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Personal Injury
Auto v. Truck
Negligent Entrustment

Kathy Lord King, Roger King v. Channel Systems Inc., Lauren Bockmiller, Douglas Bockmiller, Reed Beck

Published: Aug. 20, 2005 | Result Date: Mar. 3, 2005 | Filing Date: Jan. 1, 1900 |

Case number: 2001025534 Verdict –  $157,500

Judge

Horace Wheatley

Court

Alameda Superior


Attorneys

Plaintiff

Samuel G. Ware


Defendant

Kevin K. Cholakian
(Cholakian & Associates)

David W. Chen


Experts

Plaintiff

Julia Gombos
(medical)

Ernest Sponzilli
(medical)

Susan Hughes
(medical)

Defendant

Jonathan Lang
(medical)

Facts

Plaintiff Kathy King, a 51-year-old software salesperson, was driving near the Oakland airport when Reed Beck,
a warehouse manager, was driving intoxicated in the other direction. Beck swerved into the plaintiff's lane and
collided broadside into her vehicle. At the time of the accident, Beck was driving a truck owned by his
employer, defendant Channel Systems Inc.
The plaintiff sued the defendant for negligent hiring, retention and entrustment of a motor vehicle. She also filed
an uninsured motorist claim with her insurer, State Farm Insurance Co.

Damages

The plaintiff's economic damages were $55,000, and her non-economic damages were $95,000. The plaintiff's husband sustained $7,500 in non-economic damages.

Result

Total award: $157,500. Beck was found 80 percent negligent and Channel Systems 20 percent negligent. Channel Systems was ordered to pay all of the plaintiff's economic damages and 20 percent of non-economic damages. State Farm paid the remainder of the non-economic damages.

Other Information

The plaintiff's uninsured motorist claim was consolidated with her lawsuit against the defendants.

Deliberation

two days

Poll

11-1

Length

nine days


#92135

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