DISCLAIMER: The results are specific to the facts and legal circumstances of each of the clients’ cases and should not be used to form an expectation that the same results could be obtained for other clients in similar matters without reference to the specific factual and legal circumstances of each client’s case.
On a sunny August morning, our client was riding his Harley from one jobsite to another. He was riding in downtown Seattle and just about to enter an intersection on a green light when a large F-350 pick-up made a sudden and illegal left turn in front of him. Our client had not time to avoid the truck, he tried to swerve, but hit the bed of the pick-up.
The impact sent our client and his motorcycle crashing to the pavement. He slid over 70 feet on the road before coming to rest in the middle of the street. The motorcycle slid on its left side for a short distance then flipped to the right side and continued sliding, which is when our client was thrown off the motorcycle and slid on his own down the roadway.
The truck driver fled the scene of the accident, making it a hit-n-run. Luckily witnesses got enough information on the truck for the police to track down the at-fault driver. The truck driver was on the job at the time of the accident, so his employer and its insurance company were on the hook for his negligent driving.
As a result of this Seattle motorcycle accident, our client suffered a very severe broken bone in his lower leg, knee ligament tear, leg numbness, hip pain and low back pain. The leg and knee injuries required surgery. Plates and screws were needed to stabilize his lower leg as well as external fixation above the knee for several weeks. Complications followed surgery, which led to our client undergoing a total of seven surgeries on his leg. Our client’s leg was left with a permanent injury, he lost range of motion and deals with daily pain. He is also looking at another knee replacement surgery in the future.
In addition to the severe physical injuries, he was emotionally traumatized. In the months following the accident he suffered from anxiety and PTSD like symptoms. The fear of riding again was also a huge hurdle to overcome. He was able to ride again, however, the same joy he had for riding before was diminished.
The medical expenses in this case were over $365,000. Future medical expenses were projected at over $150,000. As a result of the permanent range of motion lost in his leg, our client’s future employment opportunities were reduced. He worked in construction and the jobs he was physically capable of performing in the past he could no longer do. As a result, we estimate his lost wages and lost earning capacity to be over $150,000.
Our client’s case was settled during mediation a few months before trial for $1,800,000.