California Injury Lawyers Blog

A jury has awarded D'Knawn Hairston $7.6m in California spinal cord injury damages in her medical malpractice lawsuit against the UC Regents. Hairston became paralyzed from the waist down in 2003 after doctors at UC Davis medical center failed to diagnose that she had a spinal abnormality. Hairston was 13 at the time.

A radiology resident and a pediatric radiologist both looked at an MRI of Hairston's spine. The teenager had been admitted to the UC hospital after experiencing sensation loss in the lower half of her body and back pain. Per court documents, both doctors diagnosed her spine as normal even though an abnormal mass was visible in the images. Instead, the doctors determined that Hairston had Guillain-Barre Syndrome, which they treated.

Nearly four years ago, Hairston woke up one day and was unable to move her legs. Once again, she was admitted to a hospital. MRI results revealed a large bleeding growth in the same area where the abnormal mass had been on her spine. Although the growth was removed, she sustained a permanent spinal cord injury and she is now a paraplegic (below the waist.)

Spinal Cord Injuries
A spinal cord injury involves damage to the spinal cord. Common causes of SCIs include:

• Motor vehicle accidents
• Fall accidents
• Gunshot wounds
• Sports injuries
• Assault crimes
• Work accidents
• Wear and tear from aging

The sooner a spinal cord injury is treated, the better the chances of recovery, or, at the very least, a reduction of long-term side effects.

In addition to partial paralysis, temporary paralysis, permanent paralysis (including quadriplegia and paraplegia), other serious effects of SCIs can include:

• Kidney disease
• Paralysis of respiratory muscles
• Pressure sores
• Deep vein thrombosis
• Skin breakdown
• Numbness
• Urinary tract infections
• Loss of bowel and bladder control
• Changes to blood pressure
• Muscle spasticity
• Shock
• Loss of sensation

Living with an SCI can be life-altering and costly. A spinal cord injury patient may need round-the-clock nursing care, extensive therapies, and costly medical equipment. He/she also may not be able to hold a job.

If someone's negligence caused or contributed to you suffering a Orange County, California spinal cord injury, you may have grounds for an Anaheim personal injury lawsuit.

For example, in Hairston's case, it was the physicians' delayed diagnosis that caused her condition to deteriorate. If they had treated the problem sooner, she may not have become permanently paralyzed. As a result, she was able to pursue and obtain California medical malpractice damages.

Elk Grove woman wins $7.6M in UC Davis malpractice suit, Business Journals, October 31, 2011

UC Regents

More Blog Posts:
$4.5M California Spinal Cord Injury Settlement Reached in Case of Girl Injured While Being Rescued by CHP Following 2006 Car Crash, California Injury Lawyers Blog, June 13, 2011

$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

California Jury Awards $16.5 Million Riverside County Medical Malpractice Verdict to Couple in Injury Case Against Neurosurgeon, California Injury Lawyers Blog, February 12, 2011

Continue reading "UC Regents Ordered to Pay $7.6M California Medical Malpractice Verdict to Teenager Who Sustained Spinal Cord Injury that Left Her a Paraplegic " »

A jury has ordered YRC. Inc. to pay a motorist $12.2 million for his California tractor-trailer accident injuries. The victim, who driving a Chevy Metro at the time, suffered spinal injuries and traumatic brain injuries in 2008 when he was hit by a wheel that had come off the rear axle of a tractor-trailer.

The impact of the accident caused the motorist to hit his head on the roof of the motor vehicle despite wearing a seat belt. His California TBI injuries have changed his personality and damaged his memory, concentration, and ability to pay attention. Because of his spinal injuries, he had to undergo neck surgery. He will also experience back and neck pain for life. Because of his California tractor-trailer crash injuries, the victim, who worked a contractor that built, fixed, and tested military aircraft, has been unable to resume working.

Although YRC Inc. admitted responsibility for the California truck accident, the company accused the victim of lying about his brain injury. Also, the trucking company argued that the patient's neck injury was unrelated to the crash. The jury sided with the plaintiff.

Traumatic Brain Injuries
Sustaining a serious traumatic brain injury can alter a victim's existence for life.

Types of TBIs:
Penetrating Injuries: Involves a foreign object entering the brain and causing damage that way.

