A Chicago personal injury lawyer at Abels & Annes has resolved a claim stemming from a June, 2011 car crash. The plaintiff was driving to work just after 8 AM and was traveling southwest on Ogden Avenue approaching Oak Park Avenue in Berwyn, Illinois. The defendant was driving northeast on Ogden Avenue approaching Oak Park Avenue.
Our client had a green light at the intersection of Ogden and Oak Park and proceeded to drive her 2005 Chrysler PT cruiser straight. The at fault driver attempted to make a left turn in his Toyota Corolla onto northbound Oak Park without yielding the right-of-way to the Chrysler. The defendant turned left and struck the plaintiff in a head-on collision. The force of the impact pushed the PT cruiser across a lane of traffic and towards the shoulder of Ogden Avenue.
The Berwyn Police Department responded to the scene of the Illinois auto collision and determined the Toyota driver caused the accident. He received a citation for failure to yield the right-of-way at an intersection while turning left and later pleaded guilty to that charge and court.
Following the incident our client had an immediate onset of neck, back, and chest pain. She was taken from the scene of the occurrence by ambulance to MacNeal Hospital’s Emergency Department. A history was taken, she was examined and diagnostic tests were performed.
On exam, she had pain and tenderness to her chest wall and paraspinal muscles in her back. She was diagnosed with neck strain and back strain, prescribed muscle relaxants and pain medication, instructed to follow up with a physician, and discharged.
She followed up with a medical doctor on July 1, 2011. She complained of pain in her back, neck, chest and head as well as soreness all over. She struggled with daily activities, including grooming, showering, household cleaning and recreational activities. Her physician diagnosed her with cervical spine sprain/strain and multiple contusions. He prescribed a course of physical therapy and instructed her to follow up in two weeks.
Per physician instructions, the plaintiff engaged in a course of physical therapy at AthletiCo Physical Therapy beginning on July 7, 2011. She had pain throughout her daily activities and was limited in her actions. As a pharmacist, our client had difficulty at work because her pain interfered with her ability to do her job. She liked to run and exercise before the collision and could not do so as a result of her injuries. She engaged in several sessions of physical therapy and was discharged on September 30, 2011.
Our client returned to her doctor on July 15, 2011. She continued to complain of pain to her neck, back, chest and head and noted that she was very stiff and achy. She was engaged in the prescribed therapy but was obtaining minimal relief. Her physician instructed her to continue physical therapy and to follow up in two weeks.
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