Advanced Search

  On July 19, 1990, Rudy Cantu, a 24-year-old auto-body painter, was driving on South Cloverdale Street in Seattle, Washington on his motorcycle. As he was crossing 5th Avenue South a pickup truck, driven by Ronald Dick, drove into the path of Cantu from 5th Avenue, then stopped in front of him, resulting in Cantu slamming into Dick's truck. Cantu sustained serious injuries in the accident. He sustained serious fractures on both arms, sustained lacerations and wounds to his abdomen, resulting in damage to his liver and spleen.  Cantu decided to sue Dick for the cost of his medical expenses that resulted from the accident. He argued that when Dick was negligent because he drove into the intersection without seeing the motorcyle. Furthermore, when he stopped his truck in Cantu's path, he further contributed to the accident. Dick argued that he stopped the truck in order to give Cantu a chance to move around the vehicle and avoid the accident, and therefore Cantu was negligent by not taking evasive action. In the end, the jury sided with Cantu, awarding him $726,000. He was considered to be 7.5% negligent in the incident, so his overall award was reduced to $672,000.