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Largest Personal Injury Lawsuit in Ventura County
March 21, 2008

The largest settlement in the world couldn't give Dawn Renae Diaz her health or her happiness back, and it certainly couldn't give her back the time she has lost with her daughter because of her injuries. There really isn't enough money in the world to compensate for the loss of things like these.

The personal injury settlement that she will now receive, however - at $22.5 million dollars, the largest ever in Ventura County history - will lead to the end of her financial woes. Most importantly, it will reunite Dawn with her young daughter, Mikaela.

38-year-old Dawn, a former head emergency room nurse at Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura, was left severely injured after a car accident on January 20, 2006. The sequence of tragic events unfolded as a Peterbilt box truck, driving at 55 mph, and a pickup truck were involved in a collision on the Conejo Grade. That collision sent the pickup truck over the center divider and on to Diaz's car.

The nurse suffered severe brain injuries that resulted in brain damage.

The driver of the pickup truck and Karen Tagliaferri, the driver of the pickup truck, were both held responsible for the accident. The Peterbilt truck driver, Jose Gerardo Carcamo, worked for the Sugar Transport Company and was delivering wine from South Gate. Investigations would later reveal the hand the trucking company that HIRED Carcamo would have in this ghastly tragedy.

In later investigations it was revealed that the Stockton-based Sugar Transport never sent anybody to hand Carcamo his training manual or give him safety instructions. The company hadn't bothered to give training to its California drivers. It was also reveled that Carcamo's previous employer told his new employers that he was an unsafe driver, and that he had been fired from his previous job for exactly this reason. The most damning testimony came from Sugar Transport's own hiring officer, who said that the company rushed to fill empty driver seats without making necessary checks into employee credentials.

In other words, they took willful risks with the safety of others on the street, by sending out less than adept drivers who had a record of unsafe driving behind the wheels of their gargantuan vehicles. They saw no reason to train their truck drivers, and didn't see it fit to upgrade safety instructions. Simply put, they didn't give a hoot.

Meanwhile Dawn struggled with her severely restricted mobility after the accident. She still has double vision, and experiences difficulty walking and talking. A few weeks after the accident, she suffered the severest punishment of all - she lost custody of her 10-year-old daughter Mikaela after a court judged she was unable to look after her daughter.

With this award, a number of Dawn's problems will be solved. She will be able to pay off the medical bills that have accumulated since the accident. She will also be able to hire a nanny for her daughter, which means that the little girl will be reunited with her mother.

When back breaking settlement awards like this are handed out, it helps instill a sense of fear in owners of trucking companies, fears that will help them take every trucking safety precaution that is necessary or risk facing bankruptcy.

If you have suffered a head injury in an accident, you need the help of a California personal injury lawyer. Contact an attorney at The Reeves Law Group for a free consultation.

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Jury Recommends San Diego Man Be Paid $15.7 Million by City of Los Angeles
December 27, 2007

A jury has recommended that the city of Los Angeles pay $15.7 million to San Diego resident Barry Bowman as compensation for brain injuries that resulted from a motorcycle accident.

The accident dates back to 2005, when Bowman a 62-year-old retired police officer was struck by a dump truck while riding his motorcycle. The truck was operated by a company called Tommie Wyatt Trucking that had been hired by the city to haul asphalt.

Bowman suffered severe brain injuries as a result of the accident. He suffered short-term memory loss and is now dependant on 24-hour care for his daily needs.

The days that followed saw a lot of haranguing over whether the driver of the truck was actually on duty at the time of the accident. The city argues that he was off duty, and hence the city couldn't be held liable. They also disagreed strongly with attorneys for Bowman about the speed of the truck at the time of the accident. Although both sides attempted to reach a settlement there was a vast difference in the amounts offered and sought - Bowman demanded $18 million while city of Los Angeles attorneys were not willing to go above $50,000.  Last week, a jury decided that Bowman's figure seemed more fitting to the severity of the victim's condition.

If you or a family member has suffered brain injuries or any other horrifying injury due to no fault of your own, contact the California personal injury attorneys at The Reeves Law Group for a free consultation.

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Injured California Teenager Receives $9 Million Personal Injury Settlement
September 29, 2007

According to the Los Angeles Times, the City of San Dimas, California has reached a settlement of $9 million with the family of a young girl who suffers from severe brain injuries.

In 2005, 16-year-old Samantha Palumbo was driving through San Dimas, California when her car slammed into a city built wooden fence. The logs in the fence pierced through the car and into her head, leaving her with severe brain injuries. Now 18 years old, Samantha a former top student and beauty pageant winner, is confined to a wheel chair and relies on 24 hour care provided by her parents. She communicates through hand signals, and has spent the two years since the accident trying to regain control of basic motor functions.

Her parents sued the City of San Dimas, California on her behalf claiming that it was the unsafe fence that caused their daughter's condition. The city has made no admission of liability, but attorneys say they're happy to be of help to Samantha.

Samantha's parents plan to use the settlement money to provide her with the kind of specialized care she needs, pay for her education and housing that will accommodate her disabilities. They also plan to continue treatment for their daughter's condition. All signs are that Samantha is making progress, and she underwent another surgery this week to cover a hole in her forehead.

When a person suffers personal injury due to the negligence of another party, he or she may be entitled to monetary compensation to cover medical bills, lost wages etc. When a government entity such as a city, state or county government is negligent, it is critical to act quickly to protect your rights. Government claims must be filed within a very short period of time, or you may lose you right to collect the compensation you deserve. The California brain injury lawyers at The Reeves Law Group have been very successful in pursuing cases where injury was caused by negligence of others. Call our lawyers for a free consultation.

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