Contact the personal injury attorneys at Maya Murphy, P.C. today. We can help you get the just compensation you deserve for your injuries of those of a loved one. For a free initial consultation, call 203-221-3100 or email JMaya@Mayalaw.com.

An NCAA Division I football player who broke his foot in a car accident, ruining any chance he had of playing professional ball, sued the car's driver and has recovered nearly $500,000.
Plaintiff attended school in Salisbury, where he played football, lacrosse and basketball and even found time to row for the crew team.

At 6-foot-1 and about 230 pounds, the fast defensive lineman drew the interest of many elite college football programs. Plaintiff chose the University of Colorado where he made the Big 12 all-freshman team in 2009. After his sophomore season, he was honorable mention for the All-Big 12 team.

Colorado's head coach was fired after Plaintiff's sophomore season and the new coach announced plans to use a different defensive approach that placed more emphasis on linebackers. Plaintiff believed that would mean less playing time for him as a defensive lineman. So he decided to transfer to North Carolina State. He sat out a season, per National Collegiate Athletic Association transfer rules, and then played at N.C. State in 2012 and 2013.

Plaintiff was home visiting family and friends over the holidays after his senior season ended. On December 27, 2013, at about 3 a.m., he was sitting in the front passenger seat of a car driven by one of the Defendants and owned by her father, another named Defendant in the case.

The vehicle was headed north on Lovely Street near its intersection with Yorkshire Lane in Avon. As Defendant attempted to navigate a left-hand curve, she lost control of the vehicle, which went off the right side of the road and smashed into a telephone pole, mailbox and fence.

The passenger side, where Plaintiff was seated, took the brunt of the impact. The attorney said weather conditions were a factor, as Ross slid on some ice before going off the road.

Plaintiff was taken to Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford and was diagnosed with a Lisfranc fracture of the right mid-foot. His second, third and fourth metatarsal joints were broken. Upon his release from the hospital, Plaintiff was told to follow up with an orthopedic doctor.

Plaintiff contacted some of his college coaches in Raleigh, N.C., and they advised him to come down there to treat the injury. In North Carolina, doctors put six screws and a plate at the third metatarsal joint because it had been crushed into lots of little pieces.

Following surgery, Plaintiff could not put any weight on the foot for eight weeks.

The first step each day is particularly painful because the foot stiffens up while Plaintiff is sleeping.  Plaintiff has begun exhibiting symptoms of arthritis in the foot.  Though the foot begins to loosen up some as the day progresses, it also begins to hurt worse. Plaintiff’s attorney said he experiences pain while sprinting, jumping, or running outdoors.

Plaintiff planned to work out for scouts at the National Football League's "pro day" at N.C. State in March 2014. However, he could not participate because he still could not put weight on his foot. "His goal was to try out for the NFL scouts, get invited to the NFL combines, work out for some teams, try to get drafted or at least get an invitation to [an NFL team's] practice squad," said Plaintiff’s attorney.

A negligence lawsuit was filed against Defendant and her father. They admitted liability and the case proceeded to a hearing on damages before Judge Constance Epstein in Hartford Superior Court.

Defendant’s counsel contested damages by arguing that the injury, overall, was relatively minor and not anything that would prevent the 25-year-old Plaintiff from enjoying the rest of his life. Defendant counsel also contended that it was extremely unlikely that Plaintiff would have played pro football even if the injury did not occur.

The Plaintiff presented an orthopedic surgeon who testified that a 12 percent permanent partial disability rating had been assigned to Plaintiff's foot. The surgeon testified that there was a zero percent chance the foot would get any better and that it would likely get worse because of the arthritis.

Plaintiff, who now lives in Oakland, California, and his parents, both testified at the hearing.

The jury took about two hours to deliberate before awarding Plaintiff $495,886. Of that amount, $440,000 was for future noneconomic damages. Nearly $46,000 of the verdict was for his past medical bills.  Plaintiff’s counsel said that the verdict was about $200,000 more than the defendants' final offer to settle the case before trial.

At Maya Murphy, P.C., our personal injury attorneys are dedicated to achieving the best results for individuals and their family members and loved ones whose daily lives have been disrupted by injury, whether caused by a motor vehicle or pedestrian accident, a slip and fall, medical malpractice, a defective product, or otherwise. Our attorneys are not afraid to aggressively pursue and litigate cases and have extensive experience litigating personal injury matters in both state and federal courts, and always with regard to the unique circumstances of our client and the injury he or she has sustained.

Source- http://www.ctlawtribune.com/id=1202757453765?keywords=&publication=connecticut&practice-area=torts