Injured California Pedestrian’s Soft Tissue Damage Leads to $950K Jury Award

While many people think of low-speed crashes that cause only soft tissue injuries as “minor,” soft tissue damage can cause serious, long-lasting, and even life-altering problems. Even if an accident did not cause any immediate broken or dislocated bones, or lead to any major surgeries in the short term, it can still lead to years or a lifetime of pain and suffering. Regardless of the injuries you suffered, if you were hurt because someone crashed into you, make sure you protect yourself by reaching out to an experienced California car accident attorney about your case. A recent jury verdict from Los Angeles County (Los Angeles Superior Court Case No. BC597023) is an example of how serious these injuries can be, and the fact that they can lead to significant jury awards. According to his lawsuit, Hernan was walking across the parking lot of a car rental agency at LAX Airport when Wesley began backing up in his SUV toward Hernan. In an attempt to protect himself, Hernan put his arms up. The SUV’s rear window allegedly collided with his arms, and his rear hit the bumper. His head also allegedly hit the window of the SUV. Wesley, in his defense, argued that he barely moved the SUV and that his vehicle and Hernan never came into contact at all. Hernan’s accident was a clear example of a low-speed pedestrian accident. The defense argued that the SUV was barely moving at all. The injured man, in his lawsuit, asserted only soft tissue injuries. Soft tissue injuries involve harm to the muscles, tendons, or ligaments of the human body. Soft tissue injuries typically are sprains, strains, and contusions. They can cause pain, swelling, and also a loss of the use of a body part. In California, an injured plaintiff can receive what’s called “economic damages” and “non-economic damages.” Economic damages are items that can potentially be fairly straightforward to prove. For example, past medical expenses damages is a type of economic damages, and it might be proved by submitting evidence of the medical bills you received from medical care providers. Another important type of economic damages in many personal injury cases is lost earnings, since your accident may have caused you to miss work or lose job opportunities, and it may continue to impair you in the future. Non-economic damages are more subjective and sometimes less black-and-white. This category includes things like pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. For example, say you were an extremely avid golfer, as well as an active grandparent who regularly cared for and interacted with your preschool-aged grandchild, and a back, arm, or shoulder injury suffered in an accident prevented you from lifting your grandchild or a golf club for a long period of time. These facts could be examples of loss of enjoyment of life. Non-economic damages were a key part of Hernan’s case. The jury in his case concluded that he had suffered more than $820,000 in non-economic damages, including $665,000 in future non-economic damages. The court also awarded him $129,000 in lost earnings and $10,000 in medical expenses damages. Whether your injuries in your auto accident were broken bones or were soft tissue damage, your harm can be significant and your compensation substantial. The hardworking San Mateo pedestrian accident attorneys at the Law Offices of Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos have been helping injured drivers and passengers pursue what the law says they deserve for many years. To set up a free consultation with one of our experienced attorneys, contact us at 650-345-8484 or through our website. More Blog Posts: Plaintiffs’ $2M California Judgment Survives Defendant’s Challenge to Service of Process, San Mateo Injury Lawyers Blog, Published June 7, 2017 California Pedestrians Recover $3M From Drunk Driver’s Insurer for Its Failure to Settle Civil Case, San Mateo Injury Lawyers Blog, Published Aug. 5, 2016