Federal Judge Awards Accident Victim $2.25 Million

For 30-year-old Mike Tewkesbury, it was a life-changing day. He was in
his “dream job” at Northrop Grumman Corporation in St. Augustine,
working as an aircraft mechanic. While on his way to pick up his daughters
at a day care center, his car was t-boned by a vehicle driven by a U.S
Army Recruiter. Traveling northbound, the recruiter made a left turn at
a traffic signal-controlled intersection just as Mike’s vehicle,
which had the right-of-way, was crossing through the intersection from
the other direction. It happened so suddenly and unexpectedly that Mike
had no chance to stop or avoid being hit. Although his totaled vehicle
had been rammed on the driver’s side, he was wearing a seat belt
and appeared to escape with only minor cuts and bruises. He counted himself
lucky – then. By the following morning Mike Tewkesbury was in excruciating
back pain. Over the next three months Mike sought medical treatment, including
physical therapy and was given “mountains” of medication,
including a phentenol patch. He was diagnosed with muscle strain and ligament
strain; a MRI showed a bulging disc in his lower back. It was determined
that he had suffered a herniated disc and a “microshave” was
performed in that area to give him relief. His back was reconstructed
with rods and screws. This procedure relieved some pressure, but ultimately
a morphine pump that has to be replaced every five years was installed
into his abdomen. The pain and need for frequent medical treatment forced
Mike to resign from his position. The Army Recruiter who hit Mike denied
responsibility for the accident, claiming that Mike had run a red light
and produced a fellow Army Officer to back up his claim. It was at this point
that Mike brought his case to Steve Browning. During his investigation,
Steve discovered that the Army’s internal investigation of the accident
found the recruiting officer at fault for the collision. Steve learned
that he had been charged $3000 for repairs to the Army vehicle. The case
was heard in a four-day bench trial by a U. S. District Court Judge. Ultimately,
Federal Judge Harvey E. Schlesinger ruled in favor of Mike Tewkesbury
and awarded him a total of $2.25 million.