A Philadelphia area jury has awarded more than half a million dollars in damages to a Monroe County couple for injuries suffered in a serious 2004 personal injury car accident. On June 4, 2010, the Monroe County, Pennsylvania jury awarded Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Schotter $547,000 in compensation for severe back injuries Mr. Schotter suffered during a November 2004 Philadelphia area car accident.
The personal injury accident occurred in Monroe County on SR 715, just south of the closed Roadway Express terminal. Schotter was a passenger in a co-worker's pickup truck when they were hit head-on by a driver traveling in the wrong lane. Both men were on their way to work at Roadway Express where Schotter had worked for 13 years as a forklift operator and dock worker.
Schotter suffered severe personal injuries in the car accident that made it impossible for him to work for the next 7 months. The accident fractured Schotter's sternum and caused three herniated disks. When Schotter was able to return to work, he was plagued with severe low back pain. After a 3-day trial last week, the jury deliberated for only 2 hours before returning a verdict in favor of the Schotters.
Experienced Philadelphia personal injury attorneys note that it is not unusual for a personal injury case to take a number of years to come to trial. Extensive investigation may be required to ascertain the facts surrounding the accident. It can be months, sometimes years, before medical teams can assess the full extent of injuries and long-term disability. The length of time required to process a personal injury case is one of the reasons that Philadelphia personal injury lawyers charge a fee only at recovery. Personal injury clients are not burdened with legal fees as they seek recovery for damages suffered.
