Parker Law Firms Helps Grieving, Injured Daughter Find Peace

Alvarado-resident Terri’s stress level was already through the roof with her mother in critical condition in a Plano hospital.

But life refuses to pause, even in our most desperate moments, so day-to-day activities still demanded her attention. That’s why in October 2015 Terri found herself driving her mother’s car to the mechanic to get the oil changed and the inspection completed.

The Crash

Suddenly, she was sideswiped on the passenger side.

The impact remains a blur, but somehow the cars became tangled. Precariously, her mother’s car tipped, throwing Terri into the door on her left side.

“My adrenaline was pumping. Here I was trying to get back to mom, and now this,” said Terri, a pediatric nurse. “When the officer asked if I was okay, I just said ‘yes.’”

Her shoulder began to ache … and then to throb … and, eventually, Terri realized she had lost strength and all range of motion. “The pain just kept getting worse and worse.”

A trapped supra scapula nerve – the one running along the back of the shoulder – was the issue.  Terri turned to daily therapy and, eventually, surgery. That resulted in a frozen shoulder, a condition also known as capsulitis that causes stiffness and pain in the shoulder joint.

Less than a week later, Terri was dealt another blow. In December, her mother died.

With the medical bills piling up, the loss of her wages, and the emotional wreckage caused by the crash continuing to disrupt her life, Terri decided to hire an attorney to deal with the insurance companies for her, her mother and the other driver.

Turning to the Car Accident Attorney At Parker Law Firm

Her family attorney directed her to Parker Law Firm of Bedford, which Personal Injury Trial Lawyer Brad Parker founded in 2003.

“When I walked into Parker Law Firm, I had just lost my mother,” Terri said. “I didn’t want to be there. I didn’t want to be anywhere, really. But Angela was super patient with me. Brad sat down and talked to me while I tried to muddle through the hot mess that was my life at the time.”

Gratefully and just in time, Parker Law Firm took over all the claims, she said.

“I didn’t have to worry about my train wreck, and it was such a total relief,” Terri said. “Never once did I even have to follow up with them to get information. They took care of everything completely. I didn’t have to juggle. I didn’t have to make phone calls.”

“I don’t even know what all Parker Law Firm did for me specifically because I didn’t have to be involved,” Terri said.

The crash continued to impact her job, which required her to carry children in and out of bed. Her patient weighed 80 pounds, which was well beyond her abilities now. 

“The chance of me going back to work became smaller and smaller as the pain got worse and worse,” she said.

Additionally, she had a non-ambulatory daughter who weighed 50 to 60 pounds at home needing her attention and care.

“She requires lifting into bed, to the bathroom, to everything,” she said. “She is a total lift. She qualifies for four hours of nursing.”

The rest of the time, Terri leaned on her husband and older children. But when those resources weren’t available, well, she just kept moving forward.

How did she hold it together?

“Honestly, I didn’t. That didn’t happen,” said Terri. “I didn’t hold it together at all. Not doing it wasn’t an option. I took care of her when it didn’t hurt. I took care of her when it did hurt.”

Moving Forward

For two years, her shoulder ached with every single use.

Throughout this time, Parker Law Firm worked with the insurance companies, negotiating payouts at policy limits for several policies.

Except for one.

One insurance company held out and refused to offer fair compensation.

“That’s when many lawyers will suggest you accept less than you deserve, but not Brad,” Terri said. “We rolled right into a lawsuit and deposition like he planned to do so all along.”

At the deposition, “Brad ate the insurance representative with a fork and knife,” she said. They came back with a better offer.

Terri accepted.

“The biggest blessing in all of this is that I had nothing to do. If I handled this myself, right now I would be looking for a cliff to jump off,” she said. “All the calls, all the insurance policies, all the arguing – I skipped it all. “

“I would hope I never need a crash attorney again,” Terri said. “But if I do, I know where to turn.”