The warmth of an early June sun painted Route 9W in Newburgh with a golden hue, a perfect day for a motorcycle ride. For 28-year-old Eric Hurlburt, the open road was a familiar solace, a moment of freedom amidst the everyday. But on that seemingly ordinary day, a chain of events would shatter the tranquility, forever altering the course of his life.
Eric was traveling south. Ahead, a car had paused, signaling a left turn across the flow of traffic. It was a common occurrence, a routine maneuver on a well-traveled road. However, what transpired next was anything but routine. A third vehicle, approaching from behind, slammed into the stopped car with devastating force. The impact sent the turning vehicle hurtling directly into Eric’s path.
In that single, horrifying instant, time seemed to fracture. The idyllic June afternoon was transformed into a scene of chaos and pain. When the dust settled, the reality was stark and brutal: Eric had lost his left leg below the knee.
The following months were a grueling battle. Recovery was not a linear path, but a series of arduous steps, each requiring immense courage and resilience. There were the physical challenges: the agonizing pain, the phantom sensations, the slow and often frustrating process of learning to navigate a world designed for two legs. There were the emotional hurdles: the grief, the anger, the overwhelming sense of loss.
But amidst the pain and uncertainty, Eric found an inner strength he never knew he possessed. He faced the daunting task of reclaiming his life, piece by painstaking piece. He began the slow, deliberate process of rehabilitation, pushing his body and mind to their limits. He learned to adapt, to find new ways of moving, of living, of being.
The journey was not solitary. Eric was surrounded by a network of support: family, friends, medical and legal professionals. His team at Finkelstein & Partners personal injury attorneys, fought fiercely to ensure that not only were Eric’s medical bills paid, but that he had the means to take advantage of the latest developments in prosthetics for the rest of his life.
Looking back on the experience Eric says, “It’s been a number of years now but everyone at Finkelstein & Partners remembers me. They ask how are the kids, they’re like family. They always get the job done”.
Finkelstein & Partners is a plaintiff’s personal injury law firm founded in 1959 by Howard S. Finkelstein. For over 60 years the firm has represented people who have been gravely hurt by the careless actions of other people or corporations. Finkelstein & Partners has helped hundreds of thousands of people by using their substantial knowledge, experience, resources and technology to ensure the wrongdoer is held accountable, and their clients are awarded the highest compensation possible. The proof is in the results: over $3 Billion in compensation awarded to the firm’s clients.
