U.S. Postal Worker Makes the Best of a Serious Accident
On February 1, 2019, Deb White was working as a mail carrier and stopped to deliver mail on Holland Sylvania Road in Toledo, Ohio when the driver of a commercial minivan struck the left rear of the mail truck and drove it up off the roadway. The Toledo Police officer who responded to the scene cited the other for failure to maintain assured clear distance.
This crash caused Deb to suffer a permanently impairing injury to her right ankle that substantially limits her ability to earn a living and support herself. She has
undergone multiple surgeries, and now faces a lifelong diagnosis of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (“CRPS”) from this injury, which may worsen in the future.
At the time of this accident, Deb had been a mail carrier for 23 years. She was in excellent physical shape and living a full and active life. She had recently been assigned to a new route, one she waited five years to get.
Today, Deb suffers constant pain in her right leg every single day of her life. Aside from the physical pain, Deb is also devastated that she can no longer work the way she once did as she took pride in being a mail carrier. Prior to this crash, she regularly worked overtime and planned to continue doing so until retirement. Now, Deb remains incapable of working more than 6 hours a day and is facing a future where she anticipates she will ultimately be unable to work as a mail carrier as CRPS progresses. These restrictions have serious implications for Deb both personally and professionally. CRPS is a permanent disease with no cure and will progressively worsen over time.
We filed a lawsuit in August 2020, and after a year of hard-fought litigation, we successfully negotiated a settlement for Deb, with only two months to spare before trial. Upon reaching a settlement, Deb said, “I now have peace of mind after losing so much of my financial independence. With only
working reduced hours, I was terrified about how I would pay my mortgage and bills. Stress is one of the worst things for CRPS, so being able to pay off my mortgage early was a huge relief to me.”
Despite the struggles that come along with CRPS, Deb is working with doctors and therapists to learn new coping techniques and is managing the symptoms as best as she can. “I hired Chuck Boyk at the recommendation of a friend and I’m so glad I did. It was almost two years from the day of the accident until the day my case settled, and Chuck and his staff were beside me and fighting for me every step of the way. Everyone that I encountered was extremely caring and understanding. It is clear that Chuck and his staff are passionate about getting the best possible outcome for his clients.” – Deb White
