$1.6 Million Settlement for Decatur Man Struck on Sidewalk While Walking His Dog

On the morning of August 23, 2018, a 69-year-old Decatur man finished breakfast, leashed his dog, and set off on a familiar walk through his neighborhood on Vista Leaf Drive. As he passed one home, the driver of an SUV accelerated backwards out of the driveway without warning and hit him on his right side. The force of the collision threw him more than halfway across the road. When he landed, his head struck the pavement hard enough to fracture his skull.

Bystanders called 911 and he was transported to Grady Hospital, where he spent the next two weeks in the surgical intensive care unit. The injuries went well beyond the skull fracture. He suffered a traumatic brain injury that initially left him non-verbal and unable to walk. He also lost partial hearing in his left ear. Rehabilitation eventually helped him regain some speech and mobility, but the neurological effects persisted long after he was discharged.

The victim had built a career on two fronts: working as a builder and writing about jazz as a freelance columnist. Both lines of work depend on cognitive sharpness and physical capability, making the long-term impact of his injuries especially significant.

Mike Rafi of Rafi Law Firm took on the case and moved quickly to preserve evidence. The firm visited Vista Leaf Drive, knocked on doors to locate witnesses, and documented the scene with photographs. Before any lawsuit was filed, Rafi assembled the evidence and medical records needed to press the claim directly against the at-fault driver's insurer.

The case settled presuit for $1.6 million. The Daily Report Online, the Georgia legal trade publication, covered the resolution in its July 8, 2019 edition, noting the extent of the client's injuries and the presuit nature of the recovery. No reduction on appeal was applicable, as the matter never entered litigation.