This recent case from Pracht Injury Lawyers demonstrates the uphill battle that injury victims face when confronting major insurance companies, particularly those without health coverage or the financial means to pursue lengthy legal battles.
Our client worked a blue-collar job in South Carolina and had no health insurance when a teenage driver rear-ended her in November 2023. The teenager accidentally pressed the gas instead of the brake, slamming into our client's vehicle with such force that it was completely destroyed. Though fault was undeniable, securing fair compensation would require more than a year of legal warfare and ultimately filing suit.
Immediately after the collision, our client refused ambulance transport and emergency room treatment. She couldn't risk accumulating medical debt—emergency care alone often exceeds $10,000. Living paycheck to paycheck like countless South Carolinians, she chose to endure her pain rather than face financial ruin.
As weeks passed and her condition worsened, making work nearly impossible, she finally consulted an orthopedic surgeon. The MRI results were devastating: multiple cervical disc herniations and severe spinal canal narrowing. By early 2025, doctors determined she needed a three-level cervical spinal fusion—a complex procedure costing over $400,000.
The evidence was overwhelming. Medical documentation, no prior neck injuries, and a physician's sworn statement all confirmed the crash caused her condition. The teenage driver carried more than $1,000,000 in coverage. Yet State Farm Insurance dismissed the connection entirely and offered a mere $6,000 settlement.
With mounting medical bills, lost wages, and chronic pain, our client faced an impossible choice: accept pennies on the dollar or risk everything in court. She chose to fight and filed suit in South Carolina's Court of Common Pleas.
During 12+ months of litigation, formal discovery validated every claim we made before filing suit. When State Farm finally brought in seasoned trial attorneys who recognized the severity of our client's injuries and their permanent impact, reality set in. Rather than face a jury, they agreed to a $775,000 settlement during mediation.
This outcome exposes an uncomfortable truth about insurance companies: fair treatment requires legal representation from attorneys ready to go to trial.
Had our client accepted that initial $6,000, she would face financial devastation—hundreds of thousands in medical debt with no compensation for her suffering or lost income. Instead, by rejecting quick money and investing in experienced legal counsel prepared for the long fight, she secured a recovery that truly changed her life.
Serious accident victims, especially those without health insurance, must consult an experienced injury attorney before any insurance discussions. At Pracht Injury Lawyers, we don't simply handle cases—we battle insurance giants until justice prevails.
Our firm represents clients throughout Anderson, Greenville, and all of South Carolina in auto accidents, truck crashes, and catastrophic injury matters.