Normand & Associates -Injury Claims-

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.

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.

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?

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.

Results for:

$400,000 Jury Verdict

After the insurance company refused to make a fair settlement offer, our client allowed us to take her case to court where a fair New Hampshire jury awarded her $400,000 after listening to the evidence. The medical condition was described by the doctor to be a permanent injury. The verdict was approximately six times more than the last unreasonable offer made by the insurance company. In addition to the verdict, was awarded interest on the amount of the verdict plus court costs. While the insurance company continued to fight and filed a motion asking for a new trial, the trial judge denied the motion stating that the verdict was reasonable under the circumstances.

Uninsured motorist arbitration award.

Client’s own insurance company refused to make a fair settlement offer in an uninsured motorist case. The case was sent to arbitration where the three (3) member arbitration panel awarded the client and his wife $125,000 a number twice the amount of the last insurance company offer.

Truck Driver Saves Life of Careless Youth.

A southwestern New Hampshire logging truck operator was involved in serious head-on collision when a careless youth cut in front of the truck at the last second thinking that he could beat the truck at an intersection. Our truck driver took significant evasive action to avoid literally rolling over the careless operator of the car, causing his truck to crash into a ditch after colliding with car. The hearty truck driver toughed it out and sought limited medical treatment of less than $4,000 thinking that he would recover quickly. As the months passed, however, the truck driver continued to have emotional distress associated with this crash and was subsequently diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by his therapist. The liability insurance company unreasonably fought this case all the way and finally paid the policy limit of $50,000 after the lawsuit had been drafted and forwarded to the insurance company. The truck driver also had underinsured motorist insurance coverage with his own insurance policy to provide other coverage for the likely permanent injuries that will result.

Chain Reaction Crash Settlement.

A 30-year old client was involved in a multi-vehicle collision when she was stopped in a line of traffic and the vehicles behind her were struck and then crashed into her. The client sustained a cervical strain, shoulder strain and low back strain. Her medical record revealed that she had prior back and shoulder problems. The insurance company tried to argue prior condition but the documentation showed that she was well before this crash. The total medical bills were approximately $14,000. The case was settled prior to suit for $50,000.

T Bone Settlement.

The wife of a U.S. Postal worker was injured in a car crash when her vehicle was t-boned by a careless driver entering an intersection and failing to stop at a stop sign. The 40-year old client was taken to the hospital by ambulance as a precaution. She was diagnosed as having cervical sprain and multiple bumps and bruises.

The client was referred by her physician to a course of physical therapy as well as an evaluation with an orthopedic surgeon. The orthopedic surgeon did not see that there was anything that required his treatment. After a period of time, however, our client continued to have pain in her chest where her seatbelt had caused a bruise. Her physician subsequently recommended the excision of a cyst that was probably caused by the trauma of the seatbelt during the crash. The total medical bills exceeded $16,000. The client was out of work one week and had aches and pains for a period of time. She made good recovery, although she continued to have some periodic degree of pain one year later when the case was settled for $57,000.

Jury Verdict 5 times what insurance company offered

Our single parent mom was hurt in a car crash when she was stopped at a red light. Two other drivers crashed in front of her causing their vehicles to both crash into her. She was not at fault and got hurt. The insurance company first tried to deny fault and later offered only $29,000. We urged our client to go to court. The jury saw through the insurance smokescreen and awarded our client five (5) times what the insurance company offered, plus interest. ($150,000 plus interest and cost of $31,000) Ask for a second opinion on value if the insurance company is not being fair.

COURT AWARD 3 TIMES

WHAT THE INSURANCE COMPANY OFFERED.

Young engineer starting his career is rear ended on Rt. 93 while on the job. When the injuries did not improve after several months, he consulted with an attorney. When the insurance company was not reasonable, he and his wife accepted our recommendation to go to court. The court awarded them three (3) times what the insurance company offered plus interest ($200,000 plus $25,000 for interest and costs). Actual settlements and/or verdicts are dependent on the unique facts of each case.

$27,000 SETTLEMENT IN BAD TIMES

When Martin was hurt in a rear end collision while on the job, he contacted his Attorney Normand when he was worried about his family. Facing foreclosure on his home and still not fully recovered, we were able to get a quick settlement by initiating suit. While the amount was on the low side of fair, the recovery did allow Martin and his family to cope in this difficult economic environment. Learn about your legal rights before you agree to settle with the insurance company.

