Paid To The Order Of: Largest Settlements in The History Of Personal Injury Cases
Personal Injuries happen every day; some are much worse than other, causing individuals and companies alike to go to court to come to a settlement of some kind. In many of these cases, the settlements that take place add up to a great amount of monetary value. Whether settlements take place in or out of court, the resolve is to find a settlement that is fair and just too to both parties involved.
What Is Personal Injury?
A legal term for an injury that causes bodily, mental, and or emotional injury; this term is most common when referred to a type of legal tort that alleges that a plaintiff’s injury was cause by a negligent person or company which can also include defamation torts. The settlement desired from this type of legal tort includes:
- Bodily Injury
- Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress
- Mental Distress as a Result of Injury
Settlement: One Of The Largest Settlements In The History Of Personal Injury Cases?
One of the biggest personal injury cases reported was the Lawsuit of Rivas v. J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. In this case, Panish Shea & Boyle represented Marina Rivas in a personal injury case that stemmed from an accident in which a J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc. truck driver ran through a red light and hit Ms. Rivas’ car, and then in turn fled from the scene of the accident; leaving Ms. Rivas injured without cause.
It was May 2, 2008, Marina Rivas was on her way on home from a business trip to Bakersfield; she was working in sales as a rep for a home security company. As she was entering the intersection of Paramount Blvd and Telegraph Rd in Pico Rivera when she was hit by the 30,000lb tractor-trailer that was driven by a J.B. Hunt employee who entered into the same intersection on a red light; his speed was, even at 35-40 mph, was enough force to hit the driver’s side of Rivas car pushing the car through the intersection that in turn slammed her car into a pole. The damage was so immense that Ms. Rivas had to be taken out of her care by fire department personnel. Most notable was the fact that the driver for J.B. Hunt fled the scene of the accident and making no efforts in reporting the accident or helping Ms. Rivas until emergency care could come to her aide.
Furthermore, it was later discovered that driver who hit Rivas, had been hired and fired by J.B. Hunt not once but twice in the past for many reasons but none more shocking than being deemed “unfit”; this includes failing to report and taking steps to cover up other traffic accidents.As a result of this accident, Ms. Rivas’ livelihood changed for the rest of her life as she knew it. She could not return to work and had to move in with family to help her with her financial and physical needs.
The Settlement For This Case Came To A Total Of $20,011,798.
It is amazing to this author that such a case took place in the first place, never mind the accident itself. I cannot imagine going through this situation. To think that someone could be so mindless and take such careless actions then leave the scene of the accident; it is a case like this that leaves me hopeful that no one else will experience this travesty again.
Author Bio
Jenifer is a Law Graduate working as a consultant offering professional services like Consultation on Labor Law, fair HR practices to big organization. She is quite inspired by the work of Mitchell Sexner, leading Chicago personal injury lawyer.
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Category: Law, Legal Problems
