Long-haul truck driver gets hit by yard goat at truck wash. $775K. Los Angeles County.

Summary

Trucker claims truck wash employee is negligent in accident with yard goat. See interesting 998 offers.

Gross Verdict or Award: $775,420.77
Contributory/Comparative Negligence: 0%
Economic Damages:
$287,357.19
Non-Economic Damages:
$488,033.40
Trial or Arbitration Time: 10 days
Jury Deliberation Time: 4 hours
Jury Polls: 11-1 liability; 11-1 no comparative; 12-0 Past Economic; 10-2 Future Economic Loss; 11-1 Past Non-Economic; 11-1 Future Non-Economic.
Post Trial Motions & Post-Verdict Settlements: The parties settled post-verdict for amount including plaintiff's costs.

Attorney for the Plaintiff:
Girardi Keese by David R. Lira and Alexandra T. Steele, Los Angeles.
Attorney for the Defendant:
Kirk & Zurawski by James Zurawski, Los Angeles.

Plaintiff’s Medical Expert(s):
Chadwick Smith, M.D., orthopedic surgery, Los Angeles.
Defendant's Medical Expert(s):
Jacob Tauber, M.D., orthopedic surgery, Los Angeles.
Plaintiff's Technical Expert(s):
Enrique Vega, M.S., C.R.C, C.D.M.S., vocational rehabilitation, Los Angeles.
Defendant's Technical Expert(s):
Richard H. Andersen, M.S., C.V.E., C.R.C., C.D.M.S., vocational rehabilitation, Westminster.

Facts and Background:
Plaintiff, a long-haul truck driver, sued Sergio A. Ramirez and LA Wash Rack Inc., in connection with an accident that occurred when plaintiff stopped at the defendant truck wash to pick up a load. The accident occurred on May 2, 2013 in Vernon, California.

While at LA Wash Rack, Inc., plaintiff discovered that the air brakes on his trailer were not working. Plaintiff and a third-party mechanic were working on the air brakes when defendant Ramirez, an employee of LA Wash Rack, Inc., backed up an Ottawa yard goat into plaintiff, throwing him violently to the ground, causing facial and skull fractures, shoulder and low back injuries, and a broken ankle, among other injuries.
Plaintiff's Contentions:
Plaintiff claimed that Ramirez and LA Wash Rack were negligent in the operation of the yard goat, injuring plaintiff, and causing him to sustain serious and lasting injuries.
Defendant's Contentions:
Defendants contended that plaintiff was also negligent and that plaintiff had a quick and full recovery. Defendants argued plaintiff was therefore not entitled to the claimed future medical costs or future pain and suffering.

Physical Injuries claimed by Plaintiff:
Plaintiff claimed a broken maxillary sinus and basilar skull fractures, a torn rotator cuff, lumbar spine injuries, and a broken left ankle.

Plaintiff received emergency medical treatment at LAC-USC and was treated for his ankle fracture, back and shoulder issues back in Texas. His future medical needs consist of a surgery on the lumbar spine and rotator cuff.