Dennis Robert Platt, Vicki Sue Platt v. FCA US LLC, et al.
Published: Jan. 12, 2024 | Result Date: Nov. 2, 2023 | Filing Date: Nov. 8, 2022 |Case number: 22STCV35554 Verdict – $49,962,584
Judge
Court
Los Angeles County Superior Court
Attorneys
Plaintiff
Jonathan A. Michaels
(MLG Attorneys at Law)
Jonathan Lopez
(MLG Attorneys at Law)
Travis Robert Eagan
(MLG Attorneys at Law)
Defendant
William McDonald
(Bush Seyfarth PLLC)
FCA US
Ryan J. Vanderford
(Bush Seyfarth PLLC)
FCA US
Anthony S. Thomas
(Klein, Thomas, Lee & Fresard)
FCA US
Facts
On July 26, 2021, Dennis Robert Platt, a 79-year-old general contractor, was critically injured in a vehicle accident in Los Angeles. Platt, driving eastbound on Vanowen Street, was struck by a vehicle driven by Michael Scott Cox, Jr., which ran a red light at high speed. The impact caused Platt's truck to spin, during which his dog was ejected. After attempting to exit the vehicle, Platt collapsed due to his injuries.
Injuries
A Los Angeles Fire Department cadet administered CPR at the scene, saving Platt's life. He was then transported to Northridge Hospital Medical Center, where he was diagnosed with multiple severe injuries. These included functional quadriplegia, traumatic cardiopulmonary arrest, subarachnoid hemorrhage, diffuse axonal injury with hemorrhagic shock, bilateral rib fractures, fractured clavicle, sternum, and several vertebrae, left vertebral artery injury, and a degloving injury to the scalp. Platt spent two weeks in a coma and underwent extensive treatment in the Emergency Room, Intensive Care Unit, Telemetry Unit, and Rehabilitation Unit over six months. Since the accident, Platt has been attending weekly physical therapy sessions but remains severely impaired. His injuries led to the discontinuation of his contracting business, which he had run successfully since 1959. The closure of his business, his sole source of income, has significantly impacted his family, particularly in providing for his youngest daughter and her children, one of whom requires ongoing medical care for severe birth defects. Now reliant on his family for daily care, Platt has been unable to contribute financially to his grandson's medical needs.
Result
Verdict for plaintiff for $49,962,584.
Other Information
Michael Scott Cox, Jr., the driver, did not appear in the action and default was entered against him. FCA was dismissed in March 2023.
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