LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A Los Angeles Superior Court jury has awarded Marina Rivas over $20
million in the big-rig truck crash that left her catastrophically
injured. Ms. Rivas was represented at the three week trial by Panish
Shea Boyle LLP attorneys Brian Panish and Spencer Lucas. A J.B. Hunt
Transport, Inc. truck driver ran a red light, hit Ms. Rivas' car and
then fled from the scene of the accident, leaving Ms. Rivas severely
injured.
On May 2, 2008, 47-year-old Marina Rivas was driving home from a
business trip when she was hit by an 18,000 pound tractor-trailer driven
by a J.B. Hunt employee who ran a red light in Pico Rivera, California.
The impact destroyed the driver's side of Ms. Rivas' vehicle and the car
was pushed through the intersection with such force that it left the
roadway and slammed into a pole. Ms. Rivas had to be extracted from the
wreckage by fire personnel. The J.B. Hunt driver fled the scene of the
accident, making no attempt to report the incident or to render any type
of emergency care to Ms. Rivas. The driver pled no contest to a criminal
charge of hit and run.
After being extracted from her vehicle, Ms. Rivas was taken to the
hospital where her diagnoses included subarachnoid hemorrhage,
concussion, and retrograde amnesia. She continues to suffer from serious
cognitive impairments, chronic physical pain, depression, and other
conditions as a result of her injuries. Ms. Rivas has been unable to
work since the accident and was required to move in with her cousin who
helps care for her financially and physically.
J.B. Hunt disputed liability for four years leading up to the trial,
claiming both that Ms. Rivas was at fault for the accident and that the
truck driver suffered an "emergency medical condition" arising from
kidney failure which led him to blackout. Ultimately, Panish Shea
BoyleLLP attorneys disproved both of these defenses, and J.B. Hunt
admitted liability after the first week of trial. Evidence at trial also
demonstrated that the truck driver had been hired and fired by J.B. Hunt
twice in the past and had held 15 different jobs in the trucking
industry since 1999. He had a history of safety violations, including
failing to report and attempting to cover up traffic accidents.
J.B. Hunt, a publicly traded company (ticker symbol JBHT) offered only
$2,000,000 to settle the case during trial. The jury returned a total
award of $20,011,798.17. The jury's award includes over $7,000,000 for
Ms. Rivas' future medical expenses and $12,000,000 for her past and
future pain and suffering.
Ms. Rivas has been actively participating in a brain injury
rehabilitation program, where she hopes to be able to continue her
recovery with the proceeds from the verdict.
Trial counsel Brian Panish stated: "The award will help Ms. Rivas to
lead the best life she can under the circumstances. It is unfortunate
that it took over 4 years and a full trial to get to this point. We are
hopeful that J.B. Hunt will do the right thing and accept the jury's
verdict so that Ms. Rivas can start to move on with her life."
Marina Rivas v. Jeffrey Gaines and J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc.
Case
No. BC436965
Superior Court of the State of California, Los Angeles
County
The Hon. Rolf M. Treu, presiding
million in the big-rig truck crash that left her catastrophically
injured. Ms. Rivas was represented at the three week trial by Panish
Shea Boyle LLP attorneys Brian Panish and Spencer Lucas. A J.B. Hunt
Transport, Inc. truck driver ran a red light, hit Ms. Rivas' car and
then fled from the scene of the accident, leaving Ms. Rivas severely
injured.
On May 2, 2008, 47-year-old Marina Rivas was driving home from a
business trip when she was hit by an 18,000 pound tractor-trailer driven
by a J.B. Hunt employee who ran a red light in Pico Rivera, California.
The impact destroyed the driver's side of Ms. Rivas' vehicle and the car
was pushed through the intersection with such force that it left the
roadway and slammed into a pole. Ms. Rivas had to be extracted from the
wreckage by fire personnel. The J.B. Hunt driver fled the scene of the
accident, making no attempt to report the incident or to render any type
of emergency care to Ms. Rivas. The driver pled no contest to a criminal
charge of hit and run.
After being extracted from her vehicle, Ms. Rivas was taken to the
hospital where her diagnoses included subarachnoid hemorrhage,
concussion, and retrograde amnesia. She continues to suffer from serious
cognitive impairments, chronic physical pain, depression, and other
conditions as a result of her injuries. Ms. Rivas has been unable to
work since the accident and was required to move in with her cousin who
helps care for her financially and physically.
J.B. Hunt disputed liability for four years leading up to the trial,
claiming both that Ms. Rivas was at fault for the accident and that the
truck driver suffered an "emergency medical condition" arising from
kidney failure which led him to blackout. Ultimately, Panish Shea
BoyleLLP attorneys disproved both of these defenses, and J.B. Hunt
admitted liability after the first week of trial. Evidence at trial also
demonstrated that the truck driver had been hired and fired by J.B. Hunt
twice in the past and had held 15 different jobs in the trucking
industry since 1999. He had a history of safety violations, including
failing to report and attempting to cover up traffic accidents.
J.B. Hunt, a publicly traded company (ticker symbol JBHT) offered only
$2,000,000 to settle the case during trial. The jury returned a total
award of $20,011,798.17. The jury's award includes over $7,000,000 for
Ms. Rivas' future medical expenses and $12,000,000 for her past and
future pain and suffering.
Ms. Rivas has been actively participating in a brain injury
rehabilitation program, where she hopes to be able to continue her
recovery with the proceeds from the verdict.
Trial counsel Brian Panish stated: "The award will help Ms. Rivas to
lead the best life she can under the circumstances. It is unfortunate
that it took over 4 years and a full trial to get to this point. We are
hopeful that J.B. Hunt will do the right thing and accept the jury's
verdict so that Ms. Rivas can start to move on with her life."
Marina Rivas v. Jeffrey Gaines and J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc.
Case
No. BC436965
Superior Court of the State of California, Los Angeles
County
The Hon. Rolf M. Treu, presiding