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The right number of Cooks were in the Cobb County, Georgia State Court in early February. Name partners Matt and Kate Cook of the Cook Law Group successfully represented the plaintiff in Arthur Smith v. White Oak Landscaping Co., Inc. and John Bishop, a case that stemmed from a 2011 low-speed motor vehicle collision.

The plaintiff incurred minor property damage but suffered belated injuries following a 4 mile-per-hour collision. Although Mr. Smith reported no injuries at the scene, he went to the emergency room later in the day as his neck began to stiffen. After failed rounds of physical therapy, an MRI was taken three months after the wreck that revealed herniated discs in the plaintiff’s neck. After additional physical therapy failed to give him permanent pain relief, the plaintiff underwent a cervical fusion. He missed five months of work after that surgery and eventually returned to his job as a truck driver, a position he continues to hold.

The case proceeded to trial after four years of hotly contested litigation. The defense’s two experts’ testimonies were discredited by objective findings on the MRI and in physical exams performed by plaintiff’s treating physicians.

Kate Cook said that the best pretrial offer from the defendant’s insurance company was only $450,000. “Defense counsel told us they thought that was a very generous offer and that they really wanted to try the case,” she said. “Matt and I had not tried anything recently, so we decided to accommodate them.” The jury returned a verdict for $2.7 million with $2.3 million of that just for pain and suffering.

To learn more, visit www.cook-lawgroup.com.