A Routine Appointment
Eight weeks after surgery, Alyssa left a follow-up appointment in Birmingham, Michigan, relieved to have just been cleared by her doctor. As she stepped into a marked crosswalk, a car turning left struck her.
The impact threw her into the air before she landed on the road. When she looked down, she saw that the side of her leg had been torn open all the way to the muscle.
The accident left her with a permanent scar and uncertainty about what would come next.
“I just remember looking down, and my whole leg was open – down to the muscle.”
The Shock Began to Wear Off
In the days after the accident, Alyssa struggled to process what had happened. People encouraged her to speak with a lawyer, but she repeatedly said no.
She thought of herself as someone who did not sue other people. She understood that people make mistakes, and she did not want to harm someone else because of one.
At first, Alyssa focused on how much worse the accident could have been. She had survived without broken bones or internal injuries. It took several days before she could think beyond that immediate relief.
“I kept thinking, ‘I’m not the type of person who sues other people.’”
Deciding to Protect Herself
As the shock wore off, Alyssa began thinking about the accident’s lasting effects. The scar would remain on her body, complications were possible, and she might someday want plastic surgery.
She also thought about the ambulance ride, the trauma center, the tests performed in the emergency room, and the medical bills that could follow.
Alyssa still did not want a lawsuit. But she realized that speaking with someone could help her understand her options and protect herself from financial and medical consequences she could not yet predict.
Hesitant to Trust a Lawyer
Before contacting Buckfire Law, Alyssa had serious reservations. She worried that the process might last many years without producing any meaningful result.
She also felt protective of herself and did not want to retell the experience to a stranger. Close friends continued encouraging her to speak with someone, even if only to learn whether she needed legal help.
An attorney friend referred Alyssa to Buckfire Law. She left a message for Bob and waited for a response.
The Call That Changed Her Mind
Bob returned Alyssa’s call at eight o’clock that evening. She was surprised he called personally rather than having a staff member contact her.
What stood out most was how he spoke to her. Alyssa described him as down-to-earth, easy to talk to, appropriately empathetic, and reassuring. He explained that the firm would handle the process and that she would not have to manage everything herself.
Once she learned that she would not have to pay upfront, another major concern disappeared and did not contact any other law firms. After that conversation, she trusted Bob and felt that Buckfire Law knew what it was doing.
“It just felt like a relief to have somebody say, ‘Yeah, we’ve got this. You don’t have to do anything else.’”
Going Above and Beyond
Shortly after their first conversation, Bob drove to the scene of the accident and Face Timed Alyssa from the crosswalk. He walked the route she had taken and asked her to explain the vehicles’ direction and to describe exactly what had happened.
When attempts to obtain surveillance footage from a nearby building were unsuccessful, Bob went there personally and later met the doctor outside normal office hours to collect the video.
During mediation, members of the Buckfire Law team stopped in to speak with Alyssa while she waited. She described the entire team as welcoming, personable, professional, and supportive.
“That was above and beyond. He didn’t need to do that.”
Easier Than She Expected
Alyssa had been told the case could take several years. Instead, it settled only nine months after the accident.
Throughout the process, Bob contacted her with updates. The firm sent documents for electronic signatures, answered her questions quickly, communicated with insurance companies, and handled the work behind the scenes.
Alyssa remained involved for decisions, but she did not manage details that would have felt overwhelming. The actual experience of being involved in a lawsuit was far easier than she had anticipated.
“They took care of everything.”
Space to Heal
After the accident, Alyssa needed time to feel safe again. She did not want to drive and did not feel comfortable walking through crosswalks.
She also lacked the energy to make insurance calls, review hospital records, negotiate medical bills, or advocate for herself. Alyssa believes many of those responsibilities would have fallen through the cracks if she had been left to handle them alone.
Having Buckfire Law manage those tasks gave her time and space to focus on healing. She said the support made her feel safer, more protected, and more at ease.
“It made me feel safer, more protected, more at ease.”
A Life-Changing Outcome
Alyssa described the settlement Bob secured as life changing.
It gave her greater financial security and the ability to decide whether she wants to pursue treatment to reduce or cover the scar in the future. It also helped her find closure after the accident.
Alyssa said the outcome of her case gave her closure. Knowing the settlement was fair changed how she felt when she looked at the scar on her leg. Rather than carrying only anxiety or resentment, she felt grateful and better able to move forward.
“It’s been able to give me a lot of closure, security, and the possibility to fix my scar moving forward if I want to.”
Looking Back
Alyssa began the process believing legal action was not something a person like her would do.
Her experience with Buckfire Law changed her view. She learned an accident can permanently affect someone’s life and that legal action can be necessary to protect that person’s future.
What surprised her most was how human the experience felt. She described the people at Buckfire as down-to-earth, empathetic, professional, kind, and genuinely interested in helping her.
“They actually care about the people they’re working for, and that makes a huge difference.”
