Los Angeles Personal Injury Law Firm Lederer & Nojima wins $200,000 Judgment in a Bicycle Injury Accident Despite their Client Being Found Partially At-Fault
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) November 22, 2013 -- Case YCO65863 was originally filed in November of 2011 in the California Superior Court of Los Angeles County, Santa Monica. After nearly two years, the plaintiff's attorney, Seema Bhatt, says "my client's medical costs as a result of the accident had reached nearly $93,000 before we filed and he was going to incur more costs. Our legal team at Lederer & Nojima committed the time and effort necessary to get him the compensation he needed. We are extremely pleased with the result and the public should know that if they are ever involved in an accident, even if they are partially at-fault, they may be entitled to substantial compensation."
The 21 year old victim is a Spanish-speaking restaurant dishwasher who was on his way to work when he was struck by the defendant. According to court documents, the driver was in a pick-up truck and "even admitted that he did not check the corner for pedestrians or bike riders before he made his right turn" Bhatt says. "Though my client was on the wrong side of the road, was illegally riding his bike on the sidewalk, and a 'Don't Walk' signal was flashing at him, the automobile driver did not use enough caution. The jury agreed that the vehicle operator, any vehicle operator, shouldn't make a turn before they know if someone might be in front of them."
Court documents show that the jury found the defendant 75% at-fault and the plaintiff 25% responsible. Though the bicyclist shares some responsibility for the crash, the driver caused the injuries by failing to confirm that he could safely turn right on a red light.
Bhatt adds that "many people are under the impression that if they are partially responsible for a car accident, bike crash, slip-and-fall or other preventable accident, then litigation is not going to be helpful. But in personal injury cases, fault can be assigned to multiple parties and liability can be apportioned among those parties. Even if someone is partially at-fault for an accident, they may still be compensated for their medical costs, lost wages and pain and suffering."
As in this particular case, personal injury law firms often need vast resources to invest because the litigation process can take several years to complete, investigative resources may be needed, and expert witnesses may have to be called upon along the way. Lederer & Nojima, their client in this case would probably agree, is a law firm with such resources and attorneys who know how to effectively use those resources.
Seema Bhatt, Lederer & Nojima, http://www.lntlb.com/, +1 310-312-1860, [email protected]
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