At Metzger & Kleiner, we represent real people whose lives are turned upside down by someone else’s carelessness. One of those clients was a 35-year-old single mother who was just trying to get to work when a commercial truck slammed into the back of her SUV.

The crash may have taken seconds—but the effects have lasted years.

This is a real story of how a professional truck driver’s inattention left a hardworking mother, and our client, in chronic pain, unable to work, barely able to care for her kids, and ultimately forced into divorce, poverty, and depression. It’s also a powerful example of why we fight so hard for clients like her.

The Rear-End Truck Crash

Our client was driving on Interstate 78 in Pennsylvania. It was 4:22 p.m. and traffic was heavy. Her four-year-old son was buckled in a child seat in the back of the car. She was in her brother’s Toyota Highlander, heading to work at the hospital where she worked as a housekeeper.

As traffic slowed, she did too.

Behind her, the defendant was driving a bobtail tractor—a heavy truck with no trailer attached—on behalf of a major trucking company. He didn’t slow down.  He rear-ended her with such force that her SUV spun off the highway.

There’s no dispute about fault. The defendant admitted to causing the crash. The child’s injury claim has already been settled.

But for this mother, the nightmare was just beginning.

She and her son were rushed to the ER. At the hospital, she complained of:

• Neck pain
• Right arm pain
• Left leg pain
• Multiple bruises and scrapes

X-rays didn’t show broken bones, but a CT scan of her head was ordered due to her symptoms. She was discharged five hours later—but the worst symptoms hadn’t even begun.

Within a day, she was back at the ER. The pain in her neck had intensified. She was dizzy, nauseous, struggling to concentrate, and experiencing headaches. Doctors suspected a concussion and referred her to a specialized Concussion and Head Trauma Program.

From there, her life changed completely.  What followed was a wave of symptoms and Diagnoses.

As the weeks and months went on, her condition worsened. She began seeing numerous specialists and clinics across multiple systems. She received care for both physical and neurological symptoms that made everyday life nearly impossible.

Here’s what she was dealing with:

• Brain and Cognitive Injuries
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Daily migraines, often in the base of her neck
• Dizziness with walking or changing positions
• Cognitive fog and forgetfulness
• Trouble concentrating and following tasks
• Word-finding difficulty
• Trouble with multitasking
• Emotional lability—crying easily, mood swings
• Sleep disturbance and fatigue
• Doctors at the concussion center diagnosed her with:
• Post-concussion headaches
• Cognitive communication disorder
• Deficits in balance and eye movement
• Binocular vision issues
• Cervical dysfunction and radiculopathy
• Vestibular (balance) deficits

She began occupational therapy, physical therapy, and vision therapy, attending 24 sessions to work on head and neck control, balance, and visual coordination. A neuro-optometrist confirmed blurred vision, eye strain, and photophobia (light sensitivity) as lasting effects of the crash.

She still reports trouble standing upright, difficulty walking without support, and constant fogginess. She is not the same person she was before the crash.

Chronic Neck, Back, and Nerve Pain

The trauma also triggered severe neck and spinal injuries, including:

• Cervical and thoracic pain (neck and upper back)
• Lower back pain radiating down her legs
• Muscle spasms
• Tingling and numbness in her arms and feet
• Weakness in her legs and toes
• Neck swelling and nerve sensitivity

Specialists diagnosed:

• Myofascial pain in the neck and back
• Chronic migraines
• Neuropathic pain (nerve-related)
• Radiculopathy (pinched nerves)
• Sacroiliac joint pain
• Cervicalgia

Despite months of physical therapy, daily home exercises, and trigger point injections to the neck, shoulders, and back, her symptoms only partially improved.

At one point, her back locked up so badly she couldn’t walk and had to go to the emergency room again. She still struggles to bend, stand for long, or walk swiftly.

Mental Health Effects

Before the accident, she had already overcome two difficult marriages. She was supporting three children on her own and working full-time. After the crash, her mental health collapsed.

She experienced:

• Severe anxiety
• Flashbacks and insomnia
• Panic attacks
• Feelings of helplessness and despair
• Strained relationships with her husband and family

She had married her second husband just two days before the crash. The trauma derailed their new life together. Her pain made intimacy and normal married life impossible. Her husband, overwhelmed and unsympathetic, grew distant.

He even told her, “I didn’t marry my momma!”—mocking her condition.

The marriage collapsed. She took out a restraining order, and they eventually divorced.

She also became estranged from her brother, whose car she was driving. He blamed her for the increase in his insurance premium.

Work and Economic Losses

At the time of the crash, she was employed as a hospital housekeeper. She was unable to work for nearly five months, losing a total of $5,150 in wages.

When she returned to work, her pain hadn’t gone away—but she had no choice. She needed income to care for her children and pay rent. Her home? A tiny apartment in the basement of a church.

She also lost income from a side hustle as a social media influencer, which she could no longer keep up due to her symptoms.

As a result of the crash:

Medical bills totaled $29,066.38

She couldn’t get full treatment due to insurance limitations, missed work, lost earnings, and lost stability.

Treatment Barriers and Ongoing Pain

Over the course of treatment, multiple specialists recommended spinal injections and further therapy. Her insurance coverage ran out or was denied. She was told she would have to pay out-of-pocket for spinal treatments, steroid injections, and additional care.

Even basic medications like Nortriptyline had to be reduced due to side effects and cost.

At one point, her mental health therapy was stopped—not because she was better, but because she didn’t have coverage.

Despite all of this, she still tried to hold it together. She told her psychiatric social worker:

“I’m a strong woman. I will reach my goals.”

But the reality is, the pain never stops. She rates it 7 out of 10 on most days. She told her care team:

“I don’t want to stay on medication all my life. I don’t feel like myself.”

The Human Cost

This wasn’t a fender bender. It was a life-altering event. Before the crash, she was active, hardworking, and devoted to her kids. After it, she became a different person—defined by pain, stress, and struggle.

Our client:

• Lives in constant pain
• Has trouble walking or bending
• Struggles to care for her kids
• Ended a marriage just days after starting it
• Lost income, relationships, and independence
• Feels frustrated, angry, and helpless

Doctors say her injuries are chronic. She will likely live with pain for the rest of her life. At only 35 years old, she has a projected life expectancy of 45.7 more years—years that will now be shaped by injury, limitation, and the emotional scars of a crash that never should have happened.

Metzger & Kleiner Fought for Her

We believe people like our client deserve to be made whole. She didn’t cause this crash. She was sitting in traffic, following the law, taking care of her family.

The trucking company and its driver failed her. Now we are holding them accountable. Her case isn’t about payouts—it’s about justice, dignity, and making sure that corporate negligence doesn’t get a free pass when it breaks lives apart.

We fought for:

• Full compensation for her medical bills
• Lost wages and lost opportunities
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• The cost of being robbed of her life’s rhythm and joy

This Is What We Do

At Metzger & Kleiner, we fight for real people—injured workers, single parents, caregivers, everyday folks who are just trying to live their lives. When tragedy strikes because someone else was careless, we step in and fight back.

If your life has been changed by a car or truck crash or injury, you don’t have to face it alone.

Let’s talk about your story and take the next step toward justice.  Call Metzger & Kleiner today for a free consultation.