[caption id="attachment_3679" align="alignleft" width="245"]

Emanuele Cicchiello.[/caption] A 36-year-old Niantic woman who suffered a herniated disc in a four-car collision on Interstate 95 settled the case with her insurance provider, Liberty Mutual, for $120,000 on the eve of trial. The wreck was triggered when Heather Cymbala was rear-ended by a 2006 Subaru driven by David Matthews, according to a lawsuit filed May 2015 in Hartford Superior Court. Cymbala's 2011 BMW was shoved into the car in front of her, which then slammed into a fourth vehicle in front of it, according to Manny Cicchiello, Cymbala's attorney. According to Cicchiello, a partner and owner of Cicchiello & Cicchiello in Hartford, traffic was slowing down in the left lane when Matthews crashed into Cymbala's car. Matthews, an Oregon resident, was cited for following too closely. Cymbala suffered a herniated disc, and the injury impacted her nerve route causing left leg pain and numbness, Cicchiello said. Cicchiello said the case was resolved with the assistance of Hartford Superior Court Judge Constance Epstein. Cymbala received a $120,000 settlement six months ago from Matthews' two insurance carriers. Matthews was underinsured and had a $100,000 policy with State Farm and a $20,000 excess policy with Geico. Due to the extent of her injuries, Cymbala sought $120,000 from Liberty Mutual. Liberty Mutual only agreed to the settlement after their own doctors studied the medical reports, and after hearing from Cymbala's orthopedic doctor, Ciccihiello said. Cymbala's doctor said she continues to need treatment for her injuries, Cicchiello said. Cicchiello said he didn't have permission to name the doctor. The settlement was reached Dec. 6, the same day the trial was scheduled to start. Cymbala "has lingering and persistent lower back and leg pain. It affects her every day, including getting in and out of her car," Cicchiello said. "I thought [the settlement] was very fair and accurately represented the fair market value for this type of case," Cicchiello said. Liberty Mutual was represented by attorney Taylor Johnson, of Meehan, Roberts, Turret & Rosenbaum in Wallingford. Johnson did not respond to a request for comment. State Farm and Geico were represented by attorney Michael Connelly, of Murphy Karpie Connelly & Sickinger in Bridgeport. Connelly also did not respond to a request for comment.