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.

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.

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.

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 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. 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.

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 fiancé. 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

Our client, a certified nursing assistant, was driving to her sister's funeral when a careless driver took a left-hand turn in front of her, causing a severe crash. Our client was taken to the hospital by ambulance and sustained a concussion and cervical strain. She also developed an aggravation to a pre-existing condition of depression, and sustained significant emotional distress associated with the fact that she had to miss her sister's funeral. In the absence of a fair offer from the insurance company, we had to file suit on behalf of our client.

Jury Verdict 5X what insurance offered

Our single mom was hurt in a car crash when she stopped at a red light waiting for the light to change. Two other drivers crashed in front of her causing their vehicles to crash into her. The insurance company first denied fault and later offered $29,000. Our client accepted our recommendation; we sued and obtained a jury verdict for this very deserving client in the amount of $150,000 plus interest and costs.

MINOR CHILD HURT IN CAR CRASH

Our client, a fourteen year old gymnast, was hurt in a low speed car crash with little property damage to the vehicles. Due to a very active lifestyle with many prior sports injuries, the suspected compression fracture to the spine was hotly contested by the three insurance companies involved. The case settled shortly after mediation for six figures. The necessary Superior Court approval of the minor settlement was obtained without the usual need for Probate Court Guardianship supervision due to the method of structuring the settlement for the minor child. If your child has been hurt, make certain that you work with competent medical providers to properly evaluate the likely future impact of the injury. With good medical opinions, your attorney can obtain the needed monetary settlement now to compensate for future treatment and physical problems. A settlement is final and will not be re-opened in the future to address the unanticipated need for further medical treatment. A good attorney works closely with caring doctors to project the likely medical future as much as is humanly possible and structure that likely treatment into the settlement.

Every injury case is unique and the examples above of actual cases handled by this office is no reflection of what your case may be worth. We cannot guarantee an outcome. We can only guarantee that we know injury law in New Hampshire and actively help injury victims obtain reasonable outcomes on a daily basis.

