$13.53 Million
Verdict · Dangerous Road Design · 2021
Missing barrier on a curve caused a life-altering injury
Los Angeles County, CA
Case summary
Our client sustained permanent spinal injuries after a roadway departure at a curve where a protective barrier had been removed and never replaced. Maintenance logs and design standards demonstrated the deviation. The jury apportioned the substantial majority of fault to the entity responsible for the roadway.
Case at a glance
Injuries: Permanent incomplete spinal cord injury; partial mobility loss.
- Defendant
- Roadway maintenance authority
- Liability
- Verdict, majority fault to the entity
- Key evidence
- Maintenance logs showing barrier removal
- Time to resolution
- 34 months
The challenge
The defense argued excessive speed was the sole cause and that no barrier was required at that curve.
How we built it
- Traced the removed barrier through work orders and inspection photos
- Applied current design standards to the as-built curve radius
- Used a life-care planner and vocational economist to model future cost
The outcome
The jury apportioned the substantial majority of fault to the entity and awarded future care and lost earning capacity in full.
How the case moved
Retained
Within three weeks of the incident
Discovery
Maintenance records obtained by court order
Trial
Four-week jury trial
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is decided on its own facts, venue, and available insurance coverage.
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