Five Years After Crash, Family Still Awaits Woman’s Recovery, But Financial Restitution Will Never Come

In any first-time drunk driving offense, if guilt is established, the drunk driver often faces fines and probation. In all states, first-offense DUI or DWI is classified as a misdemeanor, and punishable by up to six months in jail. That jail time may be increased under certain circumstances. For example, some states mandate more severe punishments for DUI offenders with a high blood-alcohol content (BAC). For a DUI or DWI where the driver killed or injured someone or it's the driver's third or fourth DUI, jail sentences of several years are not uncommon; it depends on state law, the facts of the case, and the discretion of the judge at trial. In addition to jail sentences, courts usually impose fines and suspend the drunk drivers’ license for a certain period of time. One obstacle in such cases is that the drunk driver often times does not have insurance or personal assets to compensate the victims. Even in the event of a lawsuit, the victims and their families may not be able to collect. Here is a case in point.

Five years ago, Sarah Hrachovina Coreas was on her way to work when the driver of a Range Rover plowed into her car. The SUV driver was drunk and fled from the police before he was found hiding nearby. His blood alcohol level was twice the legal limit. The impact mangled Sarah’s car, leaving her severely injured. Sara stayed in an induced coma for nearly five weeks and in the intensive care unit for three months. The traumatic brain injury has left Sarah unable to talk. She can’t walk or sit up on her own and has a feeding tube and a tracheostomy to help her breath. Over the years, Sarah has fought off pneumonia, kidney stones and high fevers that have sent her to ICU. Her mother quit work to help care for Sarah; her young daughter has a hard time visiting her in the nursing home. Despite a bleak prognosis from her doctor, Sarah’s family remains optimistic for a miracle.

What happened to the drunk driver? Eighteen months after the accident, he pleaded guilty to intoxication assault and a Galveston, Texas judge ordered the man to pay Sarah more than $800,000 in restitution to cover her medical expenses and help her husband support their young daughter. The drunk driver was also sentences to 10 years’ community service. When he failed to pay on the restitution, the man was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Back to Sarah….her nursing home stay cost about $3,000 a month ($36,000/year), not including any hospital visits or doctor appointments. How does her family pay the bills? There appears to be no viable civil recourse unless there is no bar or other party involved. The family would have no reason to sue the drunk driver because even if they won the lawsuit, there is no probable way to collect on the award. The only option would be to make a claim against her own insurance company if the family had uninsured/underinsured motorists’ coverage on their auto policy.

Texas does not require drivers to buy uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, but it does require insurance companies to offer this kind of coverage, which can provide additional protection in an accident. For a minimal charge, uninsured/underinsured coverage will pay all the damages that the wrongdoer and/or his insurance would have had to pay. This includes medical expenses, lost wages, and physical injuries suffered.

Lawsuit Financial, recommends that everyone purchase the maximum UM/UIM coverage allowed in your state (or the most coverage you can afford) to protect yourself from catastrophe caused by an uninsured driver. Call your agent today and ask him/her if you have either or both of these valuable coverages. If you don’t, purchase them. Ask your agent what the maximum limits available to you are and, if you can afford it, purchase the maximum limits for both. If you ever find yourself seriously injured as the result of the negligent driving of an uninsured/hit & run driver or an underinsured driver, you will be very glad you reviewed and upgraded your coverage.

Lawsuit Financial Corporation is a leader in the lawsuit funding industry and recognized by attorneys nationwide as a preferred choice for legal funding services. If you have a personal injury case and you find yourself behind on your bills and falling into debt, contact us to find out more about receiving a lawsuit cash advance on your case. The application process is simple and, depending on circumstances, the money can be wired directly into your bank account in as little as 24 - 48 hours.

When Insurance Companies Use Time To Deny, Delay, and Defend Claims, Plaintiffs Use Lawsuit Funding to Await an Equitable Settlement

In most instances where a lawsuit is going to take a long time to settle, the plaintiff may find themselves in a real bind financially. Whether the suit involves injuries sustained in a car crash, a slip and fall case, or the result of medical negligence, waiting for a resolution may be a painfully long and drawn out affair. In the meantime, how does the plaintiff pay their bills and get on with life as they now know it?

