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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.

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.

Motorcyclist and his lawyers win his case after being injured in an accident with a vehicle in a funeral procession that ran a red light

Accident Type:

Motorcycle Accident

Result Date:

Thursday, September 27, 2001

Monetary Result:

$790,000

Topics:

Court:

Sacramento County Superior Court

John McCord was stopped at an intersection in Sacramento County, California on his motorcycle as a funeral procession was passing by on a cross-street. When the light turned green, he entered the intersection. A vehicle in the funeral procession, operated by Ivan Semenyuk, ran the red light, assuming he had the right-of-way in the procession, striking McCord. As a result of the accident, McCord suffered a fractured pelvis, requiring a total hip replacement, and a knee injury. Mr. McCord decided to sue the parties involved in his accident, including Semenyuk; Wayne McMahon, the funeral escort officer controlling both the procession and the intersection; the California Funeral Escort Company and its owner, Sam Oliver; and the Lind Brothers Mortuary. Mr. McCord and his lawyers argued that McMahon, the escort officer, was negligent in leaving the intersection before the procession had fully crossed it. He also argued that the mortuary company was negligent for only hiring a single motorcycle escort for a procession involving 50 to 75 cars over a six mile journey to the cemetary. In addition, Semenyuk was negligent for running the red light when the escorting officer was not present at the intersection. Semenyuk argued that while he did run the red light, the other defendents were responsible, since they had failed to control the intersection and the procession. The other defendents argued that the negligence was Semenyuk's alone, as he ran the red light when the escort officer was not present or in control of the intersection. In addition, the defending parties argued that the knee injury was pre-existing and that McCord would not require any future knee or hip surgeries. In the end, the jury sided with Mr. McCord and his attorneys. They awarded him $790,000, finding Semenyuk 5% liable, and McMahon and his employer 95% liable. The mortuary was not found liable.