$780,000 Settlement for Ballwin Man Rear-Ended by Distracted Driver on Manchester Road

A 56-year-old man from Ballwin, Missouri was rear-ended by a distracted driver on Manchester Road in St. Louis, County.  The other driver admitted he had been looking at his cell phone at the time of the collision.

The impact caused significant injuries to the man’s neck and back. He underwent nearly two years of treatment, including physical therapy and pain management, before his condition ultimately required surgery. During the procedure, one of the discs in his neck was removed and replaced with an artificial disc. The lengthy recovery process took a toll on nearly every aspect of the man’s life, affecting his ability to work, his home life, and his social life.

When the man first came to Sauter Sullivan, he had been told that the at-fault driver carried only the state-required minimum policy of insurance. After hiring Sauter Sullivan, Chris Geldmacher was able to determine that the at-fault driver had actually been performing work for his employer at the time the collision occurred.  This meant that the employer’s insurance policy was also available to contribute to the injured man’s claim.  The amount available from the at-fault driver’s employer’s policy was well beyond the minimum coverage initially disclosed.

Because of this discovery, the client was able to recover far more than the minimum coverage required by law. In the end, Chris Geldmacher secured a $780,000 settlement for his client.