Closed Head Injuries: Caused by a severe blow to a head. This can lead to primary brain damage or secondary brain damage. Primary brain damage occurs on impact. Examples of primary brain damage include skull fractures, brain bruising, hematoma, lacerations of the frontal or temporal brain lobes, and diffuse axonal injury, which involves nerve damage. Meantime, secondary brain damage may develop as a result of the original trauma over time. Examples of this type of brain damage are intracranial infection, swelling, hematoma, epilepsy, intracranial pressure, blood pressure issues, anemia, abnormal blood coagulation, lung issues, and cardiac issues.

A brain injury may impair a person's ability to communicate, think, cope with life, interact with others, and generally exist. His/her motions and personality may be affected. Memory problems, inability to quickly process information, problems concentration, and other cognitive issues can develop.

A person with a severe TBI may not be able to continue working, or live independently. The TBI patient's injuries may also seriously impact their loved ones, who can no longer rely on him/her for emotional support, consortium, and financial support.

Motor vehicle crashes (semi-truck collisions, bus accidents, car crashes, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, bicycle crashes) are a leading cause of traumatic brain injuries. There may be a negligent motorist and/or other related third parties that should be held liable. While nothing can make up for your losses and damages, obtaining Orange County, California traumatic brain injury damages can help cover accrued and future costs that you may have to contend with as a result of your injuries.

California Jury Returns $12.2M Verdict In Suit Over Man's Brain, Spinal Injuries, Lexis/Nexis

Trucking Accidents: Common Causes & Liability, Nolo

Traumatic Brain Injury, CDC

More Blog Posts:
NFL Sued by 75 Pro Football Players in Los Angeles Superior Court For Concealing Brain Injury Risks, California Injury Lawyers Blog, July 21, 2011

Irvine Teen Sustains Fatal Traumatic Brain Injury in Orange County, California Car Accident, California Injury Lawyers Blog, May 31, 2011

$6M Riverside County Truck Accident Settlement Reached in 2007 DUI Case, California Injury Lawyers Blog, May 27, 2011

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

A jury has awarded Anthony Pedefferi and his wife $39 million for his California car accident injuries. Pedeferri, a former CHP officer, was standing on California 101 north of Ventura after having pulled over driver Andres Parra when they were struck by a truck driven by Jeremy White on December 19, 2007. Parra died from his injuries while Pedeferri, who sustained a spinal cord injury, is now a quadriplegic. Parra's family was awarded $10.2 million for his wrongful death.

The jury found both White and Bert's Mega Mall liable in the case--the latter for failing to properly secure the two dirt bikes that were the back of the truck that caused White to become distracted while driving that day. Meantime, White was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2008 for his role in causing the catastrophic auto accident. He pleaded guilty to selling and transporting marijuana and gross vehicular manslaughter.

Orange County, California Car Accidents
There may be more than one party who should be held liable for your Anaheim car accident. An experienced Anaheim injury lawyer will know what to look for to determine who should pay you damages. Crash site evidence, photographs of the crash site, police reports, vehicle maintenance records, drug and alcohol tests, driving records, key receipts, and the victim's medical records are just some of the many documents and items that may have to be examined.

In any injury case, the defendant's attorneys will likely fight any attempts to recover the maximum in personal injury compensation, which is why you need your own lawyer protecting your rights.

Jury awards almost $50 million in crash that killed 1 and paralyzed CHP officer, VC Star, January 25, 2011

Ventura jury awards $49.2 million in fatal accident that paralyzed CHP officer, Los Angeles Times, January 27, 2011

Related Web Resources:
Quadriplegia, Spinal Injury

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

In a recent Anaheim injury accident at Disney's California Adventure, a 20-year-old man received medical care after he fell 25 feet from a platform while in line to ride The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. According to a Disney spokesperson, the man climbed over a barrier and lost his balance. Following the incident, Disney shut down the ride while paramedics provided the injured parkgoer with medical care.

Amusement Park Accidents
Like other premise owners, amusement park owners must ensure there are no hazards on the property that can cause serious injuries or deaths to visitors. This means making sure that the attractions are safe for parkgoers to ride and that safety precautions have been put in place to prevent slip and fall accidents, fall accidents, violent crimes, and other injury accidents from happening.

Injury accidents that occur on amusement park rides can prove catastrophic. Just recently, a 12-year-old suffered serious injuries on a freefall ride at Extreme World in Wisconsin on July 30. Teagan Marti fell 10 stories to the ground when the harness that was holding her released her.

Ride operator Charles Carnell has said that he "blanked out" and took off the girl's harness before the safety nets could catch her. He is charged with first degree reckless injury. Doctors say that Marti may be paralyzed.

