(Please note: the names and locations of all parties have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the participants in this brain injury/car accident case and its proceedings.)
Prior to this catastrophic car crash, Ella Lee, a mother and grandmother, had a functional life filled with the typical array of ups and downs. Testimony was given that prior to this collision, Ms. Lee took care of her parents, enjoyed friends, and had relatively good health. She did have anxiety problems and according to the experts, had mental illness in the form of schizophrenia, but she was functional and lived independently. Now, she needs help with most basic daily tasks and requires supervision due to her traumatic brain injury.
When she left the nationally renowned rehabilitation center in Sacramento, California, Universal Rehabilitation, she regained many life survival skills needed to re-integrate into her world with the help of others, but she still was a danger to herself and others, easily confused, easily tired, and in chronic pain. She requires assistance from skilled nurses.
Sandra Lee has been fully evaluated by many top experts, including Physiatrist Bob Smith, M.D., Neuropsychologist Jeffery Brown, Ph.D., Neuropsychiatrist Lester Davis, M.D., and has had a comprehensive Life Care Plan put together with the help of these experts by Patti Green, a highly respected life care planner. Plaintiffs experts testified that Ella Lee’s future medical care costs totaled $8,636,251.00 and that Ms. Lee’s past medical expenses totaled $426,636.00.
In their case in chief, the City of Sacramento presented testimony of their medical experts, Julie Noonan, M.D, Robert Estes, M.D., and Frank Rubin, M.D. The City’s accident reconstructionist, Stan Evans, also testified. Additionally, defendant City of Sacramento played a sub-rosa videotape of Plaintiff Ella Lee before the jury. The Defendant City, however, did not call its’ designated experts Dave Wise (economist), Brian Primavera (life care planner), or Kim Last, Ph.D. (neuropsychologist).
The jury in this matter returned a unanimous verdict in favor of the plaintiff, Ella Lee, in the amount of $6,872,001.00, $426,636.00 for past economic loss and $6,445,365.00 for future economic loss. (See Part 4 of 9.)
For more information you are welcome to contact Sacramento personal injury lawyer, Moseley Collins.