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Motorcyclist's lawyers win his case against a negligent driver of a church van after he sustains injuries in an accident in Los Angeles County, California
Accident Type:
Motorcycle AccidentIncident Date:
Sunday, November 1, 1998Result Date:
Thursday, March 1, 2001Monetary Result:
$818,147Topics:
Mr. Quezada was riding his motorcycle in November of 1998 when he collided with a van operated by Mr. Paiva and owned by Angelica Lutheran Church making a U-turn. Mr. Quezada suffered a hemopneumothorax (air and blood in the chest cavity), nine fractured ribs, a restrictive lung disease, and road rash to his right hand as a result of the accident.
Quezada decided to sue Paiva and the church that owned the van for vehicle negligence. He and his lawyers argued that Paiva made an illegal U-turn and was inattentive to oncoming traffic.
Paiva and the church denied liability and argued that Quezada was negligent for operating his motorcycle at a high speed.
The jury ruled in favor of Quezada, awarding him $818,147, including $25,000 for loss of services claimed by his spouse. He was found to be 50% at fault for the accident, however, and the amount was reduced accordingly.
Teen motorcyclist and his lawyers win their case against motorcycle club after an accident at a racetrack
Accident Type:
Motorcycle AccidentIncident Date:
Saturday, January 1, 1994Result Date:
Monday, January 1, 1996Monetary Result:
$758,729Topics:
Mr. Wadlow, 16 at the time of the accident, was returning on a dirt road from the "smoke bomb" area of a race track back to the pits wre he acted as a crewman for his father when he collided with a truck heading in the opposite direction. As a result of the accident, he suffered a compound fracture to his left femur and tibia, requiring two months of hospitalization, six skin graft surgeries and resulting in a permanent limp, scarring, and possible future surgery and arthritis.
Wadlow and his lawyers decided to sue the motorcycle clubs that own the track, Jack Rabbit Motorcycle Club and American Motorcycle Club. They contended that the dirt road was supposed to be one-way road and that they had failed to direct traffic on that road.
The defending motorcycle clubs argued that Wadlow was responsible for the his injuries as he was operating a motorcycle that was too large for his size. They additionally claimed that they had no obligation to direct traffic as an amateur club.
In the end, Wadlow and his lawyers won the case and a reward of $758,729. However, Mr. Wadlow was found to be 33.3% negligent for riding in a large motorcycle and not taking evasive action while driving, while his father was also found 33.3% negligent. Therefore, the total award they collected was reduced to $331,081.
Motorcyclist's lawyers win case against negligent driver and mechanic who installed faulty brakes in Los Angeles, California
Accident Type:
Motorcycle AccidentIncident Date:
Monday, October 1, 1990Result Date:
Sunday, January 1, 1995Monetary Result:
$929,000Topics:
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.
Los Angeles jury awards motorcyclist after he suffers injuries in an accident with a dump truck
Accident Type:
Motorcycle AccidentIncident Date:
Tuesday, May 1, 1990Result Date:
Monday, May 18, 1992Monetary Result:
$658,784Topics:
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.