Facts

On Jan. 17, 2015, at approximately 1:20 p.m., plaintiff Catherine Casil was driving her 2001 Toyota Sequoia Eastbound on the 91 Freeway in the number 1 lane, in or near the City of Fullerton. Defendant Sachi Rajul Patel was traveling eastbound in the number 3 lane in her 2010 blue Honda Civic, when she lost control of her vehicle and collided with the side of a grey Honda Civic, driven by Alfred Pimental. Pimental's vehicle then collided with plaintiff's vehicle causing it to flip over repeatedly across the freeway and land upside down in the middle of the freeway.

PLAINTIFF'S CONTENTIONS: Plaintiff claimed Patel was driving at a high rate of speed. Plaintiff contended that defendant was negligent in the operation of her motor vehicle, that defendant caused the crash and resulting injuries.

DEFENDANT'S CONTENTIONS: Defendant disputed liability, and the extent of plaintiff's injuries.

Specials in Evidence

$229,572 was charged, of which Blue Cross paid $92,154.

Injuries

Plaintiff suffered a severe degloving injury that tore off tissue and a large part of the median nerve from her left wrist and hand area. Plaintiff had multiple surgeries that included the removal of her sural nerve from her left leg and sewn into her left wrist to replace the part of the median nerve that was torn away during the crash. Plaintiff has a loss of sensation, function and residual pain. Plaintiff also suffered a traumatic brain injury.

Result

The case settled for $1.5 million.