A Los Angeles Triathlon volunteer who became a paraplegic after he sustained a spinal cord injury while helping officiate the bicycle segment of the 2007 race in has settled his California personal injury lawsuit with the city of LA for $7 million. Steve Albala was in the hospital for over two years following the 2007 Los Angeles motorcycle accident.
Albala was flung some 20 feet from his motorcycle when he was struck by a vehicle that had entered an intersection, per a traffic officer's guidance.The then-60 year old fractured his vertebrae and had to undergo numerous surgeries. Police blamed the traffic collision on Albala, who they say was speeding.
The city also settled a Los Angeles injury case with the race official who was riding with Albala for $250,000. The motorist that struck Albala has settled his Los Angeles car accident case with the city for $500,000.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Motorcyclists are at risk of sustaining serious injuries during a collision. A SCI can lead to permanent disability and paralysis, and the injured biker may become a quadriplegic or a paraplegic. A person with an SCI may also experience bowel problems, sexual dysfunction, bladder control issues, respiratory issues, pneumonia, osteoporosis, heterotopic ossification, spasticity, decubitus ulcers, autonomic dysreflexia, deep vein thrombosis, cardiovascular disease, syringomyelia, and neuropathic pain.
Losing the ability to use the lower and/or upper half of your body can be traumatic, and the SCI patient will likely require costly, ongoing care and specialized equipment for life. According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, just 15 days in a hospital can cost an SCI patient about $140,000. A lifetime of medical care for a serious SCI costs approximately over $1,000,000.
While many people wrongly believe that all motorcycle riders tend to be careless or reckless, this is often not the case.
L.A. settles accident lawsuit for $7 million, Los Angeles Times, March 9, 2010
Possible complications, SpinalInjury.net
Related Web Resources:
Motorcycle Accident Overview, Justia