Some other recent amusement park accidents:
• A 45-year-old woman and 36-year-old man experienced back pain after riding the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit coaster at Universal Studios Florida.

• A 54-year-old man had a heart attack and a 74-year-old man became ill after riding the Expedition Everest in Disney's Animal Kingdom.

• A 68-year-old woman who rode Spaceship Earth at Epcot experienced chest pain.

• A 27-year-old man became ill after getting on the Mission: Space at Epcot Center

• A 65-year-old man experienced chest pain and a 72-year-old woman had a seizure after riding Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney World's Animal Kingdom.

• A 61-year-old woman broke her arm and a 68-year-old woman broke her hip when exiting the Mad Tea Party in the Magic Kingdom at Disney World.

A woman is also suing Walt Disney Parks and Resorts for the injuries and post-traumatic stress she says that she suffered Disney employee dressed as Donald Duck grabbed one of her breasts and molested her at Epcot Center in 2008. She is seeking damages for negligence, battery, and infliction of emotional distress.

Disney, Universal report amusement park accident, Orlando Sentinel, August 30, 2010

Man falls 25 feet from ride line at Disney park, CNN, August 20, 2010

Park "Repairs" at Crime Scene Where Girl Fell, CBS News, August 20, 2010

Delaware County woman claims Donald Duck groped her, Philly.com, August 12, 2010

Related Web Resources:
RideAccidents.com

AccidentWatch, Theme Park Insider

Continue reading "Anaheim Fall Accident Injures Man Waiting in Line At Disney's California Adventure Park" »

Seven years after 17-year-old Dillon Elkins became a quadriplegic when he jumped from a truck and struck his head on the pavement, a Barstow jury has awarded his family $32.2 million for his San Bernardino County personal injury lawsuit. Because jury members found Elkins to be 20% at fault and Robert Murchison, the driver of the truck, to be 80% at fault, Dillon's family will receive 80% of the verdict.

The tragic San Bernardino County car accident happened in 2003 when Elkins, then 10, asked high school football player Robert Murchison to give him a ride from the homecoming football game. Murchison, then 18, has said that not only did he tell Dillon and another boy that he couldn't drive them because the truck's cab was full, but also that the two boys ignored him and jumped on the truck bed. Witnesses have said that Murchison told the boys that if a cop appeared, they were to jump out of the truck.

According to the family's San Bernardino County motor vehicle accident lawsuit, while on California 127, Murchison saw a police car and told the boys to jump out, which is exactly what Elkins did. Following the tragic accident, Elkins fell into a coma for three weeks and sustained severe brain injuries that left him a spastic quadriplegic. He is no longer able to walk, speak, or eat anything that isn't fed through a gastric tube.

Now, Elkins' mother Sherry Setter says that her son will have the funds to receive the medical care that he needs.

Spastic Quadriplegia
Spastic quadriplegia usually affects all four limbs of the body and can result in mental retardation, hearing impairment, and visual problems. Complications may include cognitive difficulties, seizures, bladder dysfunction, scoliosis, bowel dysfunction, skin sores, hip dislocation, and other health issues. Spastic quadriplegia can occur as a result of a spinal cord injury or brain damage.

If someone you love now has spastic quadriplegia because another party was negligent, you may be able to pursue Orange County, California personal injury recovery. Living as a spastic quadriplegia can be very expensive and you will likely need financial resources to cover medical expenses, round-the-clock care, specialized equipment, rehabilitation, and other services.

Jury awards damages to Baker youth badly injured in '03 accident, Los Angeles Times, June 9, 2010

Jury Awards $32M To I.E. Boy Left Quadriplegic, CBS/AP, June 9, 2010

Related Web Resources:
The National Spinal Cord Injury Association

Traumatic Brain Injury Information Page, National Institutes of Health

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

City of Los Angeles

National Spinal Cord Injury Association

More than six years after Trent Hughes sustained a spinal cord injury in an accident that left him a paraplegic, a Riverside County jury has awarded a $16.5 million California medical malpractice verdict to him and his wife Lisa in their personal injury case against neurosurgeon Christopher Pham.

Trent, who at the time was 41, began experiencing numbness in his toes and feet, as well as excruciating pain in his lower back while on an off-road vehicle excursion on November 2, 2003. He was flown to a Palm Springs, California where, at about 2pm, he was diagnosed with a spine fracture.

Hospital records indicate that Pham, who was on call, was supposed to arrive at the Emergency Room within 20 minutes after he was contacted to assess the extent of Trent's injuries. However, he didn't see the patient until the following afternoon. Also, Pham did not perform the surgery to decompress Trent's spinal cord until the day after that one.