1-603-624-6655
	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. Results for: $400,000 Jury Verdict After the insurance company refused to make a fair settlement offer, our client allowed us to take her case to court where a fair New Hampshire jury awarded her $400,000 after listening to the evidence. The medical condition was described by the doctor to be a permanent injury. The verdict was approximately six times more than the last unreasonable offer made by the insurance company. In addition to the verdict, was awarded interest on the amount of the verdict plus court costs. While the insurance company continued to fight and filed a motion asking for a new trial, the trial judge denied the motion stating that the verdict was reasonable under the circumstances. Uninsured motorist arbitration award. Client’s own insurance company refused to make a fair settlement offer in an uninsured motorist case. The case was sent to arbitration where the three (3) member arbitration panel awarded the client and his wife $125,000 a number twice the amount of the last insurance company offer. Truck Driver Saves Life of Careless Youth. A southwestern New Hampshire logging truck operator was involved in serious head-on collision when a careless youth cut in front of the truck at the last second thinking that he could beat the truck at an intersection. Our truck driver took significant evasive action to avoid literally rolling over the careless operator of the car, causing his truck to crash into a ditch after colliding with car. The hearty truck driver toughed it out and sought limited medical treatment of less than $4,000 thinking that he would recover quickly. As the months passed, however, the truck driver continued to have emotional distress associated with this crash and was subsequently diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by his therapist. The liability insurance company unreasonably fought this case all the way and finally paid the policy limit of $50,000 after the lawsuit had been drafted and forwarded to the insurance company. The truck driver also had underinsured motorist insurance coverage with his own insurance policy to provide other coverage for the likely permanent injuries that will result. Chain Reaction Crash Settlement. A 30-year old client was involved in a multi-vehicle collision when she was stopped in a line of traffic and the vehicles behind her were struck and then crashed into her. The client sustained a cervical strain, shoulder strain and low back strain. Her medical record revealed that she had prior back and shoulder problems. The insurance company tried to argue prior condition but the documentation showed that she was well before this crash. The total medical bills were approximately $14,000. The case was settled prior to suit for $50,000. T Bone Settlement. The wife of a U.S. Postal worker was injured in a car crash when her vehicle was t-boned by a careless driver entering an intersection and failing to stop at a stop sign. The 40-year old client was taken to the hospital by ambulance as a precaution. She was diagnosed as having cervical sprain and multiple bumps and bruises. The client was referred by her physician to a course of physical therapy as well as an evaluation with an orthopedic surgeon. The orthopedic surgeon did not see that there was anything that required his treatment. After a period of time, however, our client continued to have pain in her chest where her seatbelt had caused a bruise. Her physician subsequently recommended the excision of a cyst that was probably caused by the trauma of the seatbelt during the crash. The total medical bills exceeded $16,000. The client was out of work one week and had aches and pains for a period of time. She made good recovery, although she continued to have some periodic degree of pain one year later when the case was settled for $57,000. Jury Verdict 5 times what insurance company offered Our single parent mom was hurt in a car crash when she was stopped at a red light. Two other drivers crashed in front of her causing their vehicles to both crash into her. She was not at fault and got hurt. The insurance company first tried to deny fault and later offered only $29,000. We urged our client to go to court. The jury saw through the insurance smokescreen and awarded our client five (5) times what the insurance company offered, plus interest. ($150,000 plus interest and cost of $31,000) Ask for a second opinion on value if the insurance company is not being fair. COURT AWARD 3 TIMES WHAT THE INSURANCE COMPANY OFFERED. Young engineer starting his career is rear ended on Rt. 93 while on the job. When the injuries did not improve after several months, he consulted with an attorney. When the insurance company was not reasonable, he and his wife accepted our recommendation to go to court. The court awarded them three (3) times what the insurance company offered plus interest ($200,000 plus $25,000 for interest and costs). Actual settlements and/or verdicts are dependent on the unique facts of each case. $27,000 SETTLEMENT IN BAD TIMES When Martin was hurt in a rear end collision while on the job, he contacted his Attorney Normand when he was worried about his family. Facing foreclosure on his home and still not fully recovered, we were able to get a quick settlement by initiating suit. While the amount was on the low side of fair, the recovery did allow Martin and his family to cope in this difficult economic environment. Learn about your legal rights before you agree to settle with the insurance company. 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. 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. 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. 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 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. 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. 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 fiancé. 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 Our client, a certified nursing assistant, was driving to her sister's funeral when a careless driver took a left-hand turn in front of her, causing a severe crash. Our client was taken to the hospital by ambulance and sustained a concussion and cervical strain. She also developed an aggravation to a pre-existing condition of depression, and sustained significant emotional distress associated with the fact that she had to miss her sister's funeral. In the absence of a fair offer from the insurance company, we had to file suit on behalf of our client. Jury Verdict 5X what insurance offered Our single mom was hurt in a car crash when she stopped at a red light waiting for the light to change. Two other drivers crashed in front of her causing their vehicles to crash into her. The insurance company first denied fault and later offered $29,000. Our client accepted our recommendation; we sued and obtained a jury verdict for this very deserving client in the amount of $150,000 plus interest and costs. MINOR CHILD HURT IN CAR CRASH Our client, a fourteen year old gymnast, was hurt in a low speed car crash with little property damage to the vehicles. Due to a very active lifestyle with many prior sports injuries, the suspected compression fracture to the spine was hotly contested by the three insurance companies involved. The case settled shortly after mediation for six figures. The necessary Superior Court approval of the minor settlement was obtained without the usual need for Probate Court Guardianship supervision due to the method of structuring the settlement for the minor child. If your child has been hurt, make certain that you work with competent medical providers to properly evaluate the likely future impact of the injury. With good medical opinions, your attorney can obtain the needed monetary settlement now to compensate for future treatment and physical problems. A settlement is final and will not be re-opened in the future to address the unanticipated need for further medical treatment. A good attorney works closely with caring doctors to project the likely medical future as much as is humanly possible and structure that likely treatment into the settlement. Every injury case is unique and the examples above of actual cases handled by this office is no reflection of what your case may be worth. We cannot guarantee an outcome. We can only guarantee that we know injury law in New Hampshire and actively help injury victims obtain reasonable outcomes on a daily basis.
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