$3.04 Million Arbitration Award for Nurse Who Suffered Traumatic Brain Injury in Highway 94 Semi-Truck Pileup

On a stretch of Highway 94, a semi-truck struck a 53-year-old nurse from behind at highway speed. The force pushed her vehicle forward into a truck already ahead of her, which in turn struck a third car. All three vehicles were totaled. The nurse walked away from the scene, but the crash had set off a cascade of neurological and physical symptoms that would reshape her daily life.

In the months that followed, she underwent significant medical treatment for a mild traumatic brain injury along with neck and back injuries. The TBI produced recurring, intense headaches managed with occipital nerve blocks. Her neck and back required trigger point injections every three months. By the time her case went to hearing, she had reached a point where she could only work every other day, cutting her nursing capacity in half.

TSR Injury Law partner Rich Ruohonen handled the case from its start and worked it for four years. During the COVID-19 period, court dates were unavailable in Minnesota, which pushed the parties toward binding arbitration. The case went to a three-attorney panel for a full-day hearing. Ruohonen built his presentation around the witnesses who knew the client best: family members, co-workers, and treating medical professionals who could speak to the concrete changes in her life and her capacity to work.

The panel awarded $3,041,784. The award was reported by Minnesota Lawyer in February 2021 as part of its inaugural Power 30 profile of Ruohonen, which cited the case as an example of the results that drove his selection to the list. No reduction or remittitur appears in available records.