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On May 28, 2008 Eddie Trujillo was operating his motorcycle south in the high occupancy vehicle lane on Interstate 405 in Bellevue, WA. At the same time, Martin Vasquez was driving a 1999 Century Freightliner Truck owned by his employer Esparza Truck Inc. in the fast lane adjacent to Trujillo. Vasquez then collided with a Kia to his right operated by Dakoda Rooney. The impact of the collision resulted in the Kia to spinning out of control. Vasquez then broadsided the Kia a second time, propelling it into Trujillo's lane. His motorcycle then crashed into Rooney’s Kia. Trujillo’s motorcycle was totaled in the collision. Vasquez was cited for an unsafe lane change, failure to keep right, and defective brake adjustment. Trujillo claimed he sustained a flail chest, fractured clavicle, post-­traumatic stress disorder, and brain injury as a result of the collision. Trujillo and his wife, Yolanda Trujillo, filed a vehicle negligence lawsuit against Esparza Truck, Vasquez and his wife, Constantina Mandujano, and Rooney and her husband, Bryant Rooney in the King County Superior Court. In their first amended complaint, the plaintiff alleged Vasquez and Dakoda caused the accident by negligently changing lanes. The Trujillos claimed Vasquez was negligent because he failed to drive his truck in the right hand lane. The Trujillos claimed Vasquez acted within the scope of his employment, rendering Esparza Truck liable under the doctrine of respondeat superior. The plaintiffs sought damages for Eddie’s injuries, almost $50,000 in medical expenses, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, over $440,000 in lost wages and employment benefits, impairment of earning capacity, transportation expenses, housekeeping expenses, and over $7,200 in property damage. Yolanda also sought damages for loss of Eddie’s consortium. The Rooneys denied the allegations of negligence and claimed the plaintiffs’ own negligence, failure to mitigate their damages, and the negligence of Esparza Truck and Vasquez, as defenses. The defendants sought entitlement to indemnity and contribution from Esparza Truck and Vasquez. They also questioned the nature and extent of the plaintiffs’ claimed injuries and damages. The Rooneys filed a cross­claim against Esparza Truck and Vasquez, allegating that Vasquez’s negligence resulted in the incident. They sought damages for Dakoda’s injuries, medical expenses, and property damage. Esparza Truck and Vasquez denied the allegations of negligence and asserted the plaintiffs’ failure to mitigate their damages as an affirmative defense. They claimed Vasquez was driving in his lane of travel and did not attempt to change lanes at the time of the accident. The defendants also disputed the nature and extent of the plaintiffs’ claimed injuries and damages. Esparza Truck and Vasquez filed a cross­claim against the Rooneys, alleging Dakoda’s negligence proximately caused the incident. Esparza Truck and Vasquez reportedly accepted liability and agreed to settle the Rooneys’ cross­claim against them. The court granted the plaintiffs’ partial motions for summary judgment finding Eddie fault free and the negligence of either or both Vasquez and Dakoda caused the collision. The plaintiffs were awarded $49,946.56 in medical expenses. The defendants’ affirmative defenses were also dismissed. Jurors returned a verdict July 9, 2010, finding Esparza Truck and Vasquez were negligent and their negligence was a proximate cause of the injury and damages to the plaintiffs. The panel determined Dakoda was not negligent. Eddie was awarded $1,080,772 and Yolanda was awarded $81,250. Judge Carol Schapira entered judgment in accordance with the verdict July 29. Judge Schapira ordered Esparza Truck, Vasquez, and Mandujano to pay $556.78 for attorney fees and court costs.

On Jan. 16, 2008, plaintiff Edward Philip Brown was operating a rented motorcycle on Interstate 405 and was involved in a collision with a car, driven by defendent Shannon Lyn Oberdorfer, resulting in serious injuries. Brown also claimed Oberdorfer was acting within the course and scope of her employment with defendant Didi Hirsch Psychiatric Service at the time of the accident. Brown alleged the defendants were negligent. Hirsch stipulated that Oberdorfer was acting within the course and scope of her employment and both defendants stipulated to 100 percent liability for the accident.

  On July 21, 2007, at 10:40 a.m., Len Briese was riding his motorcycle west on Scotts Valley Road, east of Laurel Dell in an unincorporated Lake County, California. William James Tilley, a resident of Oklahoma, was driving his pickup truck with a trailer east on Scotts Valley Road and collided with plaintiff’s motorcycle. Tilley said he crossed over the center line in a curve and sideswiped Briese on his motorcycle. As a result of the accident, Briese suffered a leg fracture, a degloving injury to knee and had to receive knee replacement surgery. Briese sued Tilley for his negligence in causing the accident. Tilley did not contend that Briese had any fault in the accident. There were two attempts to mediate a settlement to the accident, however an agreement over the damages was not reached, and therefore the case went to court. In the end, Briese and his attorneys won, receiving an award of $850,100.