Facts

Plaintiff Adrian Escalante Roque, 54, was rear-ended twice while on the westbound 60 freeway. The two accidents occurred four months apart from each other, and involved defendants Adrian Nunez and Lorenzo Martinez, respectively.

The cases for both accidents were consolidated.

PLAINTIFF'S CONTENTIONS:
Plaintiff claimed that defendants were both at fault for the two low-speed back-to-back accidents.

DEFENDANT'S CONTENTIONS:
Nunez claimed that plaintiff's injuries were aggravated by the second accident with defendant Martinez, and that any injury plaintiff sustained as a result of the Nunez accident was minimal.

Defendants both claimed, however, that plaintiff's injuries were the result of an underlying degenerative condition, consistent with age.

Specials in Evidence

$41,000 $120,000

Injuries

Plaintiff claimed he sustained an aggravation of an underlying degenerative condition of his lumbar and cervical spine. Plaintiff claimed that he would have to undergo multiple surgeries as a result of these accidents, including a lumbar decompressive procedure at L3-S1 followed by stabilization and reduction of spondylolisthesis and a 2-3 level anterior posterior discectomy and fusion, as well as cervical surgical intervention. Plaintiff also received a single epidural injection prior to mediation.

Result

The case settled for $385,000.

Other Information

FILING DATES: The Nunez case: June 10, 2013. The Martinez case: Oct. 15, 2013.