While some plaintiffs may have access to resources that would keep them stable until a verdict is delivered and a settlement received, not everyone is that fortunate. Many will wait months or years putting a crimp in their ability to pay bills, especially if the injured party was the sole breadwinner and is now unable to return to work. How will the bills get paid, and who will pay them? Plaintiffs with a meritorious case do not have to despair about how to handle the finances during an already stressful time. There is a no-risk solution to their financial needs known as lawsuit funding.

Time is used strategically by insurance companies; they delay, deny, confuse and refuse and use the lengthy process to their advantage to "starve" a needy plaintiff into a lower-than-full-value settlement. If an offer is made in a time a significant financial need (like when the plaintiff is behind on the mortgage/rent, car payments, or daily household expenses), it is likely to be considered or accepted by the desperate plaintiff. A strategically placed lawsuit cash advance can not only reduce financial pressure to settle the case early and cheap, but allows the attorney precious time to pursue the case to conclusion, often for a significant increase in case value.

Lawsuit Financial, the premiere provider of litigation funding services, is owned and operated by Mark Bello. Mr. Bello is the lawsuit finance industry's most experienced professional in underwriting and placement of strategic lawsuit financial products for litigants and attorneys with over 38 years’ experience as a trial lawyer and nearly 17 years legal funding experience. His case evaluation experience is second to none in the legal and legal funding businesses.

If you’re an accident victim with a pending personal injury lawsuit, consider our legal funding services. We offer a quick and easy application and approval process because there is no need for a credit check or employment verification. Once you retain an attorney, complete our brief online application. We will request case documentation from your attorney to determine approval and funding. If an advance is approved, a contract is submitted for signature. We can usually have needed cash in a plaintiff's hands with 24 hours. We don’t charge up-front fees and our funding is on a non-recourse basis meaning if you lose your case and the judgment is in favor of the defendant, you are not obligated to pay us back. Simply stated, we are repaid from the proceeds of the settlement only if you win the case. We also offer a policy of fast and fair negotiation of lawsuit financing profits when case results fall short of the amount predicted at the time our litigation funding was placed.

Lawsuit Financial is dedicated to getting you the money you need when you need it most, especially during the holidays. Contact us today at 1-877-377-SUIT (7848) for a free, no obligation consultation.

Don’t Rush to Settle; Lawsuit Funding May Be a Better Choice!

After a serious auto accident, suffering physical pain may not be all you endure. The financial pain can be just as great especially if you are unable to work and can’t even afford the daily household expenses. Dealing with the insurance company can be complicated. They are trained to pay out as little as possible; they will try to convince you to accept far less than your claim is worth. It is important not to succumb to these tactics. It is equally important to seek help from an experienced auto accident attorney who can explain your rights and achieve the justice you deserve.

Let’s assume you’ve hired an attorney but you find yourself waiting months for a resolution. As your savings dwindle, the financial pressures become overwhelming. What if family can’t help and the bank turns you down? There is another option!

Lawsuit funding is a cash advance that can help you pay your monthly bills and other financial obligations while giving your attorney the time needed to effectively negotiate a full and fair settlement on your behalf. Obtaining a cash advance is much easier that a bank loan because there is no need for a credit check or employment verification.  Additionally, you pay no upfront fees or monthly payments. There are absolutely no payments until your case settles, but if your case is lost, you will not be required to pay the money back. That means obtaining a lawsuit cash advance is absolutely no risk to you.

Lawsuit funding is not for everyone, but for those in need of cash now to pay down bills and expenses, while waiting for a lawsuit to settle, a lawsuit cash advance is certainly a viable option. The application process is designed to quick and easy; funding approval can be obtained in as little as 24 hours. Take the first step toward paying down debt by applying for a lawsuit cash advance from Lawsuit Financial. 

Lawsuit Financial Corporation is a leader in the lawsuit funding industry and recognized by attorneys nationwide as a preferred choice for legal funding services. If you have a personal injury case and you find yourself behind on your bills and falling into debt, contact us to find out more about receiving a lawsuit cash advance on your case. The application process is simple and, depending on circumstances, the money can be wired directly into your bank account in as little as 24 - 48 hours.