Accident Overview
On September 29, 2020, at 6:34 p.m., our client was driving southbound on Interstate 680, 740 feet south of Vargas Rd. The GPS coordinates were latitude 37.55301 and longitude 121.91717. Our client was obeying the rules of the road driving his 2010 Toyota Rav 4 when two other drivers got in an accident and ricocheted into our client, causing a very serious car accident. The accident resulted in loss of work, serious injuries, and large medical bills leaving our client in a state of uncertainty.
About the Accident
This was a three-vehicle accident that resulted in serious injuries for our client due to the negligence of two other drivers. The driver of the first car that caused the accident was driving a 2020 Toyota Carolla, and the driver of the second car who caused the accident was driving a 2007 Ford F150.
There were no adverse road conditions, and the accident happened when drivers #2 and #3 left their lane and entered our client’s lane.
After the accident, our client suffered a significant concussion as well as injuries to his abdomen and neck. Our client was transported via ambulance to Kaiser Permanente in Fremont, where he underwent treatment for his injuries.
The driver of the first car that caused the injuries was insured by State Farm Insurance, and by coincidence, the driver of the second car that caused the injuries was also insured by State Farm Insurance.
Case Facts
Our client needed ongoing medical treatment after the accident. At first, State Farm Insurance was not willing to pay for our client’s medical bills and other damages.
Our client missed a significant amount of work and was charged large medical bills from this accident. Based on this information, he reached out to GJEL Accident Attorneys to see if he was entitled to compensation and to have his questions answered. He wanted to know:
- Who is responsible for my medical bills?
- How will I pay these bills and the loss of work?
- What if I have permanent lifelong damage to my body?
The staff at GJEL were able to quickly evaluate the case over the phone and arrange a Zoom conference with attorney Andrew Gillin.
Based on the serious injuries from this accident and the mounting medical bills, our client decided to retain GJEL Accident Attorneys to help get his life back on track after this tragic accident.
The staff at GJEL started a full investigation, which started with getting the police report. The police report showed that the other drivers, together, were at fault and responsible for the accident.
At first, the party at fault’s insurance company, State Farm Insurance, admitted fault in the accident but questioned the significance of the injuries to our client and offered our client $7,000 for his injuries. As the firm continued to collect the evidence and report the treatment to the insurance company and during litigation, the insurance carriers changed their mind prior to the date of trial.
Attorney Jim Larsen helped our client through this difficult time. This case took approximately eleven months to resolve without requiring a jury trial. In the end, our client was awarded $275,000 by State Farm Insurance, with $25,000 coming from the insurance policy of one of the other two drivers and $250,000 coming from the second.
| Insurance Company Names: | State Farm |
| Police Report | Dublin CHP |
| Vehicle Types | Interstate 680, 740 feet south of Vargas Rd |
| Accident Locations: | Addison St. in Berkeley near its intersection with Sacramento Ave |
| Hospitals and Medical Centers Visited | Falck, Kaiser Fremont, Kaiser Vallejo, Kelly Pain Relief Center, Kosak Chiropractic, Bay Area Orthopedic, Webster Surgery Center, Kaiser Norcal |
| Types of Injuries (Specific as possible) | T-spine, l-spine, c-spine, lt leg, TBI, memory |
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.