Confidential
Settlement – $2,750,000Court
L.A. Superior Pasadena
Attorneys
Plaintiff
Matthew B.F. Biren
(Biren Law Group)
Marc J. Katzman
(Marc Katzman Law)
Marc J. Katzman
(Marc Katzman Law)
Defendant
Experts
Plaintiff
Gene Bruno M.S., C.R.C., C.C.M., C.D.M.S.
(technical)
Arthur P. Kowell M.D., Ph.D.
(medical)
Steven J. Nagelberg M.D.
(medical)
Arthur P. Kowell M.D., Ph.D.
(medical)
George K. Henry Ph.D.
(medical)
George K. Henry Ph.D.
(medical)
Gene Bruno M.S., C.R.C., C.C.M., C.D.M.S.
(technical)
Warren L. Jones
(medical)
Steven J. Nagelberg M.D.
(medical)
Warren L. Jones
(medical)
Peter Formuzis Ph.D.
(technical)
Peter Formuzis Ph.D.
(technical)
Defendant
Arnold D. Purisch M.D.
(medical)
Arnold D. Purisch M.D.
(medical)
Facts
On Aug. 12, 1995, the plaintiff, a 52-year-old missionary, was driving his 1984 Nissan Sentra northbound on El Molino Avenue in Pasadena. The decedent, the plaintiff's wife, was a passenger in the vehicle. The defendant was driving her GMC Suburban westbound on Union Street. At the intersection of El Molino and Union, the defendant broadsided the plaintiff's vehicle, injuring the plaintiff husband and killing his wife. The estimated speed of the defendant's vehicle at impact was 25 to 30 mph. The plaintiffs, the decedent's husband and their two adult children, brought this action against the defendants, the driver of the GMC and her husband (the co-owner of the vehicle) based on negligence and loss of consortium theories of recovery.
Settlement Discussions
The plaintiffs made a C.C.P. º998 settlement demand for $3.2 million. The defendants did not make any settlement offers before mediation.
Specials in Evidence
$102,183 $__________ $268,8900 (based on what the plaintiff husband could have earned as a minister, even though his plans were to work as an itinerant missionary in India.) $__________
Injuries
Death of a wife and mother. In addition, the plaintiff husband alleged that he sustained a closed head injury causing cognitive deficits, a right pulmonary contusion, a right hemopneumothorax, a lacerated right lobe of liver, a perforated jejunum, two mesenteric lacerations with devitalized bowel, multiple fractured ribs and post traumatic stress disorder.
Other Information
The settlement was reached approximately nine months after the case was filed. A mediation was held on June 21, 1996, before Linda Meyer resulting in the reported settlement.
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