The couple's Riverside County medical malpractice lawsuit contends that by the time Pham conducted the surgery, Trent's spinal cord injury had become irreversible and, as a result, he is now paralyzed.

Before the accident, the Hughes, who are former high school sweethearts, ran a successful air conditioning business. Following Trent's catastrophic injuries, they lost their business.

The jury's verdict against Pham comes after a re-trial. A verdict issued by a jury after the case was tried in January 2004 was overturned because of defense counsel misconduct during their closing. The couple has already settled their medical malpractice claim against Desert Regional Medical Center.

The $16.5 million Riverside County medical malpractice verdict includes damages for medical expenses, rehabilitative costs, loss of consortium, pain and suffering, and lost income.

Surgical Errors
Surgical mistakes, delayed surgeries, wrong site surgeries, and accidentally leaving a medical instrument or another object in the patient following surgery are surgical errors that can be grounds for California medical malpractice. These are not errors that can be fixed easily. In some cases, medical mistakes can prove catastrophic for the patient.

Riverside jury awards Arizona couple $16.5 million in medical malpractice suit, Los Angeles Times, February 3, 2010

Former valley doctor found negligent, Mydesert.com, February 2, 2010

More than three years after Jaklin Mikhal Romine sustained catastrophic injuries during a Los Angeles County car crash, she is now suing Nissan Motor Co., Nissan Design America, Nissan North America Inc., Vintec Co., and Ikeda Engineering for California auto products liability.

Romine was stopped at a Pasadena intersection on October 21, 2006 when another vehicle rear-ended her 2000 Nissan Frontier. In her Los Angeles County injury lawsuit, Romine claims that a seatback defect caused the seat she was on to collapse backward. As a result, her head struck the back seat, and she sustained serious head injuries and spinal cord injuries. Romine is now an incomplete paraplegic.

Romine's Los Angeles auto products liability complaint accuses Nissan of knowing that the seatbacks in her pickup truck were not strong enough to survive a modest rear-end crash. She says that other car accident victims have filed personal injury lawsuits over the same defect in the past. She also says in-house testifying verified that the seatbacks were faulty.

The plaintiff contends the seatback defect could have easily been corrected with stronger recliners, seatback frames, and belt-integrated seats. She is accusing Nissan of choosing profit over vehicle occupants safety.

Seat Back Defects
Seat back defects are not uncommon and they can prove fatal. A seat that collapses backwards can cause serious head and spinal injuries for the occupant in the seat that collapses, while the person riding behind the defective seat that falls backward is at risk of sustaining chest and head injuries. A seat that collapses forward during a collision can also prove catastrophic for vehicle occupants.

Car manufacturers are supposed to design and make seats that are free from defects and will not collapse during a collision. An automaker can be held liable for Orange County, California auto products liability if serious injuries or death results.

Fox Business News, January 13, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Products Liability, Justia

Seat Failures and Occupant Restraints

The city of Palo Alto and car accident victim Silvio Obregon have reached a $1.45 million California personal injury settlement over the September 6, 2006 car crash that left Obregon with a spinal cord injury. The California injury plaintiff was hurt when he was rear-ended by a city-owned vehicle driven by Ruben Salas, a city utilities worker.

Obregon was stopped at a red light when Salas, who took his eyes off the road to reach for his cell phone, struck him. Now, Obregon can no longer work as a supervisor for a janitorial services company, which was a job he held for 20 years. He suffers from peripheral neuropathy, and an electronic stimulator had to be surgically implanted in him to decrease his back pain.

Cell Phone Driving Accidents
California distracted driving accidents can have catastrophic consequences. Reaching over to grab a cell phone or taking one's eyes off the road for just a few seconds to read a text message may seem like harmless acts. However, the few seconds it takes to complete these distractions have been known to kill people.

The federal government recently launched Distraction.gov, a distracted driving Web site. Some of the facts provided:

• From the University of Utah: Use of any cell phone slows driver reaction time as much as driving with a blood alcohol concentration of .08% slows a drunk driver's reaction time.

• From the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety: Using a handheld device increases a motorist's risk of hurting themselves in a car crash by four times.

• From Carnegie Mellon: Using a cell phone while driving slows brain activity involved for driving by 37%.

A driver who is distracted can be sued for Orange County, California personal injury if his or her negligence, carelessness, or recklessness hurts someone else.

