The Case

• Case Name: Jon Wesley Gambill and Michele Lynn Gambill v. Rene Frank Jimenez, Jr. and M&B Services, Inc.
• Court and Case Number: Ventura County Superior Court / 56-2020-00546979-CU-PO-VTA
• Date of Verdict or Judgment: Thursday, August 14, 2025
• Date Action was Filed: Tuesday, November 10, 2020
• Type of Case: Wrongful Death
• Judge or Arbitrator(s): Hon. Maureen M. Houska
• Plaintiffs:
  Jon Wesley Gambill
  Michele Lynn Gambill
• Defendants:
  Rene Frank Jimenez, Jr.
  M&B Services, Inc.
• Type of Result: Jury Verdict

The Result

• Gross Verdict or Award: $9,000,000
• Non-Economic Damages:$9,000,000
• Trial or Arbitration Time: 6 days
• Jury Deliberation Time: Approximately 4 hours

The Attorneys

• Attorney for the Plaintiff:

  Quirk Law Firm by Trevor Quirk, Marc Anderson and Daneel Touma, Ventura.

  Weiner Law by Christopher Fortunati and Claire Linden, San Diego.

• Attorney for the Defendant:

  Pollak, Vida & Barer by Hamed Amiri Ghaemmaghami and Daniel Barer, Los Angeles.

  McClaugherty & Associates by Jay S. McClaugherty and James Lyon, Monrovia.

Facts and Background

• Facts and Background: Austin was a 16-year-old sophomore at Ventura High School. He was on his school’s track team. In March 2020 he was running back to Ventura High School as part of a track workout. He was on the sidewalk on Seaward Avenue when a work truck driven by defendant Rene Frank Jimenez, Jr., ran up onto the sidewalk and ran him over.
• Austin suffered severe injuries and was rushed to Ventura County Medical Center. He died two days later with his parents, Jon Gambill and Michele Gambill, at his bedside. Rene Frank Jimenez, Jr. was a plumber employed by defendant M&B Services, Inc.
• Plaintiff's Contentions: That Rene Frank Jimenez, Jr. was negligent in his operation of a plumbing truck, drove up onto the sidewalk and killed Austin Gambill. He was operating the plumbing truck in the course and scope of M&B Services, Inc.
• Austin Gambill's parents, Jon Gambill and Michele Gambill, suffered harms due to the tragic loss of their son.
• Defendant's Contentions: Defendants disagreed as to the extent of the damages that the plaintiffs claimed.

Injuries and Other Damages

• Plaintiffs claimed damages for the loss of their son's love, companionship, comfort, care, assistance, protection, affection, society, and moral support.