A California jury awarded more than $20 million in damages to the family of a deceased scientist who died in a motorcycle accident in 2013. The case stemmed from a collision that occurred in an intersection in San Pedro, California.
Dangerous Intersection in Los Angeles
In a lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles, the family of the decedent alleged that:
- The decedent was riding his motorcycle when a left-turning car hit the motorcycle at the intersection of Summerland and Cabrillo avenues
- The intersection had a blind corner that made it difficult for a driver to see the oncoming motorcycle before making a left turn, creating a hazardous road condition for motorists such as the decedent
- The city of Los Angeles was responsible for maintaining road safety conditions along the accident site
- Residents in the vicinity of the accident site previously complained of the blind corner but city officials did not make any improvements to the dangerous intersection until the tragic death of the decedent
- The decedent was a 59-year old rocket scientist who was working on the development of the Webb telescope and on satellites at the time of his death
During trial, the plaintiffs presented the testimony of accident reconstruction experts and of traffic and engineering experts. The plaintiffs argued that the city should be liable for the death of the decedent because it was aware of the dangerous road condition but failed to correct it, causing the death of the decedent.
The jury awarded the family of the decedent a total of $23,665,931, of which $20 million constituted non-economic losses of the plaintiffs.
Motorcycle crashes are often catastrophic accidents, causing loss of lives and severe injuries in survivors. Factors such as road design, speed, driver negligence, and equipment conditions can contribute to an accident, adding to the complex task of establishing an accident’s cause and legal responsibility for the resulting injuries or death.
If you have lost a loved one or suffered injuries in a motorcycle accident, you need an experienced personal injury attorney to sort all the legal issues in your situation.
Experienced Motorcycle Accident Lawyers in California
In Los Angeles, California, the dedicated personal injury attorneys at Redkey Gordon Law have been helping injured clients obtain compensation for their injuries, litigating numerous motorcycle accidents in order to pursue the outcomes that they legally deserve.
We welcome your call today (209) 267-1685 to arrange for your complimentary case evaluation with one of our attorneys.