Before February 20, 2017, Sherri Autry was an active, healthy 54-year-old woman with no prior medical history. That all changed when she and her son were hit by an uninsured driver who drove through a stop sign and turned right into their vehicle. The impact of the crash was brutal and left Sherri with painful neck and upper back injuries.
She turned to a chiropractor for care, hoping a series of treatments, adjustments, and rehab would get her back on her feet. Sherri is not a complainer and does not like going to the doctor unless she absolutely has to, so she tried to move on with her life and deal with the pain as best she could. Unfortunately, the pain from her permanent injuries caught up with her, and after several months of chiropractic care, it was recommended she seek additional treatments through pain management.
Under the care of her pain management physician, Sherri received several trigger point injections into her muscles and three sets of facet injections into the joints of her neck. “I underwent the recommended treatment for pain management,” said Sherri Autry. “The injections involved these large needles being injected into my neck. The injections are uncomfortable, painful, and stressful. Unfortunately, these treatments will be a part of my life forever.”
She was able to get some relief from the constant pain through the injections so she could accomplish the small tasks we do as a part of everyday life. She was frustrated and disappointed that they did not get rid of her pain enough to do the more physical activities she loved doing before the crash, like riding roller coasters, going bowling, and cooking for her large family gatherings.
With increasing medical bills and pain treatment, Sherri turned to State Farm, her insurance company, expecting they would provide financial support to her through her uninsured motorist coverage. She felt she had paid for uninsured motorist coverage for years so it would be available to her in a time such as this when she needed it.
To her shock, State Farm refused to compensate her fully for the neck and upper back injury treatments she was receiving because of the crash. The Coker Law trial team made up of attorneys Fraz Ahmed and Dana Jacobs, with the assistance of co-counsel Christopher Campione, fought to get Sherri the compensation she deserved from her own insurance company. The case went to court and the defense for State Farm attempted to argue there were too many time gaps in Sherri’s medical treatment. The defense also tried to argue that Sherri’s pain and the subsequent injections were related to a pre-existing degenerative condition and arthritis, but not the crash.
The Coker trial team successfully fought against these arguments and showed the jury the impact these injuries from the crash had on Sherri’s life. The team was able to illustrate the accelerated progression of her traumatic injuries over time. In addition, the Coker Law team was able to turn the defense-hired doctor into a favorable witness for Sherri.
The jury agreed and awarded Sherri more than $586,000 for the medical treatment and suffering she has experienced in the four years since the crash and will continue to endure in the future. “When the jury read my verdict, I was overcome with joy that the four agonizing years of fighting for justice was over,” explained Sherri. “I was so ecstatic to have them by my side when the jury read the verdict. I would highly recommend these attorneys to fight for justice when it is due.”
“Fraz and Dana with Coker Law and Chris with Campione Law were absolutely amazing,” said Sherri. “Also, the support staff for both firms were very attentive and dedicated. They guided me through this process, as it was extremely intimidating. I knew that no matter what, my three attorneys had poured everything into this case. I truly felt they had my best interest at heart, and I am truly grateful for them.”
“Sherri has been dealing with the consequences of an uninsured driver’s negligence for the past several years,” said Fraz Ahmed, Coker Law Shareholder. “We couldn’t be happier the jury finally returned justice for Sherri by making her insurance payout the coverage she has paid into for just this reason.”
Case Title: Sherri Autry v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company
Attorneys/Staff involved in Case: Attorneys: Fraz Ahmed and Dana Jacobs of Coker Law and Co-Counsel Christopher Campione of Campione Law, Paralegal Stephanie Hiers, Legal Assistant Mario DeLeon.
Date of Jury Verdict: May 5, 2021
Amount of Jury Verdict: $586,794.11
Coker Law Can Help You
The experienced team of trial attorneys at Coker Law knows that serious injuries related to a negligent driver of a car or truck can be devastating and that financial losses due to such injuries can be a catastrophic blow to anyone. Our goal is to obtain prompt, just, and fair compensation for all of our client’s losses. If you suspect that you or someone you love has been a victim of a negligent driver, contact Coker Law at (904) 299-0808 or click here to schedule a consultation.
