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$875,000 settlement for car-accident injuries
March 25, 2011 – Marcia Petro, 81 years old, (82 years old now) of Monroe, New Jersey, was injured in a car accident on October 5, 2009. Mrs. Petro was in the passenger seat of a car driven by her husband, Geza Petro. The truck that hit Mrs. Petro was driven by Defendant Emmanual Gyemfi. Mr. Gyemfi lives in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. Mr. Gyemfi was driving the truck for his employer Damkwa Enterprises out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. According to the police report, Mr. Gyemfi, who was travelling south on Route 130 in Cranbury Township at the Cranbury Circle, operated his truck in a careless manner by making an improper lane change and striking the Petro’s car, which was also travelling south on Route 130. According to an eye witness, Gyemfi’s truck struck the side of the Petro’s car causing Mr. Petro to go into a spin and come to rest off the road. The Petro’s car had dual front air bag deployment. In addition, the Petro’s car has extensive damage including removal of the front bumper. Mrs. Petro was taken to Robert Wood Johnson Hospital by ambulance.
Mrs. Petro suffered a frontotemporal subdural hematoma with a small subarachnoid hemorrhage. She required surgery including a right frontal temporal craniotomy to remove the subdural hematoma. Thereafter, she required additional surgeries. Mrs. Petro was in Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and ultimately was transferred to JFK Rehabilitation. Mrs. Petro was in and out of hospitals and rehab facilities until April, 2010 when she was able to return to her home.
Plaintiff’s counsel was Robert Solomon of Nagel Rice in Roseland. He was assisted by his associate Greg Kohn. According to Mr. Solomon, “Based on the police report, liability was not an issue. The real issue was damages. The defendants’ carrier argued that Mrs. Petro’s advanced age and prior medical condition, including a stroke, severely limited the value of the case.”
The suit was Petro v. Gyemfi, et al., Docket No. MID-L-8922-10. The case settled for $875,000 after the complaint was filed but before defense counsel was assigned. Gyemfi’s carrier, The Travelers Companies, Inc., (Anthony D’Agostino, adjuster) negotiated the settlement.
The attorneys at Nagel Rice, LLP represent clients throughout New York and New Jersey in a wide range of matters including personal injury, automobile accidents, brain injuries, medical malpractice, business litigation and class action cases.