Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP attorneys Rahul Ravipudi, Paul Traina, Ian Samson and Adam Ellis, alongside co-counsel Adam Smith of Adam Smith Law, obtained a $17,500,000 settlement for a motorcyclist who suffered catastrophic injuries to his left leg after he was struck by a tanker truck operated by Rebel Oil. Plaintiff Samuel Brandt, an active duty Air Force member with more than 20 years of service, was traveling on Sloan Road to Nevada’s Nellis Air Force Base when a tanker truck exited a driveway and abruptly attempted to cross the road to a driveway on the other side. Unable to avoid the collision, Mr. Brandt’s motorcycle was struck by the truck which sent him flying mid-air and landing 100 feet down the roadway.
As a result of the motorcycle accident, Mr. Brandt suffered a fracture and dislocation of the left femur with significant soft tissue injury, multiple fractures of the left tibia and fibula, a left posterior shoulder dislocation, a right patella fracture, and a left L1 transverse process fracture. He underwent numerous surgeries to save his lower extremity including an implantation of screws and rods to secure and align his left leg, a total knee replacement and multiple skin grafts. Mr. Brandt will need medical care and treatment for the remainder of his life and has been medically discharged from the Air Force.
Defendant Rebel Oil initially denied liability, contending Mr. Brandt was speeding and that his injuries were neither severe or life threatening. PSBR attorneys argued fault arose from defendant’s dangerous operation of the tanker truck across a public roadway. Defendants later stipulated to liability and the case settled for $17,500,000.