$1 Million for Family Injured in 100 MPH Police Chase

It was just before midnight and John and Jane Doe and their two-year-old son Ayden were almost home from their trip to see family in Atlanta when a South Georgia sheriff's deputy blocked the exits on I-95 and dispatched vehicles to catch a stolen car.

As soon as they heard the sirens, Jane pulled over to the left of the travel lanes, and the stolen vehicle and several police cars sped by. Then, a trailing cruiser traveling over 100 mph slammed into the rear of the Doe's vehicle and propelled it 100 feet into the grassy median.

John suffered some minor fractures. Jane's biggest concern was her rib contusion because she was five months pregnant. Although Ayden was strapped into a baby seat in the back, he suffered the worst injuries with fractures of his arms, legs and skull and a traumatic brain injury.

If the crash had happened in Florida, the county would have sought refuge behind the state's $200,000 cap on damages. In Georgia the cap is equal to whatever the county obtains in insurance, and fortunately, McIntosh County had a $1,000,000 policy.

After carefully reviewing the proof of Ayden's injuries and after Pajcic & Pajcic filed suit, the county's insurance company tendered the policy limits. The proceeds will not only ensure that Ayden receives necessary medical care and educational opportunities, but it also appears that there will be enough to buy a home in Ayden's name for the family to live in while he grows up.