of him, we were able to conduct an extensive investigation which completely undermined his defense. Our client suffered massive injuries including numerous fractures and underwent surgeries. She required both inpatient and rehabilitation care as well as home care. There were extensive medical bills paid by her health insurance which demanded that the payments be repaid out of the settlement. That demand was successfully contested and a lien by Medicare was dramatically reduced.

Client #17736. A $200,000.00 settlement was obtained by the estate of a 77 year old pedestrian who was crossing mid-block wearing dark clothes as he attempted to cross to go into a restaurant in the evening hours. The driver who ran into him had $100,000.00 in liability insurance and our client had $100,000.00 in underinsured motorist coverage. We were able to obtain the full amount of all coverages despite arguments presented that our client was contributorily negligent. We were able to obtain statements from witnesses establishing that the driver was speeding at the time his car ran into our client and he did not see our elderly client despite bright overhead lighting.

Client #16947. A second year student at Lincoln University was a passenger in a car driven by another student. They had stopped at a store near the school to buy some folders. There was a two-car collision and there was a dispute as to who was at fault. One driver claimed that he was rear-ended and the other driver claimed that the other vehicle pulled out in front of him from a stop sign. Despite these conflicts we were able to obtain the full amount of available insurance coverage for our client who suffered a fractured right leg. Total settlement was in the amount of $200,000.00.

Client #17438
A family of four was returning home late at night from a Penn State football game when an oncoming driver fell asleep at the wheel, crossed the center line and struck the side of our clients’ vehicle. Their injuries ranged from a back sprain to broken ribs to a broken heel. Total recovery for the family members was $258,000.00.

Client #16523
Our client was leaving work when she tripped on a small (3/4 inch) pavement discontinuity. Although such a small defect would not normally be actionable, this one was located at the top of a set of steps, and our client fell down the steps suffering facial injuries and a broken arm. The building owner’s insurer paid her $165,000.00.\

Client #18531
Our client was shot in the leg by a member of his hunting party on the second day of deer season. The hunting partner admitted that his rifle discharged but claimed that his bullet could not have wounded our client. The bullet passed through the client’s leg and was not found by game commission officials on the day of the shooting. After being retained, we made arrangements to meet game commission officials at the site and found the bullet. Ballistic testing later proved that it came from the hunting partner’s rifle. His homeowners insurance carrier paid our client its $100,000.00 policy limit.

Client #14393
Our client was driving on a country road when an oncoming truck-tractor came around a curve, crossed the center line and struck our client’s vehicle on the driver’s side. Our client was taken the emergency room where neck x-rays, and a bone scan a short time later, showed no fractures. However, follow-up testing done about one month after the accident did show a neck fracture for which our client underwent surgery. The defendant truck driver’s insurer hired a doctor who testified that the negative x-rays and bone scan showed that if the client did indeed have a fracture, it did not occur at the time of the accident. On cross examination of the defendant truck driver’s doctor we were able to show that the client’s initial complaints at the emergency room were consistent with the location of the fracture later found, and that the client had an underlying condition which rendered invalid the results of the bone scan. The case settled for $225,000.00 after the deposition of the defendant driver’s doctor.