$3,000,000 Settlement for Driver Hurt in Collision with a Tractor Trailer at Brooklyn Intersection
COURT AND COUNTY
Supreme Court, Kings County
AGE AND OCCUPATION OF PLAINTIFF
At the time of the accident, Plaintiff was a 39-year-old doorman.
DESCRIPTION OF CASE
This accident occurred on an autumn night, at 11 p.m., at the intersection of Flatbush Ave. and Dean St. in Brooklyn. Plaintiff was traveling north on Flatbush Ave., made a left turn from Flatbush Ave. onto Dean St. where his car soon crashed into the rear set of tires of a tractor-trailer.
Plaintiff contended that Defendant made his left turn unexpectedly and failed to use his left turn directional. Defendant testified that he used his turn signal and argued that Plaintiff was traveling at an excessive rate of speed, as evidenced by 150-foot-long skid marks. Defendant further contended that Plaintiff was at fault, because impact was to the rear set of tires on his trailer.
After the incident, Plaintiff returned to work for a year and a half, at which time he underwent a bilateral decompressive laminectomy/facetectomy at L4-5. Plaintiff did not return to work thereafter, and claimed that he is permanently disabled. Defendants disputed the severity of Plaintiff’s injuries, and argued that Plaintiff’s failure to wear a seatbelt contributed to his injuries. Defendant’s expert neurologist testified that Plaintiff’s back surgery was necessary. He admitted on cross-examination, however, that he was not a surgeon, that he did not examine Plaintiff prior to surgery, and that he did not review the EMG tracings or the MRI or CAT scans.
INJURIES/DAMAGES
Plaintiff suffered a herniated lumbar disc at L4-5; torn medial meniscus of the right knee. Plaintiff ultimately underwent a medial and lateral meniscectomy.
Demonstrative evidence included interoperative photographs and an anatomical model of the knee; model of the spine; enlargements of EMG tests; photographs of Plaintiff’s vehicle and of a prototype tractor-trailer; site diagram with working magnetic models and turning radius overlays; aerial photographs of the accident site; biothesiometry machine.
SETTLEMENT AMOUNT
The case settled for $3,000,000 after the damages trial, before the jury was charged.
ATTORNEYS
This matter was handled by Partners Jeffrey A. Block, Esq. and Daniel P. O’Toole, Esq.