60-Year-Old Widow is Awarded $500,000 After Sustaining Serious Injuries After a Car Accident

August, 2019 motor vehicle accident in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Plaintiff was a 60-year-old widow stopped at a red light when her vehicle was rear-ended and pushed into the vehicle in front of her. The accident was low speed with minimal impact and little visible damage to her vehicle. She was also subject to limited tort and had a 30+ year history of fibromyalgia – a fact highlighted by the defense doctor in his 19-page report wherein he claimed all injuries pre-existed the accident. Bryan Matthew Hanratty, of Keches Law Group, represented the Plaintiff in this matter.

In Pennsylvania, the limited tort threshold is a high bar. You must prove that your client either sustained an injury that resulted in a serious impairment of body function or permanent serious disfigurement. Here, the plaintiff and Mr. Hanratty were able to prove she sustained a serious impairment of body function. She testified about her history and acknowledged the supposed “bad” facts in her case (i.e., no visible property damage and history of fibromyalgia). She was able to overcome these challenges by honing in on the “internal” damage, which dismantled the defense’s argument that her vehicle “looked” fine so her body must be fine. She was consistent and unwavering, which translated to real credibility.

Her story and this accident are great examples of not judging a book by its cover. It takes opening that book and reading the pages to advocate to the fullest extent possible. It also takes a strong attorney/client relationship with a great deal of trust on both sides and open communication.

Mr. Hanratty spent countless hours over several years working on her case. Making that phone call to her to tell her about the $500,000 award is why Mr. Hanratty does what he does, and loves every second of it!