When the driver of a tractor-trailer failed to remain alert while towing a Caterpillar excavator (the behemoth of all construction equipment), he caused a chain of collisions that tragically injured Steve Felix, an 88-year-old man commuting to his niece’s wedding. A day that was meant for celebration surrounded by family quickly turned into a nightmare. The four-car pileup on the 105 freeway in Los Angeles, California fractured the elderly gentleman’s spine and paralyzed him.
The Defendant denied any liability for the incident and shifted the blame onto Steve, arguing that he caused the chain of collisions. While Steve was recovering in the hospital, his family contacted Panish Shea and Boyle LLP to assist him in his fight against the negligent driver. Spencer Lucas stepped up to represent Steve, promising that he would do everything he could to obtain justice for the devastating injuries that his client had suffered.
After visiting with Steve, Spencer immediately got to work on the case. Spencer carefully consolidated the facts by acquiring data from the vehicles involved and conducting hours of depositions. Ultimately, Spencer uncovered the Defendant’s long history of prior incidents, and gathered enough evidence to find the Defendant and his company solely liable for the accident. He outlined a demand for the company’s $5 million policy limit to alleviate his client’s physical and financial burdens, only to be rejected twice, prompting him to contact DK Global.
DK Global created a comprehensive animation that depicted his client’s damages. A 3D model of Steve was produced to show each fracture along his thoracic spine, his epidural hematoma, and the dislocation that paralyzed him from the waist down. Every fracture was carefully recreated using the medical imagery taken during Steve’s admission into the hospital and backed by Spencer’s retained experts to ensure an accurate representation of his injuries.
Finally, with the damages presentation strengthening Spencer’s third demand package, he successfully obtained $4 million of the $5 million policy limit for his client – the remaining amount split amongst additional claimants. This award would relieve Steve’s medical expenses and financially secure him and his family for the remainder of his life.
Spencer Lucas is a trial lawyer at Southern California-based firm, Panish Shea & Boyle LLP. He is recognized “On the Fast Track” by The Recorder magazine and is consistently named a “Super Lawyer” and “Best Lawyer in America”. Spencer has obtained numerous multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements in his career and prides himself on advocating for survivors of catastrophic trauma.
