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All Louis Mercado remembers of his workplace accident is one of his coworkers shouting, “Watch out!”
He doesn’t remember seeing the car that plowed into his work site at the intersection of Charleston & Fremont, driven by a woman fleeing police. He doesn’t remember being taken to the hospital, just the sound of sirens.
He remembers feeling pain. He remembers being loaded onto a board and the hum of the CAT scan machinery. He remembers waking up in the ICU following surgeries on his left leg and left arm. He remembers being in the dark and feeling lots of pain.
“[Family told me] that getting a lawyer would put a target on my back, and I’d get fired. I was at a crossroads and didn’t know what to do.”
“One of my coworkers came to visit me and told me I should get a lawyer,” Louis remembers. “I kind of blew him off. Then another person from work said the same thing. But my family told me not to, that getting a lawyer would put a target on my back, and I’d get fired. I was at a crossroads and didn’t know what to do.”
Louis’s coworker was persistent with his advice, going so far as contacting GGRM’s Gabe Martinez on Louis’ behalf.
“Gabe showed up at the hospital, assessed me, asked tons of questions, and wrote down all my injuries,” said Louis. “He told me that he could help with my workers’ compensation claim but that there was also a potential personal injury claim. He said it might be a shot in the dark, but that we had to look into it.”
“I was broken physically and emotionally. At one point, they talked about amputating my leg.”
Louis’ injuries were extensive: a fractured left tibia/fibula, fractured left ulna, back pain, traumatic brain injury (TBI), concussion with loss of consciousness, facial abrasions, and stress-induced leukocytosis.
“I was broken physically and emotionally,” Louis explained. “At one point, they talked about amputating my leg. I became depressed and couldn’t sleep because of the nightmares. I was at home doing nothing but drinking. My insurance had no coverage for mental conditions, and GGRM had to help me fight for everything. They were there the whole way. I finally got the treatment I needed and got stabilized.”
Since he could not return to his former job with the Las Vegas Valley Water District, he took a light-duty office job even though he didn’t want to do it. “I hated the thought of being in an office all day, but Gabe told me to take it so I didn’t lose my benefits and retirement,” said Louis.
“I was shocked; I couldn’t believe it. [The settlement] was by far the biggest blessing I have ever had in my life.”
Toward the end of his recuperation period and with the workers’ compensation claim handled, work began on Louis’ personal injury claim. “GGRM brought the best lawyers to work on my case,” Louis explained.
Following the depositions, the insurance company for the traffic control firm that had installed the cones instead of the safety rails agreed to settle the case. Altogether, Louis workers’ compensation and personal injury claims totaled $1.3 million.
“I was shocked; I couldn’t believe it,” Louis said. “It was by far the biggest blessing I have ever had in my life. I was able to buy two properties and have a healthy savings account. Because of the work GGRM did, I could travel and enjoy life.”
“They always looked after me; I was treated like family from day one.”
Louis’ travels took him to Texas, where he met the woman who would become his wife. They now have a one-year-old son and a daughter on the way.
“Gabe even gave me some great advice on finances. The way they set me up financially, I can take care of my family, and my wife doesn’t have to work,” said Louis. “That new job I hated at first opened new doors at work, and I got promoted to distribution system crew leader, a dream job I have always wanted. Thank God I listened to GGRM.”
Today, six years after the accident, Louis says that life is good: “I can take care of my kids in a way I didn’t have when I grew up. Things will never be 100%, but overall, it feels great to come home to a nice house. And GGRM continues to take care of me. A year after everything closed, I got a call from GGRM saying they had a $10,000 check for me. They had set that money aside in case anything else came up. They always looked after me; I was treated like family from day one.”
Contact GGRM. We Can Help.
If you’ve been injured in an accident and have questions, consult with the experienced injury attorneys at GGRM. We have over 50 years of experience helping the injured get back to their lives. To set up your free consultation, contact us or call us at 702-384-1616 today.