In a case recalled from earlier
today, Jordan and Erichia Green
say motorist Anthony Smith hit
their daughter while she was
crossing the street.
>> Byrd: Judge, this is a recall
of case number 400 in the matter
of Green vs. Smith.
Parties are reminded you're
still under oath.
>> Judge Judy: It's my
understanding that you do not
have a settlement with the
insurance company because
Mr. Smith's insurance company
did not pay the medical bills.
Is that right?
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: Who paid the
medical bills?
>> Medicaid.
>> Judge Judy: Now I go back to
my original question.
Your attorney that you
originally hired five months
later decided to drop the case.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: Did he explain --
he or she -- explain why?
>> Not really.
The lawyers that we had, they
didn't communicate with us the
entire six months.
>> Judge Judy: But they dropped
the case.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: Now, do you have
a police report?
>> I can look here.
I just have a copy of my
insurance.
>> Judge Judy: Is there
currently a claim pending by the
plaintiffs against your
insurance company?
>> No, ma'am.
Actually, because of the
accident, they ended up dropping
me from my insurance company.
>> Judge Judy: Can I see that
letter?
>> I don't have the letter
stating that they dropped me.
But as of August, they told me
since I had gotten into the
accident of hitting her, they
had no choice but to drop me
from my plan.
>> Judge Judy: May I see the
letter from the insurance
company, canceling your
insurance?
>> This is it right here.
This is showing that as
effective until -- I think that
was up until August or so.
>> Judge Judy: I want to see
what other information you have
from your insurance company.
I see that this says that it's
effective from February until
August.
But I want to know that it was
still in effect in April.
>> Okay.
>> Judge Judy: It says,
"Effective 2/9/16."
I want to know that it was in
effect in April, which means
that you paid your premiums and
they hadn't dropped you.
>> I don't believe I have the
copy showing that I paid the
April bill.
>> Judge Judy: Mr. Smith, if I
call the insurance company --
And don't waste my time, because
you know I'm busy and I get
cranky.
If I call the insurance company,
will they tell me that your
policy had lapsed in April?
>> No, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: They will tell me
that it was in effect at the
time of this accident.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: Great.
Are you sure?
>> I'm 100% sure.
>> Judge Judy: Did you contact
his insurance company?
>> No, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: Who did?
>> The lawyers.
>> Judge Judy: And?
>> They did not return my call,
as far as knowing the
information for that case, so I
pursued how I could obtain
money...
>> Judge Judy: So you don't
know.
Got it. What?
>> So my insurance company did
come out, and they did question
everybody at the scene after he
filed a claim against me, as far
as the families that were out
there that day, and asked for
that probably could have helped
him in his case, or probably
could have helped me in my case,
but the insurance company came
out there, but everybody that
was out there said they didn't
see anything.
>> Judge Judy: Listen to me.
I just want to find out whether
your policy was in effect.
>> Gotcha.
>> Judge Judy: Were you not
driving your car?
>> The car that I was driving
that day was given to me by my
dad.
I'm still -- I had just finished
up medical school, so I
wasn't -- I wasn't...
>> Judge Judy: Who's Valerie?
>> My stepmom.
>> Judge Judy: So this you just
showed me is insurance that's
owned by Valerie?
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Mr. Smith, you
want to tell me what the story
is here so that I can simplify
it for myself?
>> I had a previous car that
went out probably a month ahead
of that time.
>> Judge Judy: And?
>> I had to still make it back
and forth to school, and I was
almost on the merge of
finishing, so my dad, instead of
going out and buying a new car,
they just gave me the old car,
and she got a new car.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
>> And the insurance plan...
>> Judge Judy: Were you supposed
to change the insurance to your
name?
>> I wasn't supposed to change
the insurance into my name until
August.
She gave me until the insurance
renewal plan -- renewal was
until it was over with, until
August, which then, come August,
I was gonna have to renew it
under my own insurance plan.
But it ended up happening
before August.
>> Judge Judy: Were you a named
insured on that policy?
>> Um...no.
>> Judge Judy: I knew that
something was -- something
wasn't right.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
So while there may have been
insurance on the car, if you're
stepmother was driving the car,
you were never added as another
driver.
And you had taken this car to
finish school?
>> Yes, I was just driving it
back and forth to school.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.