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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.

  On August 11, 2004 Daniel McGettigan, a 40-year-old service manager for a car dealership, was riding his motorcycle when he crashed into a truck that Raul Nunez, a salesperson for I-10 Toyota, was showing to prospective customers. Nunez was turning the truck left onto the roadway that McGettigan was driving on, resulting in the accident. McGettigan was driven to an emergency room, where he was found to have multiple contusions. Subsequent MRI's showed problems in the lumbar spine and cervical discs. He underwent extensive physical therapy, chriopractic treatment, and pain control therapy. He claiemd to have a consistent burning pain and tenderness in his back, which was disabling. McGettigan decided to sue Nunez, I-10 Toyota, and its parent company, C&M Motors, LLC. He argued that Nunez was negligent in driving the vehicle, and that his employers were liable. Nunez claimed that he had stopped in the westbound lane of the roadway, and that McGettigan should have seen him and avoided the collision. McGettigan claimed to have a brain injury which resulted in depression and aberrant behavior. His wife left him shortly after the accident, and settled a loss of consortium claim for $12,500. Utlimately, the jury sided with McGettigan and his lawyers, awarding him $890,000. Nunez and his employers were found 100% liable.

  On January 26, 1993, John Randolph was riding his motorcycle west on the Pacific Coast Highway in the right lane. Fahad Abdullah Maghrabi, an employee of Saudi Arabian Airlines, was stopped on Corral Canyon waiting to turn onto the highway to drive east. According to a police report, Maghrabi, who was driving a rental car from Budget Rent-A-Car, did not see Randolph coming and proceeded into the highway, causing a collision between Randolph's motorcycle and his car. The police report stated that Maghrabi was at fault due to his failure to yield to oncoming traffic. As a result of the accident Randolph suffered extensive injuries. He suffered severe injuries to his left knee that ultimately lead to an artificial knee replacement. He additionally suffered injuries his pelvis, leading to sexual dysfunction. Randolph and his wife, Johanne Randolph, sued Maghrabi's employer, Saudi Arabian Airlines, and Budget Rent-a-Car for motor vehicle negligence, as Maghrabi failed to yield to traffic. He sued due to his expenses and lost wages resulting from his injuries, and his wife sued due to the loss of a spousal relationship (loss of consortium) with her husband. The defending parties' lawyers admitted that Maghrabi was negligent, and that Randolph did not contribute to the cause of the accident. The court ruled that since Maghrabi was doing an assignment from his employer and that he was the driver permitted to use the rented vehicle, that his employer Saudi Arabian Airlines was liable for the injuries and other damages that resulted from his negligence. Both side's lawyers brought expert medical witnesses to the stand. The court found that Randolph's doctors provided more compelling testimony. Randolphs lawyers' brought his primary care doctor, who had treated him for nine years, to the stand, stating that his injuries were sustained in the accident. The defendants' doctor, who had only seen Randolph in one visit, argued otherwise. The court found that Randolph's expert medical witness' testimony was more compelling than that of the defendants'. Ultimately the court sided with the Randolphs, awarding them $984,254. Saudi Arabian Airlines was liable for a total of $914,254 to John Randolph. Budget's maximum liability of $15,000 was also awarded to him. The loss of consortium to his wife, Johanne Randolph, was aportioned at $55,000, $40,000 of liability from Saudi Ariabian Airlines, and $15,000 from Budget. John Randolph was found by the court to be entitled to $164,254 of special damages, including $115,646 for past medical expenses, $33,750 for future medical expenses, $8,858 for past income, and $6,000 for future income. He was also found to be entitled to $750,000 for general damages, including $200,000 for past sexual dysfunction and $50,000 for future sexual dysfunction. This total also included $300,000 for past pain and suffering, $150,000 for future pain and suffering associated with the knee replacement. and $50,000 for other future pain and suffering. The award of $40,000 general damages to his wife consisted of $30,000 for past lost consortium, and $10,000 for future lost consortium.

  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.