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Family of business owner and their lawyers win a wrongful death suit against a produce company whose driver struck and killed their father in Los Angeles, California

Accident Type:

Pedestrian Accident

Incident Date:

Friday, January 1, 1993

Result Date:

Sunday, January 1, 1995

Monetary Result:

$641,095

Topics:

Court:

Los Angeles County Superior Court

Mr. Stone, a 79-year-old business owner was walking in a crosswalk in Los Angeles in January 1993 when he was struck by a truck operated by an employee of Bangkok Produce, Inc. He was unconcious and survived for ten days after the accident before he died. He was survived by three adult children. The driver reported the accident to the police an hour after it occured and said he was not aware that he struck Stone until he saw the ambulance taking him away. He later recanted, however, and said that the police did not correctly record his statement. There were two witnesses who were unable to positively identify the driver of the truck. Mr. Stone's family decided to sue Bangkok Produce in a wrongful death suit. They and their lawyers contended that the driver failed to stop after the accident, and did not inform police until he learned that there were witnesses to the accident, but later recante when he understood that the witnesses were unable to identity him. Bangkok Produce and their lawyers argued that the police made many mistakes on the report because the driver was unable to speak English and had limited education. Ultimately the parties settled for $575,000. They additionally claimed $31,674 for medical expenses and funeral costs and $44,421 interest, and also additional expenses, totalling $641,095.

Motorcyclist's lawyers win case against negligent driver and mechanic who installed faulty brakes in Los Angeles, California

Accident Type:

Motorcycle Accident

Incident Date:

Monday, October 1, 1990

Result Date:

Sunday, January 1, 1995

Monetary Result:

$929,000

Topics:

Court:

Los Angeles County Superior Court

Mr. Baeza, a 25-year-old carpenter, was driving his motorcycle through an intersection where he had right-of-way when a pickup truck driven by Mr. Ortiz drove through his stop sign, striking Mr. Baeza's motorcycle. As a result of the accident, Mr. Baeza suffered multiple skull and facial fractures, resulting in brain damage and personality disorder, loss of the sense of smell, and loss of vision in the right eye; fractures of both forearms, resulting in limited motion to both wrists; and an injury to the testicles. Due to his severe injuries, Mr. Baeza and his lawyers decided to sue both Mr. Ortiz, and the company that had changed his motorcycle's rear tire and brake pads three days before the incident, USS Enterprises. He argued that Mr. Ortiz had neglected his right-of-way when he drove through the stop sign into his lane. Mr. Ortiz had no insurance and was dismissed from the trial. USS Enterprises and their attorneys admitted that the rear break was not working at the time of the accident, however they argued that Mr. Baeza was speeding and would not have been able to avoid the pickup even if the rear breaks had been working. In the end, Mr. Baeza and his lawyers had won their case, winning an award of $929,000. He was found, however, to be 35% negligent, and Mr. Ortiz, who was dismissed from the trial was found to be 60% negligent, and USS Enterprises was found 5% negligent. Therefore the total award was reduced to $154,000.

Seattle motorcyclist's lawyers win his case against a pickup driver who pulled into an intersection in his path, winning $726,000

Accident Type:

Motorcycle Accident

Incident Date:

Thursday, July 19, 1990

Result Date:

Thursday, February 13, 1992

Monetary Result:

$726,000

Topics:

Court:

King County Superior Court

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.

Seattle motorcyclist's lawyers win their case against a truck driver who pulled out in front of him at an intersection, resulting in a crash that caused him serious injuries

Accident Type:

Motorcycle Accident

Incident Date:

Sunday, July 1, 1990

Result Date:

Saturday, February 1, 1992

Monetary Result:

$726,000

Court:

King County Superior Court

Mr. Cantu was riding his motorcycle in July of 1990 in Seattle, Washington when he struck a truck, operated by Mr. Dick, broadsiding the vehicle. Cantu suffered serious injuries in the accident, including a fracture of the right radius, a fracture to the left arm, a concussion, lacerations to his chest and stomach, and bruises to his spleen and liver. Mr. Cantu decided to sue Mr. Dick for personal injury. He and his lawyers argued that Mr. Dick negligently pulled out in front of him at an intersection. In the end, the jury sided with Mr. Cantu, awarding him $726,000. He was found 7.5% negligent, however, and this total amount was reduced.

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

Topics:

Court:

Los Angeles County Superior Court

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.

Phoenix motorcyclist and his lawyers win his case against a driver who pulled out in front of him, resulting in an accident where he suffered serious injuries

Accident Type:

Motorcycle Accident

Incident Date:

Monday, January 1, 1990

Result Date:

Saturday, May 1, 1993

Monetary Result:

$500,000

Topics:

Court:

Maricopa County Superior Court

Mr. Davis, a 31-year-old respitory therapist, was riding his motorcycle in Phoenix, Arizona when a vehicle, driven by Mr. Ballecer, drove into his lane, resulting in an accident. Davis stated that he thought that the vehicle was parking on the side of the road when Ballecer suddenly turned left into his lane of traffic, resulting in the accident. Davis suffered severe injuries in the crash, including a closed head injuring resulting in a seizure disorder, a jaw fracture, a fractured orbital bone around the right eye, and a torn pectoral muscle.

Mr. Davis decided to sue Mr. Ballecer for personal injury due to his negligent driving. Mr. Ballecer denied his responsibility, claiming that Davis made an unsafe lane change and failed to make evasive maneuvers to avoid crashing into his vehicle.

Ultimately the jury sided with Mr. Davis. He was found to be 48% negligent, however. His total award was $500,000, which was composed of $48,000 for past medcal expenses, $43,000 for future medical expenses, $49,000 for past lost wages, and $450,000 for future lost wages.

