South Florida Injury Attorney Blog

A Broward County, Florida jury awarded a man $4.8 million in a South Florida auto accident lawsuit, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported March 13. Michael Gamson was hurt in 2003 when a drug company’s van rear-ended his car, leaving him with serious neck and back injuries. Gamson required extensive surgery, the article said, and is still in pain. He sued the drug company’s insurance company.

The article doesn’t have too many more details, unfortunately. But as a Hollywood auto accident lawyer myself, I believe this case is a good illustration of the fact that rear-end accidents can be much dangerous than people think. Even at slow speeds, a rear-end accident can cause serious neck injuries because of the mechanics of the accident. A blow from behind rocks a vehicle and its occupants forward and then backward very quickly. Because people’s heads are heavier than their necks, the result is a rapid stretching of the neck as the head snaps backward, giving rise to whiplash. Whiplash, one of the most common auto accident claims in Florida causes chronic neck and back pain as well as headaches and tingling in the arms and legs.

However, this article says Gamson was severely injured and needed multiple surgeries, which suggests an injury more serious than whiplash. At their most serious, neck and back injuries can be spinal cord injuries that cause permanent, lifelong disabilities to their victims. Severe spinal cord injuries cause paraplegia, quadriplegia and other forms of paralysis. Victims are likely to be confined to a wheelchair and may need other kinds of assistance to perform daily tasks. This is a catastrophic physical and emotional loss for anyone -- but when it happens to someone who provides the sole support for his or her family, it can also be a catastrophic loss financially.

As the Sun-Sentinel article notes, Gamson’s $4.8 million recovery can’t undo his injuries, unfortunately, but it can help him pay his medical bills and support his family while he deals with the effects of his serious car crash injury. Here at the Pembroke Pines law firm of Cohn, Smith & Cohn, we are proud to say that we’ve helped many clients in Gamson’s position win the money they need to pay bills from the accident, make ends meet and eventually move past a serious injury. If you or someone you love has been hurt in a traffic accident in South Florida and you’re ready to explore your legal options, we would like to help. To set up a free, confidential consultation on your case, please contact us online as soon as possible.