Selected Cases Won by New Hampshire Personal Injury Attorney Ryan Russman

Personal injury attorney Ryan Russman has amassed an impressive winning record on behalf of clients who have endured the consequences of injuries in New Hampshire that others should have helped prevent.

Here are just three cases highlighting cases and winning outcomes, drawn from the extensive case files of Attorney Ryan Russman – the NH personal injury lawyer you want fighting for you.

New Hampshire Personal Injury Case 1

AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT CASE

Case Review:
On December 28, 2006, my client, Paul Smith*, was a front-seat passenger in a 1999 Nissan driven by Karol Kane. Suddenly her car hit a patch of ice and she lost control of the vehicle. It skidded into the breakdown lane, rolled over, and finally came to rest upside down. The car windows shattered, sending shards of glass flying everywhere inside the vehicle. Mr. Smith was briefly trapped inside, then managed to crawl across the front seat where he was helped out of the driver’s side window by passers-by.

Mr. Smith was in extreme pain around his neck and shoulder areas, with blood streaming from his ear. He was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital where he was found to have “... an acute minimally displaced fracture of the right distal clavicle diaphysis.” from which he suffered for months, along with chest and rib pain.

Mr. Smith also suffered the loss of approximately the top third of his right ear, which ultimately required a string of reconstructive surgeries over the next two years, with the result being less than perfect. This was particularly embarrassing for Mr. Smith. It is quite unsightly, and he has had to change his hairstyle, growing his hair longer to cover the area. Making matters worse, the damaged part of his ear remains quite sensitive to cold New Hampshire weather.

Case Outcome: I convinced the insurance company that liability was with their insured driver, who was proceeding too fast for the road conditions and, thus, lost control of her vehicle. While medical bills amounted to approximately $15,000, Attorney Russman fought for and won a settlement of over $45,000.

New Hampshire Personal Injury Case 2

MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT CASE

Case Review:
On September 3, 2004, at approximately 4:07 PM, my client, Laura Tinsdale, was driving her 2001 Harley Davidson motorcycle through an intersection where she had right of way. Suddenly the driver of a 2001 Volkswagen, who had been stopped at the stop sign, drove into the intersection. The VW cut off the motorcycle and caused it to crash into the car. My client and her motorcycle were knocked over. The motorcycle slid for several hundred feet, leaving gouge marks on the roadway as it slid.

Ms. Tinsdale suffered severe injuries to her right leg and head. When EMS personnel arrived, they found her sitting by the side of the road with blood on her face and road rashes on her right knee and left hand. Her right ankle appeared to be deformed and twisted; she was later found to have sustained a fractured tibia/fibula. She was in extreme pain, rating it at 10 out of 10.

My client also had numbness in her right foot, difficulty in moving her toes, and skin lacerations. Her right ankle had deformities consistent with an ankle fracture, severe tenderness and swelling, and a deep laceration, with her right foot being pale with no pulse. Two small pieces of bone fragment had been found at the scene and placed in a plastic bag, and had been brought to the hospital along with her.

She was found to have sustained an “angulated, comminuted, open intra articular fracture of the right tibia” and a “comminuted, open oblique fracture of the distal right fibula.” A short leg dorsal fiberglass splint was applied to her right ankle by the emergency department physician. Due to the severity of these injuries, it was felt to be advisable to a major trauma center, to where she was med-flighted by helicopter for a series of painful surgeries.

The effects of this accident have totally changed my client’s life. She has experienced extensive pain and suffering from her injuries, and continues to feel considerable discomfort. She was unable to work at all at her job for several months.

Case Outcome: Medical bills were in excess of $50,000.00 and, with the pain, suffering and lost income my client endured, Attorney Russman fought for and won a settlement for the full policy limit of $250,000.

New Hampshire Personal Injury Case 3

SLIP & FALL/ PREMISE LIABILITY CASE

Case Review:
On January 6, 2005, Bill Givins and his wife, Joan, were guests at a posh New Hampshire resort. At approximately 2:00 PM, they were heading down a long, carpeted, uncovered stairway exposed to the elements. It had been snowing quite heavily during the previous week, and the stairway had been shoveled off. However, the carpet had absorbed moisture from the prior snow, which had melted and re-frozen, making the stairway extremely slippery. It had also recently begun sprinkling snow again, which was landing on top of the frozen carpeted surfaces, making it even more slippery.

Mr. Givins was proceeding cautiously down the stairs when he suddenly slipped on the icy carpet and fell down almost the entire length of the stairway. As he landed, he heard his right leg snap. My client then attempted to get up, but was unable to put any weight on his knee, which gave way, causing him to fall again.

He was taken by ambulance to the hospital, where it was determined he needed surgery to repair a complete right quadriceps tear.

Since the accident and subsequent procedure, his knee had been quite painful, and he had been unable to sleep. Upon further examination, an orthopedic surgeon performed surgical repair of my client’s right quadriceps tendon; if this were not done, there could be considerable loss of knee extension, mobility and strength.

Following the surgery, a knee immobilizer was placed to maintain knee extension. A year of frequent physical rehabilitation sessions was prescribed, along with additional exercises to be cautiously added to his home program.

Mr. Givins’ life had been profoundly affected by this accident. Prior to his fall, my client was an extremely active man. Since the accident, he has been unable to ride his motorcycle, which was one of his favorite recreational activities. He cannot run or use the treadmill. Even a simple activity such as walking in the sand on the beach is difficult, because of the strength and motion involved.

There is considerable loss of strength in his knee, and he is constantly concerned that it may give out on him, as has happened many times. Also due to this lack of strength in his knee, he often walks with a slight limp. Additionally, he is left with a long, prominent scar on his leg; experiences numbness in the area of the incision; and has a small protrusion on his knee that still remains extremely sore.

Case Outcome: Attorney Russman was able to place full liability on the resort, which should have kept the stairs clear of ice and snow, and sanded or salted to prevent freezing so that its patrons would not slip and fall. While medical bills were in excess of $33,000.00, Attorney Russman battled the insurance company and won a $120,000 settlement.

* All names have been changed to preserve our clients’ privacy rights.