$45 million verdict

This California car accident case involves 41 year old Tricia Roth. According to news reports, Roth was driving through an intersection in San Mateo when her car was sideswiped by truck driven by a 72 year old man who worked for a demolition company. The impact of the crash broke Roth's neck and left her a quadriplegic. She sued the driver, and thanks to the experience of her California car accident attorney, was awarded a record $45 million.

Her attorney was clearly experienced and was able to successfully address the following points in the case:

• Responsibility. She was able show that the driver of the truck was working at the time of the accident – even though the company adamantly denied that fact.
• Seat belt use. The defense in the case tried to show that Roth sustained such traumatic injuries because she wasn't wearing her seat belt at the time of the accident – even though she maintained that was. Her attorney hired an expert who testified that, even if Roth hadn't been wearing her seat belt, she would have sustained the same injuries due to the impact of the crash.
• Venue. Roth's attorney agreed to have the case tried in front of a judge instead of a jury. She did so because her legal experience in that geographical area told her that she would be able to obtain a higher judgment than trying the case in front of a jury.

All of these things led to one of the largest verdicts in California's history. The $45 million award encompassed $6 million in compensatory damages (medical bills, etc.), $7 million for lost income (Roth earned over $300,000 per year as a software consultant and developer for Microsoft), $12 million for her future medical expenses (which are substantial), $5 million was awarded to her husband for loss of consortium (the loss of benefits from a family relationship), $30,000 for lost earnings when he had to stop working to care for his wife and an additional $15 million for pain and suffering between the couple.

This case proves that a car accident attorney's experience really does matter. If you've been injured due to a car accident, always make sure to ask an attorney what portion of his or her practice is spent handling car accident cases and the outcome of those cases.