Even when following pedestrian and traffic laws, disaster can strike when we least expect it - often due to the negligence of others. This is exactly what happened when a driver sped through a red light and impacted John, who was given the signal to walk his bike across a busy intersection. John was severely injured with a traumatic brain injury that resulted in lifelong side-effects including tinnitus, depression, headaches, and more, along with a fracture to his knee and cervical spine that both required surgeries. In an attempt to block any recovery of monetary compensation, the Defense denied all liability and argued that John was careless and therefore contributed to the cause of the accident. John’s initial lawyer was unable to settle the case, leading him to contact Erika Contreras of Panish Shea & Boyle to represent John. Erika immediately began preparing for trial and strategized effective ways to portray the complex medical information to an audience of jurors.

To assist in attaining rightful compensation for John, Erika brought together DK Global and her medical experts to create accurate enhancements of the medical imagery for a jury to fully comprehend. A 3D depiction of John was created and layered with the enriched MRIs noting the area of injury and the accompanying deficits. No longer a faceless name, the audience was now able to appreciate John’s pain and rehabilitative efforts to recover by undergoing invasive, corrective surgeries.

Once the Defense was given these demonstratives, they reevaluated their argument and opted to settle the case instead of going to trial, offering a confidential favorable settlement for John and Erika.

Attorney Erika Contreras has built a reputation as a Super Lawyers' Rising Star and has been named one of Los Angeles Magazine’s Top Women Attorneys in Southern California. She is recognized among the Best Lawyers in America by Best Lawyers and has obtained multiple million-dollar awards for her clients. Fluent in Spanish and French, Erika has appeared on numerous media platforms and has been featured on Univisión Channel 34 Primera Edición and has also commented on the segment “Conozca sus Derechos.”