Nurse Gets $8M for Brain Injury From Car Accident With Drunk Driver

An environmental services company agreed to pay $8 million to settle the claims of a nurse who alleged she was hit by a drunk employee of the company.

The plaintiff, Linda G., alleged that she suffered a traumatic brain injury in the 2014 car accident and will no longer be able to work as a nurse. The lawsuit says that an employee of Clean Harbors Environmental, Cary D., got drunk after consuming a bottle of alcohol in a hotel room while on a work trip and then got in a company pickup to go to a restaurant.

According to the lawsuit, the plaintiff was rear-ended in her Lexus by the pickup and pushed into another car while stopping at an intersection. The pickup traveled another 250 feet after the crash.

While the plaintiff suffered “a mild traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, and soft tissue injuries to her back and neck,” according to a statement from the plaintiff’s attorney, the employee’s blood level was found to be nearly twice the legal limit.

“Our client sustained a closed-head injury, traumatic brain injury, and resulting symptoms from the brain injury,” a statement from the plaintiff’s attorney read. “She has lost her ability to earn a living and has trouble doing normal daily activities we all take for granted.”



According to the lawsuit, Clean Harbor had been contracted to work in the area. Its employees were staying at an extended-stay hotel and the hotel clerk had been instructed to provide keys to the company pickup upon request.

“Clean Harbors completely failed to do that with respect to the (F-250 pickup), opting instead to give the keys to a hotel clerk who did not even work for Clean Harbors,” alleged the lawsuit.

The employee agreed to a plea deal regarding criminal charges related to the drunk driving accident.

Further, according to the lawsuit, Clean Harbor employees had been killed in an unrelated drunk driving accident in 2013.

The plaintiff alleged in her lawsuit that she suffered catastrophic personal injuries, including the brain injury and back and neck injuries, as well as emotional trauma and lost earnings. The lawsuit went to trial, but before the jury began deliberating, the parties settled the case for $8 million.

Catastrophic Personal Injuries

Catastrophic personal injuries can be devastating. People who suffer these injuries may need a lifetime of medical care. They may also suffer lost earnings and even a shorter life expectancy. In addition to brain injuries, catastrophic personal injuries include broken bones, amputations, disfigurement, burns, and spinal cord injuries.

It may be possible to file a lawsuit for catastrophic personal injuries that occur because of the recklessness or negligence of another person or party. Those injured and their loved ones can claim damages in a personal injury lawsuit that can help they pay for medical care and other expenses. They can also claim damages for future expenses, including lost earnings.

If you or a loved one suffered a brain injury or other catastrophic personal injury at the hands of another, contact the attorneys at Bradley/Grombacher to evaluate your claim.

Note: Bradley/Grombacher is not representing the plaintiff in this lawsuit.