Case Settled for Paralyzed and Brain Injured Child

Mel C. Orchard, III, and The Spence Law Firm, LLC, have settled a traumatic brain injury case for a 20-month old girl who was severely injured at a tire shop in Riverton, Wyoming. The child was partially paralyzed when an unsecured display tire collapsed and fell on her inside the business' showroom. The tire and rim were left – freestanding and unguarded – just a few feet away from the children's play area. She suffered catastrophic head injuries and was life-flighted to a Salt Lake City, Utah hospital.

Doctors performed numerous surgeries to address the girl's traumatic brain injury, partial hearing and vision loss, and partial paralysis. She will require a lifetime of medical support, therapy, and rehabilitation. The child's damages also include substantial future economic losses as a result of her serious and debilitating injuries.

Mel Orchard and a team from The Spence Law Firm, LLC, represented the child and her mother. We investigated the premises liability case against the tire business, and then had the child evaluated by numerous expert doctors to determine the extent of her injuries and what her future medical needs would require. The defendants settled the case before a lawsuit was filed. The family was able to structure the settlement funds to help cover the child's future medical needs. Other terms and the specific amount of the settlement are confidential to protect the child.