A Green County jury awarded $750,000.00 for injuries suffered by a motorcyclist that collided into the side of a vehicle in a Springfield, Missouri intersection.  The plaintiff of this lawsuit was on a motorcycle traveling through an intersection on a green light.  The defendant made a left-hand turn, crossing in front of the motorcycle.  The motorcycle collided with the side of the vehicle, ejecting the motorcyclist.  His injuries were numerous and included two knee replacements and injuries to his pelvis, sacroiliac joint, right femur, kneecap, thumb, ribs, left tibia, right lower arm, left shoulder and head.

The defendant claimed that she had a green turn arrow and alleged that the motorcyclist was at fault for failing to yield.

There were considerable differences between the testimony of numerous witnesses that were present when the accident occurred.  This case demonstrates the critical need to immediately investigate these types of accidents, and take witness statements as soon as possible.

The case further illustrates the application of comparative fault in the State of Missouri.  The jury awarded 65% of the fault to the defendant and 35% of the fault to the motorcyclist.  This reduces the net verdict for plaintiff’s damages to $487,500.00

If you are in an accident, do not delay in contacting our law firm so that a complete and thorough investigation can be initiated immediately.  The success of your personal injury claim may depend upon how quickly an investigation commences in order to preserve evidence and testimony.

This entry was posted on Monday, December 8th, 2008 at 8:48 am and is filed under Motorcycle Accidents. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.