Cases & Testimonials

Dear Attorney Zhong,

Hope you are doing well!

With heartfelt gratitude, I am writing this letter to thank you for your professional assistance and all-around support in my dispute with the auto insurance company.

At the end of 2023, our family was involved in a serious car accident near Tucson, Arizona. Our vehicle was totaled and towed away, the whole family was hospitalized, and the medical bills exceeded $400,000. We were at a complete loss. A friend helped us call our auto insurance company, only to receive this response: "You only purchased liability coverage (the minimum required insurance), which provides just $5,000 in medical coverage per person with no additional benefits." As my injuries were relatively the least severe, I gritted my teeth and began handling the aftermath. First, we received ambulance bills - since ambulance services are considered medical expenses, each bill amounted to thousands of dollars. I contacted the auto insurer hoping they would cover these costs. But the insurance representatives kept passing me from department to department like a soccer ball, refusing to process our claims. Then came the hospital bills - over $400,000. While our family was still undergoing rehabilitation, I began experiencing mental health issues. I couldn't understand why our auto insurance provided no meaningful coverage despite our premiums continuously increasing over years with nearly no prior accidents or traffic violations. We had previously carried full coverage until our agent recommended switching to minimum coverage - but even minimum coverage should provide some protection! Why was this happening? I kept contacting the insurer, hoping they could offer some assistance with the medical bills, especially for the most exorbitant charges that terrified me just to contemplate.Instead of cooperating, the insurer created additional obstacles. After I'd already paid some testing fees out of pocket expecting reimbursement, they arbitrarily paid $5,000 directly to the hospital without consultation, resulting in duplicate payments that forced me to spend even more time and effort sorting out the mess.

Attorney Zhong assisted us in identifying and vetting the top legal professionals in Arizona, ultimately helping us secure representation from a highly qualified law firm. We entered into a contingency fee agreement - the attorneys would only get paid if we won our case. Over the next three to four months, the two law firms collaborated extensively through conference calls and emails, fighting together for our rights and justice. During this period, the insurance company continued erecting roadblocks regarding the $15,000 claim. My mental health deteriorated to the point where I needed psychological counseling and nearly abandoned the claim altogether. I frequently called Attorney Zhong, pressing for updates and asking if he now understood how unreasonable the insurer was being - perhaps we should just give up?

With his professional expertise and steadfast determination, Attorney Zhong gradually helped calm me down and refocus on fighting for our rights. At times he would say sternly, "Justice isn't obtained through waiting and complaining, nor through pity and handouts. Fair treatment is our birthright, and we must be willing to fight for it. We're using the law and our minds to fight - far safer and more effective than using fists." Other times he'd joke, "You know I'm a marathon runner - I've got the endurance and determination to outlast these unreasonable opponents. You've got to hang in there - my newspaper headline moment depends on you! When you write that thank-you letter, don't forget to mention my law school - they gave me a scholarship back in the day. You can't quit now after all the time I've invested - a promise is a promise!" Looking back, he employed numerous strategies to keep my spirits up. Whenever Attorney Zhong came across significant case precedents or strategies from top attorneys, he would meticulously take notes and immediately share them with me. He conducted multiple in-depth interviews with us, extracting every relevant fact, then systematically analyzed how our family's severe injuries had caused such extraordinary pain and loss under our unique circumstances - continually refining his approach. Despite our family's advanced education, the breadth and depth of legal arguments in Attorney Zhong's final claim submission far exceeded anything we could have imagined. His comprehensive documentation of our damages and the insurer's bad faith created an irrefutable case for substantial compensation.

It's fair to say that Attorney Zhong understood the full extent of our family's losses far better than we did ourselves. Without his involvement, it's hard to imagine any American attorney could have so thoroughly grasped the nuances of our situation. One day, the insurance company sent a letter to our legal team claiming that, under Arizona law, the maximum compensation in our case was capped at $50,000. When the attorneys shared this letter with me, I was shocked, disheartened, and even felt a pang of guilt—after all the meticulous preparation Attorney Zhong had invested, it seemed cruel for our efforts to be thwarted by this alleged legal limit. But Attorney Zhong remained undaunted. He reassured me, "At this stage, I haven't given up hope for further claims. If the law truly offers no recourse, then we'll accept it—but right now, I believe the insurer is misinterpreting the law to mislead us." Several weeks later, he informed me that his collaborating law firm had uncovered legal precedents proving the compensation cap was not, in fact, limited to $50,000. Through patient explanations and rigorous analysis, Attorney Zhong helped me understand the full scope of our legal rights. More importantly, he stood firmly by my side throughout the process, offering not just legal expertise but also moral and emotional support as we fought for the fair compensation we deserved. I deeply admire Attorney Zhong's professionalism and dedication. This experience has also made me realize how crucial it is to seek expert legal counsel when facing injustice. Thanks to the combined efforts of both legal teams, our family not only received substantial compensation but also regained our faith in fairness and justice. Once again, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Attorney Zhong and his collaborating firm for their tireless work throughout this ordeal. Your persistent assistance and fearless advocacy will forever hold a special place in our hearts.

As an aside, even after we learned our attorneys had secured the settlement but before receiving the check, many well-informed friends remained skeptical. "How could a minimum-coverage policy yield substantial compensation?" This reaction underscores just how obscure insurance law rights can be for ordinary people.

After months of tireless efforts, we ultimately secured a total compensation of $550,000 and successfully negotiated our $650,000+ medical bills down to just over $160,000. Without Attorney Zhong Jiayu's assistance, we could never have imagined achieving such a just outcome. We must also extend our gratitude to the kind online friend, FX, who connected us with Attorney Zhong despite the 2,300-mile distance between us. Finally, our heartfelt thanks to the James E. Rogers College of Law for recognizing and nurturing such exceptional legal talent. By educating this remarkable Juris Doctor, the school has empowered someone who truly makes justice accessible to ordinary people like us.

—JW, A Profoundly Grateful Client

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