Tim Tomasik Secures $5,850,000 for TBI Victim Using Cutting Edge Courtroom Technology

April 30, 2024

Recently, Attorney Tim Tomasik helped a client receive a $5.85 million settlement for injuries suffered in a car accident in Western Springs, Illinois. Our client, a young woman who suffered traumatic brain injuries in a car accident, was 17 years old at the time of her injury. She was riding with a friend in a Jeep on the way to cheerleading practice when the vehicle was struck by a Range Rover SUV with such force that the Jeep rolled over and struck a nearby utility pole. The young woman was hospitalized for multiple weeks, and the damage to her brain resulted in a number of ongoing medical and psychological issues, including cognitive dysfunction, memory loss, and severe fatigue.

After recovering information from the Range Rover's data recorder (commonly known as a "black box"), Mr. Tomasik learned that the driver was traveling in excess of 80 miles per hour at the time of the collision, which was more than twice the 35 mph speed limit. To demonstrate the severity of the crash, he worked with DK Global, a company that creates 3D animations used in legal cases. DK Global created an animated video using the data from the black box and reports from accident reconstructionists to show the speed at which the Range Rover was traveling and the force at which it struck the Jeep. This provided a realistic look at the horrifying nature of the collision, and the video also demonstrated the way the victim's brain cells were affected at the microscopic level.

The parties in this case agreed to use mediation to reach an appropriate settlement. Mr. Tomasik provided the animated video to the retired judge who mediated the case, ensuring that all parties involved in the negotiations understood the serious nature of the incident and the reasons the young woman was so seriously injured. After two days of negotiations, the parties agreed on a settlement of $5,850,000, which included punitive damages as well as compensation for medical expenses and other financial losses.

Tim Tomasik stated, "People do think visually, it's just a fact of life. They process visual information so much more quickly than verbal information, and animations in my view have changed the landscape of trial work today." To learn more about how Tomasik Kotin Kasserman, LLC can use 3D animations and other forms of evidence to ensure that injury victims can be fully compensated for their damages, contact our firm at 312-605-8800.