Car crash attorney wins $4.6M settlement for driver critically injured in crash with volunteer firefighter responding to an emergency call in 2018

A $4.6 million settlement has been reached for a 56-year-old New Jersey woman who was seriously and permanently injured when her car was struck by a vehicle being driven by a volunteer firefighter who was responding to an emergency call in 2018.

The victim, Melinda Baker of Mantua, N.J., was driving on Mantua Pike at the intersection of  and Parkville Station Road in Deptford on Jan. 26, 2018 when her vehicle was struck by a car driven by Richard Campbell, a volunteer firefighter for the Wenonah Volunteer Fire Department, according to an Oct.16 story by NJ.com. Campbell, whose car had flashing blue emergency lights that were activated as he headed to a fire call, ran through a red light and slammed into Baker’s vehicle on the driver’s side, the story continued. Baker had a green light and Campbell was driving east on Parkville Station Road at the time of the collision.

Baker suffered “severe, catastrophic and life changing injuries,” including neck, spine and rib fractures, the story reported. After the crash, she spent weeks being treated for her injuries in Cooper University Hospital and then spent a month undergoing rehabilitation, the story reported. The victim must now use a wheelchair and a lift to make her way around her home, according to her attorney.

She had previously served as a missionary in Malaysia, where she assisted women who had been victims of sex trafficking, according to court documents.

Baker filed a lawsuit against the fire company and Campbell in October 2018, seeking compensation for her severe injuries. The suit was settled on Aug. 5 and approved by a Superior Court judge in Gloucester County in October 2019.  

The settlement includes $4.5 million from the insurance company of the Wenonah Volunteer Fire Department and $100,000 from Campbell’s auto insurance policy, the story reported.

Legal cases like this one occur around the nation every day and are examples of similar kinds of truck and car crash cases that MyPhillyLawyer attorneys regularly work on tirelessly for our own clients. Often, we are not able to discuss the cases we are actively working on due to confidentiality requirements, so we discuss other relevant cases in the news such as this one to illustrate the legal situations people find themselves in every day.

When you need a truck or car accident injury attorney, we here at MyPhillyLawyer stand ready to assist you with your legal case if you or a loved one is ever seriously injured in any kind of car crash, slip and fall, pedestrian injury, workplace injury or wrongful death in Philadelphia or anywhere in the United States. We pledge to make sure that you and your family get the compassionate, dogged and experienced legal representation that you deserve and expect from a professional legal team which works hard to uncover every fact to bolster your case and maximize your damage award.

We represent the families of victims who die in such tragedies as well, to ensure that their families receive every penny of damages that they are eligible to receive.

Talk to a Philadelphia car crash attorney at MyPhillyLawyer by calling 215-227-2727 or toll-free at 1-866-907-2231 anytime and our experienced, compassionate, aggressive team of attorneys and support staff will be there for you and your family every step of the way as we manage your case through the legal system.

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