Facts

On April 10, 2015 at 12 p.m., plaintiff Concepcion Lawrence, 75, was walking in an easterly direction on a sidewalk attempting to cross a driveway when defendant Nicholas Bruno, driving his Ford F-350 truck westbound turned left and struck her.

PLAINTIFF'S CONTENTIONS:
Defendant slammed into the left side of plaintiff, throwing her into the air and then running over her left leg before finally stopping with the right front of his truck on top of and crushing plaintiff's right leg. Plaintiff contended that defendant was 100 percent liable to plaintiff for all past and future economic and non-economic damages for having violated California Vehicle Code Section 21952.

DEFENDANT'S CONTENTIONS:
Defendant did not contest liability for the purpose of the mediation.

Specials in Evidence

$355,257 $3,535,878

Injuries

Plaintiff suffered crushing injury to right front leg with open complex wound to calf, extensive degloving injury/severe skin injury. Multiple injuries to her right leg consisted of annulated/displaced fracture of the proximal fibula and medial malleolus, extensive soft tissue injury involving both direct muscle damage and severe sensory nerve damage and vascular injury. Plaintiff also suffered right lower extremity equinus fixed contracture/right ankle ankylosis, left leg contusion, no weight bearing ability or functional ability of her right leg and right lower extremity. Plaintiff also suffered severe limitation in ability to independently perform activities of daily living.

Result

The case settled for $5 million in policy limits.

Other Information

MEDIATOR: Hon. Joseph H. Brisco, ret., JAMS. FILING DATE: Aug. 25, 2015.