Meet Michael Aguado, Michles & Booth’s February Client Of The Month–a true hero.
Michael Aguado joined the military when he was seventeen years old– “can’t” is not in his vocabulary.
“I’m not one to ask for help,” Michael says, laughing.
It’s a gray, Thursday morning, January 21st–a week before Michael’s wife Jacquelyn gives birth to their first child, a boy. Michael’s in good spirits, ready for work–freshly shaved, a green shirt, a green tie–the humblest smile you’ve ever seen. A retired Navy corpsman, Michael now works as a financial sales advisor at Compass Bank. A “suit up and show up” type, reliable, the kind of man who defends his country and his loved ones.
Unfortunately, after a drunk driver rear ended Michael and his family 5 years ago, he was the one in need of defense.
We’re proud to say we were there for Michael when Auto Owners Insurance Co was not.
The Accident
On July 4th 2011, Michael, Jacquelyn, and Michael’s sister, Lisa, were rear ended on Main Street in front of City Hall–the man who caused the accident, intoxicated, clipped the left rear bumper of Michael’s X-Terra. And then took off.
Michael followed the drunk driver, eventually cornering him in a parking lot. The driver, belligerent, reeking of alcohol, got out of his vehicle and confronted Michael.
“He started punching at me–he was cussing at my wife,” Michael says.
Like most hit and run cases, the damage to Michael’s vehicle was but a small part of a hellish experience. Sustaining serious injuries to his neck and shoulder, as a result of the accident, Michael’s life was changed forever. “I was in constant pain,” Michael says. “Everything was difficult.”
A life defined by a stout work ethic, Michael had to call his father regularly for help. Simple lifting was suddenly daunting. “He’d move boxes, or whatever, anything–I couldn’t fix anything by myself.”
On his own since high school, this weighed on Michael.
“I’m sure he liked it,” Michael says, smiling. “My dad got to spend time with his son. But it was hard on me.”
5 Years Later
Fast forward five years, things are different. Michael smiles as he tells me about his friend, a professional baseball player for the Cincinnati Reds, who will be his son’s godfather.
“Everyone’s excited for the baby,” Michael says.
Fortunately our firm was able to secure Michael compensation for his injuries and the difficulty that ensued following the accident. Two radio frequency ablations later (doctors tried several pain blockers), working full time, with a baby on the way, Michael is happy. But most importantly Michael is no longer living in pain.
“It’s something you can’t see, pain, “ Michael says.
Whether or not it showed, his quality of life diminished after the accident.
Michael shakes his head. “Man, when you’re in that kind of pain, you’ve got to monitor everything.”
Get Help When You Need It
Our lawyers can only do what they do, if you ask for help. If you or someone you know has been injured at no fault of their own, call us. Although it was hard for Michael to reach out, he says, “It’s easy to sing your praises–I asked for help, you did the rest.”
Marcus Michles is quick to point out that these types of cases do not solve themselves over night.
“I admire Michael,” Marcus Michles says. “Just like our staff, Michael worked on paperwork, every thing on his end, tirelessly–people might not know. But this stuff takes courage.”
Unfortunately our country’s insurance system is weak–it’s not a guarantee that your needs will be matched by your provider’s coverage. Money and injuries mount when we’re not treated fairly. Help us move in a better direction, give Michles & Booththe opportunity to help you.