Los Angeles family and their lawyers win their wrongful death suit against an ambulance company after a father dies while being transported to the hospital following a motorcycle race accident

Incident Date:

Sunday, January 1, 1989

Result Date:

Wednesday, January 1, 1992

Monetary Result:

$500,000

Topics:

Court:

Los Angeles County Superior Court

Mr. Mansur, a 59-year-old electrical contractor was injured in an accident during a motorcycle race near Los Angeles, California. While he was being transported to a hospital he succumbed to his injuries, resulting in his death. Mr. Mansur's wife and two children decided to sue the company which managed the ambulance he was riding in, Schaefer Ambulance, for wrongful death. They stated that he was not transported to the hospital in a timely mannner. They pointed out that he had survivable injuries, and that he would have survived if the ambulance company had transported him in time to the hospital. The ambulance company and their lawyers coldly argued that Mr. Mansur's injuries were not survivable. They claimed his injuries, a collapsed lung, a ruptured spleen, and fractures to his shoulder and arm, were not survivable injuries. These injuries are, in fact, common injuries in motorcycle accidents where the injured rider survives. They further argued that the race promoters, not themselves, determined what equipment and personnel were needed and controlled the rescue operation. They also contended that a released signed by Mr. Mansur barred him from suing. The jury sided with Mr. Mansur's family and their lawyers, awarding them $500,000.

Deceased motorcyclist's parents and their lawyers win their case against a laundry company after one of their drivers struck and killed their son

Accident Type:

Motorcycle Accident

Incident Date:

Monday, February 1, 1988

Result Date:

Saturday, December 1, 1990

Monetary Result:

$850,000

Topics:

Court:

San Francisco County Superior Court

Mr. Martin, a 23-year-old airline baggage clerk was riding his motorcycle in February, 1988 when it collided with a laundry delivery truck owned by Peerless Laundry making a left turn into Martin's path. Mr. Martin died as a result of the accident.

Martin's parents decided to sue the laundry company for the wrongful death of their son. During the trial, it was revealed that the driver at the time was actually an accounts-payable clerk who happened to be filling in as a driver that day. Martin's parents and their lawyers argued that the laundry company was negligent in using an untrained employee as a driver, and that the driver was searching for an address at the time of the accident. They produced witnesses that stated that their son was driving within the speed limit with his headlight on at the time of the crash.

The dendant laundry company contended that the driver was not negligent. They argued that Martin was driving over 100 MPH at the time of the crash without his headlight on.

In the end, the jury sided with Martin's parents and their lawyers, awarding them $850,000.

Lawyers of deceased youth's parents win their clients $567,345 after their son died in a motorcycle accident with a commercial vehicle

Accident Type:

Motorcycle Accident

Incident Date:

Friday, May 8, 1987

Result Date:

Monday, April 2, 1990

Monetary Result:

$907,751

Topics:

Court:

Contra Costa Superior Court

This accident was occured when a 17-year-old motorcyclist collided with a commercial vehicle at a busy intersection, resulting in the youth's death. The incident occurred at 7 p.m. on May 8, 1987 in clear weather, at an intersection with two lanes and a left hand turn lane running south to north and two lanes north to south, in the City of Lafayette, California. Michael Richardson, 45-years-old and Audrey Richardson are the parents of a 17-year-old boy who was killed in a motorcycle accident. They argued that an employee of the defending copmany, Style Master Exteriors, who was driving a car, took an illegal left turn which blocked the boy’s right of way. The boy’s motorcycle crashed into the car, and he died at the site of the accident. The parents claimed the illegal left turn was the cause of the accident and that the driver, and therefore his comapany as well, were the negligent party. The case was settled against the driver himself before trial for his insurance policy limits of $15,000. The driver's employer, Style Master Exteriors, argued the crash was caused by the negligence of the motorcycle rider. They alleged that the motorcyclist was racing with another boy. They claimed he therefore was driving too fast and following the other boy too closely, and that this caused him to be inattentive to vehicles in the intersection. The employer further claimed that, because the boy died of a head injury and was not wearing a helmet, his injuries were caused by his own negligence. The vehicle driver's employer also claimed the boy’s mother negligently entrusted her son with the motorcycle. Ultimately, the Richardsons won their suit against the employer of the vehicle's driver, Style Master Exteriors. The total amount awarded to the deceased motorcyclist's parents totaled $907,751. Their son, however, was found to be 37.5% at fault, and therefore the total amount they recieved totaled $567,345.

Motorcycle officer's lawyers win his case after he runs off of a state highway in Ventura County, California

Accident Type:

Motorcycle Accident

Incident Date:

Wednesday, January 1, 1986

Result Date:

Tuesday, October 1, 1991

Monetary Result:

$850,000

Topics:

Court:

Ventura County Superior Court

Mr. Blackburn, a 44-year-old motorcycle officer, was riding his bike on a state highway in Ventura County, California when he drove of the road and into a cement railroad control box. The roadway had once been a throughway, however a portion of it had been closed due to the realighment of a state highway. Blackburn sustained a fracture and dislocation of his left hip, a fracture in his pelvis, and a nerve injury to his lower left leg. The injuries resulted in a minor foot drop and the future possibility of developing avascular necrosis and arthritis in his left hip, which would require a hip replacement.

Blackburn decided to sue the state of California for its failure to warn that the road ends. The state of California's lawyers contended that the roadway was clearly marked, and that Blackburn had ignored the warnings and purposely used the closed portion of the highway as a shortcut. Furthermore, they pointed out that the land on which the accident took place was not owned by the state at that time.

The jury sided with Blackburn, for a total award of $850,000. He was found 40% at fault, however, and the total amount was reduced to $510,000.