They demand the $100,000 UM limit. My range is $54,000 to $72,000.

The specials don't hold at $84,300. Two of the imaging studies are billed twice, once by the facility and once by the reading group, which is $11,400 of double counting. Backing that out and applying the usual-and-customary schedule, the defensible medical specials are $58,200. Wage loss of $6,400 is documented and I'd concede it.

What hurts us: the cervical fusion is well documented and causally tied, the treating surgeon's causation letter is clean, and Okafor was stopped at a light.

What helps us: an 11-week treatment gap between March and June with no explanation in the records, and prior cervical treatment in 2021 that the demand doesn't mention.

If the gap doesn't get explained, this settles in the low 60s. If it does — and there's a plausible explanation involving a job change — expect to pay policy limits. I'd ask for the gap explanation in writing before we make any offer.