By Angelina Walker

A 41-year-old pediatric nurse was awarded $2.3 million by an Orange County jury in a case stemming from a 2021 Orlando car crash that left her with life-altering injuries. This verdict came after the nurse declined a pre-trial settlement offer of $50,000 from her auto insurer, Progressive American Insurance Company.

The Crash and Initial Settlement Offer

The case stems from a car crash in Orlando, Florida, in which Mary Alderman, a nurse, was a victim. Mary was struck by an underinsured motorist, Lynda Cypher Meuhausen, who “was attempting to change lanes and failed to observe stopped traffic ahead.”

According to the lawsuit, Mary “suffered bodily injury including permanent injuries to the body as a whole, pain and suffering of both a physical and mental nature, disability, physical impairment, disfigurement, mental anguish, inconvenience, loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life, aggravation of an existing condition, expense of hospitalization, medical and nursing care and treatment, loss of earnings, loss of ability to earn money, and loss of ability to lead and enjoy a normal life. The losses are either permanent or continuing and Plaintiff will suffer the losses in the future.”

The defendant's legal team extended a pre-trial settlement offer of $50,000. Such settlement offers are common in personal injury cases, as they can help both parties avoid the time, expense, and uncertainty of a full trial. However, in this instance, the nurse made the bold decision to decline the offer, likely believing that it did not sufficiently cover the damages sustained in the crash.

The Decision to Go to Trial

By rejecting the $50,000 settlement offer, Mary and her legal team chose to take the case to trial. This decision carries inherent risks, as there's no guarantee of a favorable outcome, and the process can be lengthy and stressful. However, it also presents the opportunity for a potentially larger award if the jury finds in favor of the plaintiff.

The decision to proceed to trial suggests that Mary and her attorneys had strong confidence in their case. This could have been based on factors such as clear evidence of the defendant's liability, the extent of the nurse's injuries or damages, or both.

Jury's Verdict: A Substantial Award

The gamble of going to trial paid off significantly for the nurse. After hearing the case, the jury returned a verdict awarding the plaintiff $2.3 million, a staggering 4,500% increase over the initial settlement offer.

Mary’s legal team argued that her past and future “pain and suffering” was worth over $2.6 million. This was calculated based on $10 per hour for every waking hour she has spent suffering, or will be suffering, with pain caused by the injuries she sustained in this crash, for 45 years of life expectancy.

This case underscores the importance of carefully considering all options in personal injury cases, rather than automatically accepting the first offer presented.

Would $2.3 million dollars be a sufficient award if you sustained similar injuries?