When I was 20 years old, I was in a terrible car crash.
I was in the hospital for 12 weeks, while I recovered from the injuries to my hands, neck, and back.
During my time in the hospital, I contracted an awful staph infection. The infection made things worse, and I ended up in the hospital twice as long as necessary. My hospital bills were expensive, and 60% of the fees were due to the staph infection. I thought it was crazy to pay for their mistakes, but I couldn’t afford to hire a lawyer. When the hospital decided to sue me for the balance, I contacted the legal aid office. They set me up with a lawyer referral, and the lawyer took my case at no charge. Since I fell in the poverty bracket, my fees were covered by a special fund. It took 18 months for the court case to be reviewed. The hospital tried to settle out of court, and they even offered to zero the entire hospital balance. My lawyer insisted that I was due damages for pain and suffering. When the court case was finally settled, the judge awarded me a sum twice the amount of my hospital bills. Even after paying for the personal injury lawyer and the hospital bills, I still had enough money to buy a new car. My girlfriend insisted that we buy something affordable and economical, with a backseat. I don’t have the girlfriend, but I still have that car. It was a great investment. I’m glad the lawyer insisted that I receive more compensation.