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  While
you may have heard the phrase "injury case" or "injury
lawyer," those phrases do not do justice to the diversity of the
ways people suffer injuries or the diversity of our practice. We set out
below a small sample of our cases, so that you can appreciate what we
do and what kinds of events may lead to just claims. The ethical rules
that pertain to the legal profession do not permit us to discuss how these
cases turned out.
What is my case worth? It depends on your individual circumstances and injuries. If you are meeting with us soon after your injury, our answer will surely be: "We don't know, yet." It may be too early to know enough about your case, and you will probably still be recovering from your injuries. The value of your case cannot be evaluated until your medical condition has stabilized, permitting your doctor to assess whether you have suffered injuries or limitations that are permanent. The law does provide that your compensation (if deserved) must be full, fair and reasonable. You are not entitled to a windfall, but neither should you be saddled with an amount that is unfairly low. Full and fair compensation Normand & Associates recently resolved a major case involving a father who broke his back on a water slide and suffered permanent injuries, but we also settled a small claim for a young man who sprained his neck in a rear-end collision, received medical treatment for only six weeks, and fortunately will have no future problems. Every injury claim must be individually evaluated to make certain that full and fair compensation is obtained under all of the circumstances. Several factors are taken into consideration in evaluating a case. Is the defendant clearly at fault? Can the injury be readily proved? Will there be probable future medical treatment and disability? Have there been lost wages? Will there be future lost wages? Will the plaintiff be liked by the jury? Benefits of hiring an experienced law firm Normand & Associates takes a realistic approach to injury claims and works with the client every step of the way, eliminating the need for the client to deal with the insurance company. For many clients, that is our most valuable service. Please feel free to call any of our attorneys or send an e-mail message. Because each case is different and because we need to safeguard the confidentiality of your information, we may opt to reply to your question by mail. Please provide us with a mailing address, e-mail address and telephone number to ensure a prompt response to your inquiry.
Water slide injury, back surgery Our client, a 38-year old father of two children, should have been enjoying a fun day at a Maine water slide park. Instead, after sliding down the slide into a pool of water that was far too shallow, he sustained a fractured back that required four surgeries, causing him to be disabled from his employment. Normand & Associates worked in conjunction with a retained State of Maine law firm to prove, through expert witnesses brought in from Florida, that the water slide was negligently designed, maintained, and managed. We also worked closely to make certain that our client received sound medical care to get back up to speed as soon as possible. Unfortunately, while his condition improved substantially, he will be disabled from his past employment for the rest of his life. He had other vocational opportunities available, and the retraining for those opportunities was part of our claim. Rear-end collision, headaches Our client, a dental hygienist, was injured when her car was rear ended by a careless driver who did not notice traffic stopping. She sustained pain in her neck and lower back, with later headaches requiring chiropractic treatment. Her bills totaled $8,000.00, but she made a good recovery. Rear-end collision, chiropractic treatment successful Our 23-year old client was injured when her vehicle was rear ended by a careless driver who failed to stop in time. She sustained a cervical sprain. After treating with the chiropractor for six weeks, she fortunately had no further difficulties. Tavern fight, spinal cord injury Our client, a 25-year old man awaiting enlistment into the United States Air Force, was attempting to enjoy an evening in his local pub. When an argument arose between some patrons, he attempted to calm down the angry customers. While his back was turned, he was attacked from behind by one of the people involved in the argument. The owner of the bar, who was also the bartender, thought that a fight was likely to break out and moved to immobilize our client by gripping him in a bear hug. Due to the carelessness of the bar owner, our client fell backward and was seriously injured, sustaining a spinal cord injury. He received medical care, and incurred substantial medical bills, but was still left with a permanent impairment. Vocational rehabilitation experts reported that he will earn less money over his lifetime as a result of the injuries. He also had to curtail his plans to serve his country in the Air Force. Missed stop sign, neck injuries Our client, a server at a fast-food restaurant, crashed into a vehicle that failed to stop at a stop sign, resulting in a police summons being issued to the other driver. Our client sustained a strain to her cervical and lumbar spine for which she required medical treatment. She incurred medical bills and lost wages. The insurance company disputed the length of time that she treated for the injury. Repair of heavy machinery, back injury Our client was forced, as part of his job, to dismantle and maintain a piece of heavy machinery. The procedure recommended by the manufacturer required our client to actually stand on top of the machine, bend down, and lift a 40 pound piece of the machine. He sustained a herniated disc while performing this task. It was our impression, subsequently proven by expert witnesses, that the machine was negligently designed because it did not provide a safe method for removal of the heavy part from the machine. The manufacturer denied any liability and stated that our client must have been careless in doing his job. In addition to claims for workers' compensation benefits, a lawsuit was started against the machine manufacturer. Head-on collision, total disability Our client, a 40-year old certified nurse's aid, was a front seat passenger in a vehicle driven by her fiance. They were heading home from a day at the beach and were traveling in a westerly direction on Route 101 in Stratham, N.H. The other driver, a 62-year old female from out of state, was driving a rental vehicle in an easterly direction on Route 101. Apparently, she was looking down at a map and veered over the center line, crashing head-on into our client's vehicle. The impact was so severe that our client's legs were crushed underneath the dashboard. She underwent surgery to implant rods and screws in both thigh bones. She also sustained a fractured collarbone, several fractured ribs, a torn spleen, and a collapsed lung. It was determined that she would be totally disabled from CNA work for the rest of her life and would need future surgeries. Due to the severity of the injuries, a lifetime plan had to be worked up and considered. Teen injury caused by careless driver Our client, a 16-year old boy, was hurt when his vehicle, driven by a 15-year old friend, ran off the road when racing down the street at a high rate of speed. Our client sustained a laceration to his forehead, which left a visible scar, a fractured wrist, and four fractured ribs. He required extensive medical treatment. The insurance company claimed that while the driver was primarily at fault for crashing the car, our passenger had some degree of fault for getting in a car with an unlicensed driver in the first place. Accident on way to funeral, mental distress |
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15 High Street, Manchester, NH 03101 NH Toll Free: 1-888-646-5879 or 1-603-624-6655 E-Mail: info@nhattorney.com | ||