Attorney Olawale Adeogun Secures $174,250 Settlement in 18-Wheeler Rear-End Case

Angel Reyes & Associates Recovers for a Client Left with a Spine Injury After a Commercial Truck Crash

Attorney Olawale Adeogun of Angel Reyes & Associates has secured a $174,250 settlement for a client who sustained a spine injury after being rear-ended by an 18-wheeler from a major national retailer. Fault was never seriously in doubt, but whether a company that size would pay what the injury was worth was.

Our client was traveling in the middle lane when an 18-wheeler directly behind her failed to stop in time and struck her vehicle from behind. Rear-end collisions get treated as routine, and insurers lean on that assumption hard. This one left our client with a spine injury, the kind that does not quietly resolve on its own and does not stay confined to the weeks right after the crash.

The Challenges of a Case Involving a Major Corporation

When the vehicle that hits you belongs to a national retailer, you are dealing with far more than just a driver and an adjuster. You are dealing with a corporate defendant that handles crash claims at volume. Their defense operation is built to keep payouts low. Liability being clear does not change that goal, and it doesn’t stop them from fighting to preserve their best interests. Even if a case seems cut-and-dry, it rarely leads to a simple process.

For this case, our strategy rested on a straightforward read of the situation: a defendant of that size has far more to lose in front of a jury than it does at a settlement table, but only if the courtroom is a credible destination. If the defense doesn’t think you’re willing to take a fight to court, they’ll call your bluff.

We set out to make it abundantly clear that not only were we not bluffing, but that we would be willing to go the distance to get our client what they deserved.

Attorney Adeogun, working with litigation paralegal Niel Aguilo, pressed an aggressive discovery campaign rather than waiting on the defense to characterize the crash for us. He deposed the truck driver, questioning him under oath about the moments leading up to the impact.

Discovery done that way does two jobs at once. First, it assembles the proof a jury would need to see, helping us build an airtight argument that solidifies our claim. At the same time, it shows the other side exactly what a trial against us would look like.

That picture clearly presented a problem for them. By the time the process reached mediation, the defense came prepared to resolve the issue. The case settled for $174,250.

Clear Liability Is a Starting Point, Not a Finish Line

A case where fault is obvious can still be undervalued, and frequently is. Just because the other party is clearly at fault does not mean an insurance company will come to the negotiating table prepared to work amicably. Corporate defendants and their insurers pay based on what they believe will happen if the case reaches a jury, and they’ll happily dig their heels in if they think they can wait you out.

That is why we prepare every case as though it is going to trial, whether or not it ever gets there. It is also why we are glad our client trusted us to help them. Attorney Adeogun and his team delivered a six-figure result, and we’re proud of the work they did on this case.

If you or someone you love was injured by an 18-wheeler or another commercial vehicle, you should not have to take a company’s word for what your case is worth. Contact Angel Reyes & Associates today for a free consultation. We can listen to what happened, walk you through your options, and fight to recover every dollar you are owed.

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is unique and must be evaluated on its own facts and circumstances.