The family of Katrina Martinez, 7, and the CHP have settled her California spinal cord injury case for $4.5 million. Martinez, who is now a quadriplegic, was just 20 months old on April 7, 2006 when she was involved in a car crash. She sustained her SCI while she was being rescued by a California Highway Patrol officer.
Martinez was seated in a car seat in the GEO Prism driven by her aunt Lisa Rosas, 17, when the vehicle was hit by a stolen SUV whose driver,Thomas Lee Holt, was being pursued by a Bakersfield cop. Holt, who lost control of the car, ran into Rosas's Geo Prism, which ended up on its side with Martinez still strapped to the safety seat and "hanging by her neck from the shoulder belt of the car." It was after a CHP officer cut the belt and held her as he took her out of the vehicle that her family believes the little girl sustained her spinal cord injury. Witnesses claim that the officer failed to immobilize her spine nand neck right away and that he may have held her in a way that compromised her spine.
Often, settling can allow a defendant to reach an agreed upon sum rather than risk being ordered to pay a larger amount. Settling is one of the possible outcomes between a defendant and the plaintiff of a California injury lawsuit. In many cases, the party being held liable will try to reach this type of an agreement before the suit can go to court.
Spinal cord injuries are debilitating injuries and many people suffering from an SCI require a lifetime of specialized, costly care. Working with an Anaheim spinal cord injury law firm can allow you to obtain the maximum recovery possible for your injuries.
$4.5 million settlement for family of paralyzed girl, 17KGET, May 24, 2011
Six-year-old Bakersfield girl gets $4.5 million from CHP, Bakersfield, May 24, 2011
Related Blog Posts:
$49.2M California Car Accident Verdict Awarded to Driver's Family and CHP Officer Who is Now a Quadriplegic, California Injury Lawyers Blog, January 28, 2011
Barstow Jury Awards Family of Boy $32 Million San Bernardino County Personal Injuries to a Minor Verdict, California Injury Lawyers Blog, June 17, 2010
California Jury Awards $16.5 Million Riverside County Medical Malpractice Verdict to Couple in Injury Case Against Neurosurgeon, California Injury Lawyers Blog, February 20, 2010
