Carl was a father, a grandfather, and an avid cyclist; he had been riding his entire life, travelling thousands of miles up and down the Puget Sound region, when one day his wife Sherry received a call that he had been in an accident and was being rushed to Harborview Medical Center.
Carl struck an improperly marked bollard while riding on the Green River Trail. He was thrown over the top of his bike, landing on his head, and had severely injured his neck. It would quickly become clear to doctors and his family that he would likely never walk again.
But that didn't stop them from seeking justice, rallying around him, helping to provide physical and emotional support his family began researching accident attorneys in the area and spoke with three different attorneys before eventually hiring Davis Law Group.
King County, who manage the trail filed a motion to dismiss the case and was initially successful; however, the team at Davis Law Group reversed the decision in an appeal to the Court of Appeals and eventually the Washington State Supreme Court upheld that decision, allowing the case to move forward.
Six years after the accident, thousands of hours of legal work and over a hundred thousand dollars in experts, investigations and other costs later, Carl and his family settled with King County for $10 million.
This money does not give Carl his ability to walk back, does not make his previous home in Seattle any more accessible or allow him to get back any of the time lost fighting the claim, but it allows his family to bring in the assistance, equipment and treatment he needs to have as close to a normal life as possible moving forward, and removes the weight of the care and costs from his family, allowing them to open a new chapter in their lives.
Learn more about Carl's story, the legal battle that ensued, and how they reached their $10 million result, on this episode of the True Claims Podcast.