$1.1 Million Pre-Litigation Policy Limits Settlement

Personal Injury

Left-turning automobile versus motorcycle – Liability disputed

On December 17, 2021, the Demas Law Group client, a 19-year-old student, was riding his motorcycle in Rancho Murrieta, California. As he approached an intersection at a high rate of speed, a car driven by an 84-year-old motorist turned left into the path of the motorcycle. The motorcyclist tried to avoid a collision but struck the rear passenger side of the car and was launched 75 feet onto the pavement. He was taken by ambulance to the nearest emergency room and was ultimately diagnosed with multiple injuries, the most serious of which were unstable pelvic fractures, a lumber nerve root avulsion injury, and a perforated bowel. After 7 surgeries, a two-week hospitalization, and a lengthy recovery, the client has residual nerve damage in his leg and is awaiting reversal of a colostomy.

Unfortunately, eyewitness accounts of the crash were stacked heavily against our client. Multiple witnesses indicated that he was traveling at an excessive speed and illegally used a right-turn lane to move around slower traffic. DLG attorneys John Demas and Tim Spangler were undeterred. After hiring a highly qualified accident reconstruction expert to demonstrate that the motorcycle was available to be seen by the motorist, and the painstaking preparation of a comprehensive settlement brochure (including video clips of the client and his mother discussing the injuries and impact on quality of life), John and Tim were able to convince a recalcitrant insurance company of the wisdom of a pre-litigation resolution. The insurance company paid the full policy limits. The client is planning to pursue a career as a motorcycle mechanic.

7 figure pre-litigation policy limits settlements are rare, but DLG’s reputation for leaving no stone unturned is well-known to insurance companies and oftentimes they prefer to settle the case rather than litigate against us.