Jury Renders Verdict for $4.1 Million for Twenty-Five Year Old Woman with Fractured Neck

On October 4, 2014, Alysha Ceglanski was celebrating her cousin’s 25^th birthday with a few friends. As they were returning home while traveling on I-95 in Broward County, their vehicle was violently and unexpectedly struck from behind by the Defendant, Jacqueline Wardell, who was traveling in excess of 95mph, after a day of drinking.

The impact was so significant that it pushed Alysha Ceglanski’s entire trunk into the interior of her vehicle which directly impacted her as she sat in the rear seat. Immediately after the impact, Alysha Ceglanski’s vehicle spun out of control and travelled across all five (5) lanes of I-95, crashing into a guardrail.

Immediately after the accident, Alysha Ceglanski, who was only 25 years old, felt a very “heavy head”, and sought immediate medical attention on the scene by EMS. She was emergently transported to a local hospital whereby she was diagnosed with a “Hangman’s Fracture” in her neck. More specifically, Alysha sustained two (2) fractures at the C1-2 and C2-3 levels in her neck which were only 2 millimeters from her spinal cord, which if any closer, could have rendered her paralyzed.

Due to Alysha Ceglanski’s urgent medical situation, she was rushed into surgery where her neurosurgeon performed a cervical discectomy and fusion inserting plates and screws from the C2 to C4 levels to stabilize her neck. Alysha Ceglanski subsequently remained in a halo neck brace for five (5) months whereby she was immobilized without the ability to engage in any activities or care for herself.

Although several of the fractures in Alysha’s neck have healed, there still remains one (1) unhealed fracture at the C1 level and another one at the C2 level. Alysha also has two (2) herniated discs in her neck at the C2-3 and C3-4 levels which are still problematic.

The Broward jury heard all of the medical evidence, and Alysha Ceglanski’s future prognosis, and awarded over $500,000.00 for future medical care. They also awarded over $2.5 million for her past and future pain and suffering due to the fact that she still remains vulnerable to paralysis if she is ever involved in another traumatic event.

Although the significant jury award will help Alysha with her medical treatment, she will nevertheless have permanent injuries and potential medical issues for the rest of her life. Firm Partner David C. Prather was able to convince the jury of the significance of Alysha’s injuries as well as how drastically her life has been altered from this tragic accident.