Tina-Louise Heddings v. Erika Lynne Zilliox; State of California Department of Transportation; and County of Santa Cruz et al.
Published: Apr. 19, 1997 | Result Date: Oct. 18, 1996 | Filing Date: Jan. 1, 1900 |Case number: CV750968 – $0
Judge
Court
Santa Cruz Superior
Attorneys
Plaintiff
Robert J. Moss
(Judicate West)
Defendant
Vanessa M. Spear
(California Dept. of Transportation)
Experts
Plaintiff
Arthur Clark
(technical)
Walter J. Ledergerber
(medical)
Gordon Globus
(medical)
C. Phillip O'Carroll M.D.
(medical)
Defendant
Mark A. Gomez Ph.D.
(technical)
Kenneth C. Berner
(technical)
Marvin Firestone
(medical)
Andrew E. Levitt
(technical)
Richard N. Smith
(technical)
Facts
On Jan. 24, 1995, plaintiff Tina-Louise Heddings, a 32-year-old environmental engineer/consultant, was injured when the car in which she was a passenger was struck by a vehicle operated by defendant Erika Zilliox. The defendant driver, a diabetic, went into shock and drove her southbound car in the wrong direction on State Route 17, crossing over the soutbound lanes to the northbound lanes where there was no median barrier on the roadway. The plaintiff brought this action against the defendant driver, state and county based on negligence and dangerous condition of roadway theories of recovery.
Settlement Discussions
The plaintiff made a C.C.P. º998 settlement demand for $750,000. The defendants made no C.C.P. º998 offer.
Damages
The plaintiff asked for $3,289,000 in damages.
Injuries
The plaintiff claimed she suffered organic brain damage, a fractured cheekbone and jawbone, facial lacerations, hearing and memory loss, vision impairment, and post traumatic stress disorder.
Other Information
The plaintiff's motions for judgment notwithstanding the verdict and new trial were denied.
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