Motorcyclist loses his foot in multi-vehicle accident – $550,000
Running, swimming, going to the park and finding ways to spend time with his wife and three kids were at the core of our client’s life. He and his wife maintained an active life, often traveling to local destinations to enjoy the outdoors. Little did he realize that a trip home from work might change the outlook of future adventures with his family.
Our client was traveling home from work on his motorcycle, and lane splitting as many California riders legally do during their commute. Unfortunately, a truck driving ahead of him on I-580 made a sudden move within the lane, making contact with our client’s handlebars.
The speed and the force of this contact ejected our client from his motorcycle seat, resulting in multiple cuts and bruises. Worst of all, the impact with his bike launched him directly into the path of a passing semi-truck, which ran over his leg. The semi-truck stripped nearly all the flesh from our client’s foot, essentially de-gloving him from the ankle down. To prevent further injury or complications from his de-gloved foot, doctors amputated our client’s leg below the knee that would require further treatment, prosthetic fittings, and physical therapy.
The police accident report, coupled with witness testimony, concluded that our client had rear-ended the pickup truck. As a result of this conclusion, the insurance company vigorously denied any fault or liability. Undeterred by the adverse report and the possibility that our client might not recover anything, our attorney carefully reviewed the contents of the police report and the witness testimony.
Dissatisfied with the report’s conclusions, our attorney diligently pursued its investigation and research of legal precedents to support our client’s limited liability in the accident. She aggressively deposed witnesses showing holes in the witness testimony, and skillfully argued the driver’s liability in the accident and the compensation due to our client for his injuries and damages.
After several rounds of negotiations, our attorney kept continuous pressure on the insurance company, increasing our client’s chance of recovery from zero to nearly $400,000. Despite the insurance company’s offer, our attorney convincingly pressed the point of the driver’s liability, ultimately driving the offer up an additional $150,000 for a total settlement of $550,000 for our client.
Just three months later after his accident, our client returned to work determined to limit the accident’s impact to his life and family. With his $550,000 settlement, he can pay his medical expenses and has the means to continue activities with his wife and children.