Facts

On Feb. 26, 2010, Raymond Arredondo was stopped in the left turning lane of Soscal Avenue in Napa when his vehicle was struck by a 1996 Lexus. The Lexus had been struck by a vehicle operated by Joaquin Ledesma, who had been approaching the intersection.

Arredondo sued Ledesma for motor vehicle negligence. He did not name the driver of the Lexus as a defendant. Arredondo alleged that Ledesma was driving west when he attempted a left turn. He claimed that Ledesma began the turn on a red light and collided with the Lexus, which caused the Lexus to spin out of control and collide with his vehicle.

The defense noted that there was no dispute that Ledesma's vehicle had never come into contact with Arredondo's. The defense further alleged that the non-party Lexus ran a red light, causing Ledesma to be unable to stop in time to avoid impacting him.

Injuries

Arredondo was taken to an emergency room and diagnosed with musculoskeletal strain, and prescribed a muscle relaxant. He later treated with chiropractic care. A later MRI showed that Arrendondo was suffering a bilateral spondylolysis of the L5 vertebra.

Result

The jury returned a defense verdict, concluding that Ledesma was not responsible for the accident.

Deliberation

one hour

Length

four days