The lawyer’s office smelled faintly of coffee and carpet cleaner, and he listened with professional patience as I described the accident. When I finished, he leaned back in his chair and folded his hands together.
“This is a very clean case,” he said calmly. “Rear impact, admitted liability, documented injury. We can pursue compensation beyond basic expenses.”
“How much?” I asked.
“Fifty thousand dollars would not be unreasonable,” he replied. “Pain, inconvenience, lost productivity.”
The number echoed in my mind long after I left the office. Fifty thousand dollars represented relief from debts that kept me awake at night and a sense of security I had not felt in years.
I agreed to move forward.
Leonard did not settle quickly. His legal representation requested extensions, filed responses, and delayed proceedings, which only strengthened my resolve. I told myself that I was owed this compensation, that fairness demanded it, and that his circumstances were not my responsibility.
The hearing was scheduled for mid June.
I arrived early, dressed carefully, while Leonard sat across the room with his attorney. He looked noticeably thinner, his posture slightly hunched, his gaze fixed on the floor as if eye contact were something he no longer trusted himself to handle.
When the back doors opened, the atmosphere changed instantly.
A group of people entered quietly, wearing identical shirts in muted blue tones. Printed on each shirt was the image of a young girl with bright eyes and a wide smile, her front teeth uneven in the way that only children’s teeth ever are.
Beneath the photo were the words. Forever in Emma’s Light.
My chest tightened as I watched them take their seats behind Leonard.
The hearing began with formality and structure. My attorney presented photographs, medical records, and repair estimates, emphasizing negligence and responsibility. When Leonard’s attorney stood, her voice was steady but heavy.
“My client does not dispute fault,” she said. “He has already paid for the vehicle repairs. However, he does not possess the financial means to meet the damages being sought.”
My lawyer dismissed the comment without hesitation, arguing that inability to pay did not negate responsibility.
The judge allowed Leonard’s attorney to continue.