Semi-Truck Collision – $1.3M

Patrick was driving home on dark and quiet four-lane highway in Southern Colorado when he came across a semi-truck that was blocking the highway. The semi was attempting to back into a driveway. Patrick hit his brakes but was unable to avoid the semi-truck and slammed into it at 35 mph. Patrick sustained numerous serious injuries including fracturing most ribs, a fractured sternum, broken back, and bruised lungs. Patrick spent 4 days in the ICU followed by many months of in-patient rehab recovering. The trucking company’s insurance pushed back hard, claiming Patrick should have been able to stop in time before striking their semi-truck. Even Patrick’s own insurance company initially attributed 51% liability to the trucker and 49% liability to Patrick. Knowing that these initial assessments were not based on all the available facts, Lori Tolle fought hard to persuade the insurance companies the trucker was 100% at fault. Lori hired experts including an investigator to interview eyewitnesses, an engineering firm to gather data from Patrick’s car to prove he did attempt to stop and was not negligent in any way, and a trucking safety standards expert to opine about the trucker’s decision to perform this maneuver under all of the attendant circumstances. Facing Lori’s multi-pronged approach establishing liability, the insurance companies finally attributed full fault to the trucker. Lori obtained full policy limits from both the trucker’s insurance company and Patrick’s underinsured insurance company for a total settlement of $1.3 million. (2023)