VAN NUYS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A Los Angeles County Superior Court jury in Van Nuys awarded $2,000,969 to a man who was injured when his vehicle was struck from behind by a large commercial plumbing van. The Plaintiff, Sergio Gil, was represented at trial by Spencer Lucas and Robert Glassman of Panish Shea & Boyle LLP. Plaintiff was also represented in the case by Siamak Vaziri and Mark J. Giannamore of Vaziri Law Group.
On the evening of June 26, 2014, Mr. Gil was traveling home following a long day of work when he was rear-ended by a large Andersen plumbing van driven by defendant Trevor Buczynski. Plaintiff was evaluated in the emergency room later that evening for neck and back sprains and strains and returned to work the following day, continuing his employment as a construction framer.
Prior to trial, Defense admitted that its driver was entirely at fault for the accident. The only issues that remained for trial were whether the collision caused the nature and extent of Mr. Gil's injuries, which Defense argued did not require surgery or future care and treatment. The plaintiff underwent conservative therapy treatment and had a one-level fusion surgery in his lumbar spine.
The defense argued that the non-English speaking Plaintiff continued his employment as a framer immediately after the collision and presented experts to argue the impact was only a 6 mph rear-ender that could not cause a spinal injury. The defense asked the jury to award $15,000. The jury found in favor of Plaintiff, awarding Mr. Gil $2,000,969 for past and future medical expenses and past and future pain and suffering.
Defendants were represented at trial by Jack Liebhaber and Dustin E. Thordarson of Raffalow, Bretoi & Adams.
Panish Shea & Boyle LLP has obtained numerous multimillion-dollar jury verdicts in commercial vehicle cases in the last several years, including a landmark $53,745,374 verdict in February 2018 for two Southern California brothers who were severely injured following a head-on collision with a CRST big rig and a $34,555,220 verdict in January 2015 for a man who suffered a below-the-knee amputation after he was hit by the trailer of a semi-truck while he was standing on a sidewalk.
Sergio Gil v. Trevor Michael Buczynski; Andersen Commercial Plumbing,
Inc., et al
Superior Court of California, County of Los
Angeles
Case No. BC605711
Hon. Holly J. Fujie
