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  On July 20, 2007, Kiven Dawson, a 46-year-old truck driver, was riding his motorcycle north on Meridian Avenue in San Bernardino, California when he struck a pickup truck driven by Norma Ortiz. Although he does not have memory of the accident due to a brain injury he sustained as a result, based on his police report, he claims that Ortiz was driving southbound when she made a left hand turn in his ath, resulting in the accident. Dawson decided to sue Ortiz, and the owner of her vehicle, Alfonso Torres for negligent driving. Ortiz and Torres argued that Dawson was inattentive. A biomechanics expert brought fourth by their lawyers testified that he believed Dawson was speeding and could have avoided the accident had he been operating the bike at an appropriate speed. Dawson claimed that he sustained permanent disability, rendering him unable to work in his profession, which was a claim disputed by Ortiz and Torres' lawyers. The jury ultimately ruled in favor of Dawson, finding Ortiz and Torres 100% liable. He was awarded $556,371.

On May 26, 2007, at about midnight, Hilari N. Sloan, 20, a college student and hostess, was injured while riding as a passenger on the rear of a motorcycle driven by Brad Jacob Stephens at the intersection of Copper and Minnewawa avenues in Clovis. Sloan sustained a severe closed head injury and massive facial injuries. She was placed on life support, but died several days later. Stephens and Sloan were travelling eastbound on Copper. After two other motorcycles in front of them made a right turn at the intersection to proceed southbound on Minnewawa, Stephens accelerated through the intersection. Phillis Elaine Steele, who was traveling northbound on Minnewawa and had stopped her car at a stop sign, pulled into the intersection, assuming that all three motorcycles were turning right. The Stephens and Sloan motorcycle then crashed into the front driver side of the Steele vehicle, causing Stephens, Sloan, and the motorcycle to fly over the car. Sloan's parents, Dee Anna and Gordon D. Sloan, sued Stephens and his mother, Elizabeth Palm, the vehicle owner, and Phillis and Bennie L. Steele for motor vehicle negligence. They argued that Phillis Steele negligently entered the intersection from the stop sign. They also allegated that Stephens was negligent for not recognizing the potential hazard with two motorcycles turning in front of him and a car at the stop sign, failing to maintain a slow speed or accelerate slowly, flashing his high beams, covering his brakes, and placing the decedent in a helmet that was too large for her head. Steele admitted fault, but agreed with the Sloans’ negligence contentions against Stephens. Stephens argued that he was not speeding, that he had the right of way, that he violated no laws, that he did not have his right­hand turn signal on, that he was in the left­hand side of the lane, that he had no time for evasive maneuvers, and that Steele was totally at fault. The parties disputed whether the decedent’s helmet came off during the accident, and whether Stephens had taken Zoloft and Xanax that day and drank one beer. Her parents sought between $1 million and $2 million in non-economic damages. Stevens requested a defense verdict, or an award of $400,000 to $500,000. Stephens and Palm had $1.1 million in liability insurance through State Farm. The Sloans had $100,000 of underinsured motorist coverage by CSAA. The jury ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, finding Stephens 22% at fault and Steele 78% at fault, awarding $1,085,439.15 in damages. The plaintiffs recovered $1 million in non-economic damages, and $85,439.15 in funeral and hospital expenses.