$350,000.00 Recovered For Off-Duty Police Officer Severely Injured, Including Traumatic Brain Injury, In A Multi-Car Collision
About the Case
Driving home at night after work on Hwy 87 near the Capitol Expwy overcrossing, our client braked and swerved to avoid large dark objects on the pavement immediately to his front. His 1998 Honda Accord struck the median barrier and he brought the car to a stop. He got out of his car and was standing in the median when he was struck by another automobile, a 2012 Hyundai Sonata, after it had tried to avoid hitting a third vehicle, a 2012 Honda Accord, which was slowing to a stop in traffic to avoid the dark objects on the roadway in its path.
The accident was investigated by CHP officers who described the objects in the roadway as large tables that had fallen from a vehicle that was never identified.
Case Facts
Driving home at night after work on Hwy 87 near the Capitol Expwy overcrossing, our client braked and swerved to avoid large dark objects on the pavement immediately to his front. His 1998 Honda Accord struck the median barrier and he brought the car to a stop. He got out of his car and was standing in the median when he was struck by another automobile, a 2012 Hyundai Sonata, after it had tried to avoid hitting a third vehicle, a 2012 Honda Accord, which was slowing to a stop in traffic to avoid the dark objects on the roadway in its path.
The accident was investigated by CHP officers who described the objects in the roadway as large tables that had fallen from a vehicle that was never identified.
Case Facts:
Emergency responders found our client lying on the ground, having sustained trauma to all of his extremities and his head. Taken by ambulance to Santa Clara Medical Center, he went through a full trauma activation work-up and was diagnosed with a left radial head fracture; scapular, pelvic, and rib fractures. Additionally, he had suffered a cerebral concussion and a partially amputated toe on his left foot.
He was kept in the ICU for 24 hours, then transferred to the general hospital floor for treatment and medical management. Five days later, he was transported by ambulance to Kaiser, San Jose, where he remained for another twelve days.
Following his discharge, our client received ongoing in-home care and further evaluations and outpatient treatments. But due to the severity and extent of the injuries, his recovery from the injuries caused by the accident was problematic-resulting in his retirement from his duties as a police officer.
The GJEL law firm was retained by the now-retired police officer to help him seek compensation for his staggering medical expenses and a significant income loss. Through extensive investigations and analysis, Attorney Jim Larsen developed strong positions for the legal liability of both of the other drivers. After intensive negotiations, the GJEL lawyers obtained the agreements of the other drivers’ insurance carriers, Ameriprise and CSAA, to contribute each of their insured’s policy limits in the settlement of our client’s claims.
Additionally, the GJEL lawyers obtained, through further negotiations, a significant reduction of the Kaiser Hospital lien and a waiver of his auto insurance carrier’s medical payment lien, resulting in the maximum financial recovery for our client.
| Insurance Company Names: | Ameriprise CSAA Kaiser Permanente |
| Police Report | CHP |
| Vehicle Types | Honda Accord Hyundai Sonata |
| Accident Locations: | Hwy 87 at Capitol Expwy in San Jose |
| Hospitals and Medical Centers Visited | Regional Medical Center, San Jose Kaiser Hospital, San Jose |
| Types of Injuries (Specific as possible) | Scapula fracture Pelvis fracture Right femur fracture Head trauma Partial amputation of left big toe |
Andy Gillin received his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of California at Berkeley and his law degree from the University of Chicago. He is the managing partner of GJEL Accident Attorneys and has written and lectured in the field of plaintiffs’ personal injury law for numerous organizations. Andy is a highly recognized wrongful death lawyer in California.