My young daughter and I were in an accident caused by an aggressive driver. I was in the right turning lane approaching an intersection. I was in the middle of turning right when a car in the lane to the left of me began accelerating. Their engine got loud. They tried to go around me, and ended up hitting a cement barrier, slamming into me, and pushing my car into the curb.
My car was damaged, but you would never know the extent of my injuries just from looking at the car. I had a headache that lasted for days. The accident took place during the pandemic, so at first, I only had a Teladoc appointment. They suggested I had a concussion. A month later, I got an MRI and I had herniated discs, I had whiplash which caused a traumatic brain injury, and was in a lot of pain.
I went through physical therapy, which helped a little bit. But the pain was still so intense at times. I wanted to get more help, but the doctors I was working with were always more concerned about my insurance coverage than giving me the best care possible. The pain forced me to get a second opinion from another orthopedic doctor, and he was shocked that I wasn’t recommended surgery. I ended up having surgery on my neck to fuse the vertebrae. They also inserted a mechanical disc.
This surgeon also said that these injuries were caused by the accident, and that since my medical bills were piling up, I should consider calling an attorney. I did online research, and the feedback for Allen & Allen was better than any other firm around – even in Northern Virginia where I live.
Chris Toepp is a beautiful human being. I was lucky to be able to work with that kind of person, who also happens to be an excellent attorney. Some attorneys are nice, but not good at their job. Some attorneys are great at their jobs but not very good people. But with Chris, I got both. He was comforting. He was always concerned with how I was feeling, and always working to make sure I understood every step of the process, which took two years.
I needed his expertise. The defendant’s insurance company was so kind on the phone, but I had no idea they were trying to build a case against me. They asked if I had any migraines before the accident, which I had in the past, but rarely. They tried to attribute my pain to pre-existing conditions to not be responsible. And while I do have a condition that is a softening of the spine, I had no idea and no pain until the accident. Chris advised me not to speak with the defendant’s insurance reps, but rather have them speak to him instead. And thank goodness – he made sure they were held accountable.
Chris Toepp was wonderful, and I would absolutely recommend him to anyone who has been in my position. In fact, every single person at Allen & Allen I spoke with for the past two years have been nothing but professional and kind.
