$1 Million Settlement for Missouri Driver Who Developed Atrial Fibrillation and Needed a Pacemaker After a Hit-and-Run Crash

In December 2023, Justin Meier was driving a company vehicle on a Missouri road when an unknown driver struck his car with enough force to send it crashing into the vehicle directly ahead. The chain-reaction impact left Meier with immediate neck, upper back, chest, and scapular pain, but the more alarming injuries surfaced in the emergency room.

During treatment, Meier lost consciousness. Physicians discovered he had developed atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response, a heart-rhythm disorder he had no history of before the crash. He also experienced syncopal episodes, repeated blackouts caused by the irregular rhythm. Cardiologists ultimately implanted a pacemaker to regulate his heart. Alongside the cardiac injuries, evaluators documented mild cognitive linguistic impairment and persistent tingling down his fingers and left arm.

Because the at-fault driver was never identified, Meier turned to the uninsured motorist coverage on the company vehicle he had been driving. That policy had been issued in Wisconsin, and Travelers Casualty Insurance Company of America, the insurer, disputed the applicable policy limits based on that out-of-state issuance. Attorney Laurie Del Percio of The Horn Law Firm, based in Independence, Missouri, took on the coverage dispute alongside the injury claim.

Del Percio commissioned an economic expert to quantify the long-term costs of Meier's ongoing conditions. His past medical bills reached more than $575,000, with an additional $380,000 written off by providers. The litigation team documented that Meier has had to modify daily activities and continues to manage pain and cognitive difficulties.

The case resolved in July 2025 without being filed in court, with Travelers paying $1 million. Meier's total billed medical expenses alone approached the settlement figure, reflecting the severity of injuries that showed no prior cardiac history to point away from the collision as the cause.