Palo Alto pays $1.45 million for car accident, Palo Alto Online, January 6, 2010

Statistics and Facts About Distracted Driving, Distraction.gov

Related Web Resources:
Spinal Cord Injury, Mayo Clinic

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

The US Supreme Court is refusing to review the $83 million verdict awarded in the California SUV rollover lawsuit against Ford Motor Co. The auto manufacturer has sought to have the auto products liability award against it overturned since 2004 when a jury awarded $369 million to Benetta Buell-Wilson for her personal injuries. That was the first time Ford had ever lost a products liability lawsuit involving a Ford Explorer.

During the appeals process, the award amount was reduced. Eventually Buell-Wilson and her husband were awarded $55 million in punitive damages and $27.6 million in compensatory damages.

In 2002, Buell-Wilson sustained a spinal cord injury that left her a paraplegic. The then 46-year-old mother of two swerved her Ford Explorer to avoid striking a metal object that fell from another vehicle. Her sport utility vehicle then rolled over four times.

Buell-Wilson and her husband sued Ford for California personal injury. They claimed that the Ford Explorer had a poorly designed roof and that it was prone to rollovers.

SUV Rollover Accidents
Thousands of motor vehicle crashes are caused by auto rollovers. The vehicle may be an SUV, a van, a passenger vehicle, or a light truck. Out of all these vehicles, however, SUV's have the highest rollover rate.

Auto defects that can lead to SUV rollover injuries:

• Poor vehicle design with its higher center of gravity
• Defective tires
• Roofs that easily crush inward during a rollover accident
• Defective seat belts
• Inadequate safety features

An Orange County, California SUV rollover accidents can lead to spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, massive internal injuries, and wrongful death.

Auto manufacturers are supposed to design vehicles that are not easily prone to rolling over. The motor vehicles should also come with the proper safety devices to protect passengers in the event of a rollover accident. An SUV rollover can be caused by a defective auto part or by a negligent motorist. Injured parties may have grounds for filing an Orange County, California auto products liability lawsuit.

Supreme Court rejects Ford's appeal in rollover case, Los Angeles Times, December 1, 2009

$369M Verdict In SUV Rollover, CBS, June 4, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Statement of Benetta Buell-Wilson, Public Citizen, March 23, 2004

US Supreme Court

Rollover: The Hidden History of the SUV

A 19-year-old driver is suing the California county of Santa Cruz for personal injury after she became paralyzed from the chin down in a catastrophic single car crash on April 7. Alexandria Pomianowski claims she lost control of her vehicle and drove it into oncoming traffic because the wet road she was on did not have the proper signage and was dangerous.

While the California Highway Patrol contends that given the road conditions at the time Pomianowski was operating her Mustang convertible at an unsafe speed, the plaintiff's California car accident lawsuit is naming Santa Cruz County, which is responsible for maintaining the road where the accident occurred, the driver of the GMC pickup that she struck when her car drover across the double-yellow line, and Ford Motor Co., her auto's manufacturer. as the defendants.

Pomianowski's California injury lawyer says his client has already sustained more than $1 million in medical bills.

Spinal Cord injuries
Spinal cord injuries can result in various degrees of paralysis. An SCI can be costly to treat medically and depending on the degree of injury, the injured person may require specialized medical devices and round-the-clock care.

An SCI injury victim may have to work with surgeons, psychologists, spinal cord medicine specialists, and physical therapists to recover as much as is possible from such a serious injury. Medications, surgery, experimental treatments, and ongoing care may be required. Not only must an SCI be stabilized, but also the patient may have to combat secondary health issues, such as blood clots, pressure soars, bladder problems, respiratory infections, and other complications.

In many cases, spinal cord injuries are irreversible and can be traumatic for the patient, whose life will likely have changed forever. Having a loved one who is suffering from SCI can also take a toll on family members and friends.

Paralyzed San Lorenzo Valley high school grad sues Santa Cruz County over accident, Mercury News, November 18, 2009

Spinal Cord Injuries, Mayo Clinic

Related Web Resources:
Read the County's Recommended Action to the Tort Claim (PDF)

Quadriplegia, Spinal Injury Network

In August 2007, Griselda Bernardino and several other people were injured in an SUV rollover crash in San Bernardino County, California. According to the plaintiffs' San Bernardino County, California auto products liability complaint, the catastrophic motor vehicle crash happened because the tread separated from the SUV's left rear tire. As a result of the tire defect, Bernardino lost control of the Ford Expedition and the SUV rolled over.

