Vera Edgenton-Williams v. Timothy M. Higgins, et al.
Published: Apr. 27, 1996 | Result Date: Feb. 8, 1996 | Filing Date: Jan. 1, 1900 |Case number: KC016280 – $0
Judge
Court
L.A. Superior Pomona
Attorneys
Plaintiff
Frank J. Lizarraga Jr.
(Lizarraga Law Firm APC)
Defendant
Experts
Plaintiff
Jeffrey Monahan
(medical)
Defendant
Peter M. Burkhard
(technical)
Facts
On April 13, 1993, the plaintiff, Vera Edgenton-Williams, a 41-year-old social worker (foster home caretaker), stopped her vehicle before preparing to exit a gas station. The defendant, Timothy Higgins, was operating a pick-up truck rented from the defendant, U-haul, when he backed up at the gas station and struck the right rear end of the plaintiff's vehicle. The plaintiff brought this action against the defendants, the driver and U-haul, based on negligence theories of recovery.
Settlement Discussions
The plaintiff made a C.C.P. º998 settlement demand for $30,000 policy limits. The defendants made a C.C.P. º998 offer of compromise for $11,000.
Specials in Evidence
$10,495 $48,000 in excess of $100,000 $15,000
Damages
The plaintiff claimed $200,000 (per the plaintiff) $242,000 (per the defendants) in compensatory damages.
Injuries
The plaintiff claimed that she sustained soft tissue injuries to her head, neck and lower back and a 5 mm. central and left sided disc herniation at L2-3 as a result of the accident.
Other Information
The verdict was reached approximately one year and ten months after the case was filed. An arbitration was held on February 10, 1994, before Wilhelmine S. Davis resulting in an award of $60,000 in favor of the plaintiff. The defendants requested a trial de novo.
Deliberation
1+ hours (per the defendants) and 4 hours (per the plaintiff)
Poll
12-0 (causation)
Length
7 days
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