http://www.presstelegram.com/article/LB/20160526/NEWS/160529665
$13.9 million! Man, that’s a hefty verdict.
Would a similar case warrant a similar verdict in NC? I’m not sure. We don’t seem to have such friendly jurors, but this kid did get really messed up. The full facts aren’t available from an article like this, but I can’t help but wonder if the Defendant’s employer had a lot to do with the size of the jury verdict. The defendant was an assistant public defender in LA county, and the court found that both he AND his employer were responsible for the accident. While jurors are not supposed to consider the ability to pay in rendering a verdict, I can’t help but think that the jurors thought that LA county had plenty of money to help this lad get through his injuries, and they gave it to him.
Of course, in NC we always have the specter of contributory negligence in pedestrian cases, so you never know what would have happened with that case here.
If you have an auto accident, especially a pedestrian v. auto accident, please call me at 919-929-2992.