Auto accident victim wins $18.3M verdict vs. city

A doctor at the University of California Davis was out for an early morning jog when she was struck by a car and badly hurt while in a crosswalk on Freeport Boulevard in Sacramento. Cathy Liu filed suit against the city, claiming the visibility along the roadway's "S" curve was poor and that the city was negligent in warning drivers of the approaching crosswalk where she was struck. A jury

Court upholds large auto accident verdict

An Illinois appeals court has upheld a verdict of $23.75 million for two men who were killed and a third who was severely injured in 10-vehicle traffic accident. The verdict against three defendants was originally handed down in Will County Circuit Court in the pileup on April 1, 2004 that killed Joseph G. Sperl and Thomas Sanders and injured William Taluc. According to authorities, a northbound

Woman hit by bus settles with county

A Seattle attorney who was in a clearly marked crosswalk when a Metro bus struck her agreed to a $4.5 million settlement from the county government. The agreement with Ree Ah Bloedow, 45, was not reached until two weeks before the case was to go to trial. The incident occurred in January 2008 when Bloedow was crossing the street and was clipped by the mirror of the bus, causing brain damaged and

Some rental cars rated "poor" in crashes

Many people carefully study safety ratings before buying a new car, but they don't use the same standards when renting a vehicle. An analysis by USA Today found that while many of the major auto rental companies offer vehicles that are highly rated for protection in head-on collisions, many are not rated nearly as safe in accidents involving rear or side impacts or rollover accidents. The

Tragic auto accident spurs proposed safety mandate

A horrible accident appears to have triggered a safety proposal that could afford future protection to pedestrians. It happened in 2002 when a father backing up his car in the family driveway struck and killed his two-year-old son. Now, according a report in Newsday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is proposing that starting in 2014 all new cars be required to have rearview

Auto accident brings $2.7M settlement

Two Nebraska college wrestlers were in peak physical condition. Now both have severe long-term physical ailments because of a crash of a state vehicle driven by an assistant coach for their Chadron State College wrestling team. The accident occurred in 2008 when the team was on its way to the airport for a tournament in Las Vegas. Maxwell Baker, of California, suffered a traumatic head injury

Truck accident brings $5M settlement

A crash with a kosher-meat delivery truck resulted in a $5 million settlement for an upstate New York Hasidic woman recently. The auto accident occurred in 2007 when the Brooklyn truck collided with the livery cab in which Eva Bickel was a passenger. The 50-year-old woman suffered a brain injury and broken bones. According to a news report of the case, the delivery truck crossed yellow lines on a

Road markers can cause auto accidents

Reflective pavement markers are intended to make highways safer. But officials in Nebraska and some other states are finding just the opposite is true. The markers provide better visibility in wet weather, but they can also come loose over time and create hazards. Such was the case in October 2007 when a loose marker flew through the windshield of electrician Tom Wolfe's work van. The Nebraska

Syracuse to pay for auto accident injuries

Tragedy can strike anytime and anywhere. Tatalisha Mack was walking to the grocery store on a Saturday morning in Syracuse, NY, a few summers ago when she was struck by a city pickup truck driven by a public works employee. Mack was dragged 30 feet and suffered a number of injuries, including the loss of one leg below the knee. But even worse injuries befell her unborn baby, who had to be