Bernardino sustained permanent spinal cord injuries and crushing head injuries. Also injured in the San Bernardino County SUV accident were Alonso Martinez, Ayari Martinez, Melani Elizardi, Diana Orozco, and Bianca Orozco. They were all ejected from the vehicle and sustained serious injuries. The latter three are minors. The five of them are also plaintiffs in this California personal injury case. There were other passengers in the SUV who were partially ejected and also were hurt.

The defendants in the San Bernardino motor vehicle crash case are Ford Motor Corporation, TRW Vehicle Safety Systems, Continental Tire Corporation, Beceril Tire Shop, and Chino Hills Ford. The plaintiffs claim that the SUV, made by Ford and purchased at Chino Hills Ford, did not properly protect them during the California rollover accident.

The SUV did not have Electronic Stability Control, which was already available when the auto accident happened. The plaintiffs say that ESC could have allowed Bernardino to stay in control of the vehicle. They also allege that the safety restraint system in the vehicle was defective and dangerous (alleged defects included inertial unlatching, retractor failure, false latching, inadvertent unlatching, and lack of pretensioners) and that the plaintiffs knew that these systems and parts could fail.

Other defects in the SUV noted by the plaintiffs include the lack of side curtain air bags, the windows' defective tempered glass, the driver's side door latch, and the SUV's seat backs and seats. They also say that the SUV's pillars, roof rails, and windshield headers were not built to withstand the weight of the Ford Expedition when it rolled over and the roof crushed inward.

The decision to use Continental ContiTrac SUV tires on the Expedition, say the plaintiffs, was a dangerous choice for a vehicle that nonprofessional motorists would drive.

Some Catastrophic Injuries that Can Arise During SUV Accidents:

• Spinal cord injuries
• Crushed bones
• Burn injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Broken bones
• Internal injuries
• Death

Frontline Rollover, PBS

Related Web Resources:
NHTSA

Safercar.gov

Ford Motor Company

In Orange County, California, a mother and her 11-year-old daughter are to receive $55 million for injuries they sustained in a 2002 Costa Mesa car accident on Mother's Day. Leilaini Gutierrez is now paralyzed.

The judgment was originally awarded in 2007, but the federal government, the defendant in the car accident lawsuit, filed an appeal. Today, a judge awarded the 11-year-old girl about $54 million ($31 million in damages and $23 million for medical costs). Leilani's mother, June Gutierrez, is to receive $1 million for her physical and emotional injuries. The California civil award is being called the largest Orange County, California personal injury award to ever be issued. The Gutierrezes' civil complaint was filed against the US government because the driver of the car that caused the accident, Michael Leinert, worked for the US Department of Defense at the time of the motor vehicle collision.

The catastrophic car accident took place in the early evening as June was driving on Newport Boulevard. Leinert was in a rental car when he ran a red light on Wilson Street, striking the Chevrolet Suburban that June and Leilani were riding. The suburban struck a utility pole and flipped.

Leilani, then four, sustained a spinal cord injury that left her paralyzed. As a quadriplegic, she is dependent on 24-hour nursing care and a ventilator. She has undergone 24 surgeries and spent 275 days in the hospital since the tragic Orange County, California car accident. Procedures she has had to undergo have included a bone graft, a tracheotomy, and spinal cord stabilization. Her life expectancy has been shortened to 35 years.

Spinal Cord Injuries (SCIs)
• 250,000 people in the US suffer from spinal cord injuries.
• 11,000 new spinal cord injuries occur each year.
• Common causes of SCIs are motor vehicle crashes, acts of violence, fall accidents, sports-related injuries, and other injuries.

If someone you love sustained a catastrophic injury because a motorist or another party was negligent, your loved one may be entitled to California personal injury compensation.

A person that is suffering from quadriplegia is paralyzed from the shoulders down. This means that he or she will need help to do most tasks. A quadriplegic will also likely require specialized medical care, procedures, and devices in order to live as normal a life as possible. Obtaining financial recovery from all negligent parties can provide the necessary funds for all these special needs.

Mom, daughter get $55 million award in 2002 crash, OC Register, June 24, 2009

$55 million judgment for quadriplegic Costa Mesa girl, OC Register, September 13, 2007

Related Web Resources:
Quadriplegia, Spinal Injury Network

Spinal Cord Injuries, Medline Plus

Continue reading "$55 Million Costa Mesa Car Accident Award is the Largest Orange County, California Personal Injury Award Ever Issued" »