Utility truct collides with car: Negligence in pulling from posted stop sign: Head injuries: Postverdict settlement

Law Reporter, May 2001

Salazar v. Pacific Gas &Elec., Cal., Fresno County Super. Ct., No. 632518-7, Aug. 24,2000.

Salazar, 53, was traveling on a road. A utility truck stopped at a posted stop sign and then pulled out, colliding with the left side of Salazar's vehicle. Salazar suffered subarachnoid hemorrhages and intracerebral hematomas. She developed dementia due to the head trauma, a personality change, and a major depressive disorder. Her medical expenses totaled approximately $37,200. She had been a farmworker and is now unable to return to work. Her future lost earnings total $64,800.

Salazar sued the owner and driver of the truck. Plaintiff alleged that the driver was negligent in pulling from the stop sign. Plaintiff also claimed the owner was responsible under a respondeat superior theory of liability. Defendants did not contest liability.

A jury awarded plaintiff approximately $893,700. Defendants subsequently accepted an additur of $150,000. The trial court awarded costs of about $20,300. The owner of the truck paid the award.

Plaintiff's experts included Harvey L. Edmonds, neurology, Bruce Ginier, neuroradiology, and Rick Sarkisian, vocational rehabilitation, all of Fresno, Cal.; Laura Liptai, biomechanical engineering, Moraga, Cal.; and David Yoshida, accident reconstruction, Palo Alto, Cal.

Defendants' experts were Joseph C. Wu, nuclear medicine, Irvine, Cal.; Steven Molina, rehabilitation, Santa Ana, Cal.; Claude Munday, neuropsychology, Oakland, Cal.; and Matthew James Lotysch, neuroradiology, Playa del Rey, Cal.

Plaintiffs Counsel

*Richard C. Watters, Fresno, Cal.

Documents in Salazar v. Pacific Gas & Elec. are available through the Litigation Resources section in the back of this issue, courtesy of Mr. Watters.