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Teen motorcyclist and his lawyers win their case against motorcycle club after an accident at a racetrack

Accident Type: 
Motorcycle Accident
Incident Date: 
Saturday, January 1, 1994
Result Date: 
Monday, January 1, 1996
Monetary Result: 
$758,729
  Mr. Wadlow, 16 at the time of the accident, was returning on a dirt road from the "smoke bomb" area of a race track back to the pits wre he acted as a crewman for his father when he collided with a truck heading in the opposite direction. As a result of the accident, he suffered a compound fracture to his left femur and tibia, requiring two months of hospitalization, six skin graft surgeries and resulting in a permanent limp, scarring, and possible future surgery and arthritis. Wadlow and his lawyers decided to sue the motorcycle clubs that own the track, Jack Rabbit Motorcycle Club and American Motorcycle Club. They contended that the dirt road was supposed to be one-way road and that they had failed to direct traffic on that road.  The defending motorcycle clubs argued that Wadlow was responsible for the his injuries as he was operating a motorcycle that was too large for his size. They additionally claimed that they had no obligation to direct traffic as an amateur club. In the end, Wadlow and his lawyers won the case and a reward of $758,729. However, Mr. Wadlow was found to be 33.3% negligent for riding in a large motorcycle and not taking evasive action while driving, while his father was also found 33.3% negligent. Therefore, the total award they collected was reduced to $331,081.

Los Angeles jury awards motorcyclist after he suffers injuries in an accident with a dump truck

Accident Type: 
Motorcycle Accident
Incident Date: 
Tuesday, May 1, 1990
Result Date: 
Monday, May 18, 1992
Monetary Result: 
$658,784
  Hugh Juarez, a 30-year-old machine operator was riding his motorcycle in the right lane in Los Angeles, California in May, 1990 when he was struck by a dump truck making a right turn from the left lane next to Juarez. He sustained injuries in the accident, including a fractured tibia, fibula, and a spinal injury. At the time, Inocencio Heredia, the dump truck driver, was on the job for Jimmy King Trucking, a contractor at a nearby construction site. Juarez decided to hire an attorney and sue the dump truck driver and his employer. After the accident, however, Heredia disappeared. Jimmy King Trucking therefore represented the sole defendant at the stand during the trial. They alleged that Heredia was not on the job at the time, and that he was buying auto parts for his personal vehicle. In the end, the jury sided with Juarez and his lawyers, awarding him $658,784.17.

Pickup driver's defense lawyers win his case after a head-on accident with a motorcyclist who sustained serious injuries

Accident Type: 
Motorcycle Accident
Incident Date: 
Friday, October 28, 1983
Result Date: 
Thursday, October 15, 1987
Monetary Result: 
$0

 

This motorcycle and truck crash happened on October 28, 1983, at 3: 20 p.m., in favorable weather, on a winding, dirt, mountain road, near Paradise, in Butte County, California. Timothy Peterson, age 33, was riding his Honda trail motorbike on the mountain road toward the site of a weekend camping trip. As he drove through a right turn, he saw George Snyder operating a pickup truck, coming in the opposite direction, heading downhill. Peterson has no memory of the crash, but he argued, through testimony of his accident reconstruction expert, that the pickup was on his side of the road, causing him to swerve sharply to his left to avoid the oncoming truck. At the same time, Snyder swerved his pickup to his right, and the head-on collision occurred in Snyder's lane. 

Peterson suffered multiple fracturs to his upper and lower legs and ankles in addition to several fractured ribs, a collapsed lung, and damage to his kidney and liver. The left tibia and left ankle both developed infections, resulting in several bone grafts over a period of three years. The bone grafts failed, due to the severity of the infections, and ultimately the left leg was amputated below the knee.

Snyder, a 45-year-old part-­time personal property appraiser living in Paradise, argued that, although he may have been over the center of the dirt road, it was customary practice for mountain driving on relatively straight stretches of road. He further claimed that Peterson came out of a wide turn, was looking over his shoulder as he rounded the corner, and drifted onto his side of the roadway. Snyder slammed on his brakes, but claimed Peterson was inattentive and went out of control. A California Highway Patrol officer confirmed Snyder's account, testifying that the accident was entirely Peterson's fault.

In the end, thanks to the CHP officer's testimony, the jury ruled unanimously for Snyder and Peterson was not granted any payments for his serious injuries. Ultimately, the testimony of the police officer out-weighed Peterson's accident reconstruction expert.

Woman's lawyers win her case after being injured in an accident with two drunk drivers while riding on a motorcycle

Accident Type: 
Motorcycle Accident
Incident Date: 
Saturday, July 10, 1982
Result Date: 
Wednesday, June 1, 1983
Monetary Result: 
$558,352
On July 10, 1982, at 11: 20 p.m.Sharon Crigger, a 36-year-old federal crop insurance adjuster with the Department of Agriculture, was riding as a passenger on the back of Kermit Johansson's motorcycle at Fruit and Ashlan Avenue. Ms. Crigger and Mr. Johansson were driving west on Ashlan when Patrick McHatton was traveling in a southbound direction on Fruit Avenue. The two vehicles collided with each other at the intersection controlled by light signals. Both drivers argued that they had the green light. Ms. Crigger was severely injured. She sustained several pelvic fractures, requiring 50 units of blood. She also suffered nerve injuries to her right leg and right arm, including her right shoulder, leaving her with residual dysfunction of the deltoid and triceps muscles of the right arm, which restricts her from strenuous activity, and in her work. She was in intensive care for nine days, and in the hospital for two months. She subsequently sued both Mr. Johansson and Mr. McHatton for their individual roles in causing the accident. Crigger had been dating Johansson for about a year prior to the accident, and they had been on a river rafting outing early that day. All the people involved consumed alcoholic beverages that day, although no blood alcohol content was taken from Ms. Crigger, who could not remember the incident due to her injuries. Mr. McHatton was arrested for felony drunk driving. McHatton argued that he had consumed four or five beers during the hour prior to the accident, and that he was on his way home. He was intending to continue driving south on Fruit avenue at the intersection, and had the green light. Physical factors of the accident indicated that his account was inconsistent, however. It appeared that he was making a left hand turn, and, further, was traveling at 15 to 20 m.p.h. at the time of the accident. Mr. McHatton admitted he was partially at fault, but argued that Mr. Johansson was also negligent, and that Ms. Crigger was comparatively negligent for getting onto the motorcycle with an impaired driver. Defendant Johansson claimed that he was traveling at 35 m.p.h., and that he had the green light. He further argued that he had no notice of the other motor vehicle until he was some twenty feet from the intersection, which time he caught a glimpse of the other vehicle, and at that point he attempted to take evasive action and brake, but was unable to apply his brake prior to impacting the motor vehicle. Defendant Johannson denied any liability. Both the plaintiff and the defendant brought expert witnesses to the stand. An accident reconstructionist testified on behalf of Ms. Crigger, testifying that even if both of the vehicles had the green light, that Mr. Johannson could have taken evasive action, and should have been able to reduce the speed of his motorcycle from 35 m.p.h. to 22 m.p.h., based on normal reaction time, had he not been drunk. Mr. Blair stated that this reduction of speed would reduce the velocity of impact by 60%. Another expert witness testified that Mr. McHatton had a blood alcohol content of .015, and that level his perceptual abilities were impaired. The defendant's expert witness testified that in his opinion the accident was unavoidable, as there were obstructions at the intersection that kept both drivers from seeing each other. Ultimately, Ms. Crigger and her lawyers won the case for her, awarding her $558,352.32. It was found that Mr. McHatton was primarily at fault, although Mr. Johansson contributed to the accident.