Annie was a passenger in a vehicle driven by a young man who had been drinking. He lost control of his car, rolled the vehicle, and Annie was thrown from it. She sustained significant brain and spinal cord injuries and will never be the same.

Our investigation revealed that the young man driving the vehicle had obtained a bottle of alcohol from his friend’s father. The father knew that the driver was underage and should not be drinking alcohol, but knowingly provided alcohol to a minor.

As a result, we were able to access not only the automobile insurance, but also the homeowners’ insurance for the father who provided the alcohol. When the money was received, Attorney Chuck Slane negotiated with the Veterans Administration, who had paid for many of Annie’s medical bills, and they agreed not to pursue collection out of the settlement monies.

The settlement monies were then placed in a special needs trust so that they could be available to provide things for Annie that are not covered by her medical plan through the State of Minnesota. No amount of compensation would ever be adequate for the injuries that Annie sustained, but we were able to get all money that was available, shelter the money, and put it to the best use possible.