On February 11, 2016, a San Diego County Superior Court jury awarded over $2.1 million for two plaintiffs who were involved in a minor property damage rear-end collision. The Plaintiffs were represented at trial by attorneys Spencer Lucas and Jake Douglass of Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP and co-counsel Kathryn Cooney of the Law Offices of Kathryn Cooney.
Plaintiffs were stopped in traffic on Interstate 215 on December 29, 2011 when their SUV was struck from behind by a Field Fresh Foods vehicle driven by employee Isidro Zarate during the course of his work. The defendant rear-ended the couple as he merged his vehicle into interstate traffic from the adjoining 91 Freeway, As a result of the collision, Plaintiffs both suffered whiplash injuries.
At trial, the defense argued that the Plaintiffs did not seek emergency treatment and both had a history of fibromyalgia, spinal surgeries, chronic pain, depression, and anxiety before the incident. Following an eight-day trial, the jury awarded $2,111,941.02 to the Plaintiffs for past and future medical expenses as well as past and future pain and suffering. The award was nearly double the defendants’ pre-trial offer.