A New Britain woman who suffered head, neck and back injuries in a crash on Route 9 has settled for $230,000.

The car accident, which took place in July 2015 in the Berlin area, caused injuries requiring Leslie Kaczenski to undergo spinal fusion, according to New Britain attorney Kevin Ferry.

The case was settled Monday, avoiding an impending lawsuit, said Ferry, a solo practitioner in New Britain.

Piotr Szaro, 22, who was cited by police for following too closely, was driving 68 miles per hour when he rear-ended Kaczenski's Jeep Compass, Ferry said. The speed limit was 65 miles per hour.

The 57-year-old Kaczenski was placed briefly on short-term disability from her job with a security system company, Ferry said. Her condition improved following surgery in July 2016, but she suffers from ongoing pain and numbness, Ferry said. Kaczenski incurred more than $75,000 in medical expenses.

Ferry was seeking $250,000 from AAA Insurance, Szaro's carrier, but ultimately agreed to settle for $230,000. The first offer from AAA was for $220,000, Ferry said.

“I think it's a fair settlement. We waited a year after the surgery to see how well she was doing before contacting AAA Insurance,” Ferry said Wednesday. “There were pre-existing issues with her neck that they could have given us a hard time with, but they did not do that.”

Ferry said Kaczenski “was happy she did not have to go through any litigation. She said the settlement was more than she thought she would receive.”

Ferry said AAA's medical advisers reviewed the report before signing off on the settlement. The negotiation process involved two brief phone calls with Krista Oeckinghaus, the AAA adjuster on the case, Ferry said. Oeckinghaus did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

The settlement is expected to be paid within 30 days.