Blankingship & Keith Secures $2.975 Million Settlement for Out-of-State Passenger Seriously Injured in High-Speed Collision

Blankingship & Keith, P.C. secured a $2.975 million settlement for a woman who suffered life-altering injuries as a front-seat passenger in a Virginia collision caused by an uninsured driver traveling nearly twice the speed limit. The crash resulted in permanent partial tongue paralysis, more than a dozen rib fractures, extensive bilateral pelvic fractures, fractures of the lumbar and cervical spine, comminuted fractures of her sacral bone and sternum, and a traumatic brain injury.

The host vehicle carried underlying auto limits and a $1 million umbrella policy. After the plaintiff demanded double limits under both policies based on theory of joint tortfeasors, the insurer filed a declaratory judgment action disputing umbrella coverage for the plaintiff’s spouse. Blankingship & Keith challenged the exclusion as ambiguous and prepared expert linguistic testimony to support coverage. Days before competing summary-judgment motions, the insurer tendered the full $2.5 million available under all policies.

The firm then pursued additional uninsured motorist benefits from the plaintiff’s Illinois motorhome policy. Although the liability portion applied only to vehicles equipped with kitchens, Blankingship & Keith secured a $475,000 settlement under the policy’s uninsured motorist coverage, bringing the total recovery to $2.975 million.

“Our client suffered life-changing injuries, and our job was to take as much of the burden off her as possible and ensure that she would have what she needed moving forward,” said Amy Bradley, Principal. “We fought to make sure every layer of insurance was investigated and pursued, so our client could focus on healing and rebuilding.”

About Blankingship & Keith, P.C.

Blankingship & Keith, P.C. is a full-service litigation and business law firm based in Fairfax, Virginia. For more than five decades, the firm has represented individuals, businesses, and public institutions throughout Northern Virginia and the Commonwealth. With nationally and regionally recognized practices—including multiple Tier 1 rankings in Best Law Firms—the firm is known for delivering practical, strategic, and results-driven advocacy across a wide range of civil and criminal matters.

Media Contact

Craig Schultz
Marketing & Business Development Manager
Blankingship & Keith, P.C.
4020 University Drive, Suite 300
Fairfax, VA 22030
703-691-1235 |  cschultz@bklawva.com