Woman Wins Court Case Against Insurance Company Without A Lawyer

CHICAGO (CBS) -- It's a David-and-Goliath story: a 26-year-old Southeast Side woman who fought an insurance company and won - at least for now, reports WBBM's Steve Miller.

Exactly two years ago, a woman crashed her car into Chantal Rounds' parked car. Rounds was inside her home and heard it.

She thought it would be easy to get the woman's insurance company to pay up.

"Her insurance company denied my claim because she was claiming she was being chased by someone and feared for her life."

Rounds didn't believe it and sued to get reimbursed for fixing her car: $3,200.

And she did it pro se - without lawyers.

"I would've had to pay more in fees to them than I was actually suing for...

"I was asking advice of a lawyer that comes to the YMCA that I work at... you know, how does the court process work... but most of the questions I came up with on my own."

And Chantal Rounds won in arbitration.

One of the arbitrators told WBBM it's rare for someone to carry a case that far pro se.

This may not be the end. The insurance company can still appeal.