Justin King Obtains $3.2 Million Settlement with CSU San Bernardino
Justin King recently finalized a $3.2 million settlement with California State University, San Bernardino in a personal injury car accident case involving a university police officer who was a distracted driver.
“My client was on her way to a training to help her learn how to do her job better when a clearly distracted driver broke the law he is sworn to uphold causing her life-long injuries,” said attorney Justin King.
Before the accident, the woman was highly active who loved the outdoors and hiking. She was also a loving grandmother who played with her grandchildren and volunteered at her local YMCA. However, the fallout from the injuries she suffered caused her to be bed-ridden and in need of serious medical assistance for months.
Case Facts
In a case involving injuries that never should have happened, a woman who was an employee of San Bernardino County was driving her car along the 210 freeway on her way to a work-training that was being put on by the County of San Bernardino. A Cal State officer was driving behind her when he struck her vehicle from behind, sending her crashing into the car in front of her, across several lanes of traffic and then down into a ravine on the south side of the 210 freeway. She ultimately wound up hitting a tree in the ravine.
Although she was lucky to escape with her life, the woman and her family were appalled when they learned why the accident occurred. A truck driver testified that the officer was looking down at his cell phone shortly before the crash. The officer was on his way to work at Cal State San Bernardino and was in full dress uniform driving an unmarked police vehicle owned by the California State University Police.
As a result of the crash, the woman suffered multiple broken ribs on her left side, a burst compression fracture to her spine, an injured right knee, an open fracture to her right ankle which included a fracture of the talus bone in her ankle and a complete severing of the talofibular ligament in her right ankle. She also suffered a broken nose as well as a deviated septum which makes it difficult for her to breathe through her left nostril.
After the accident, she was transported by ambulance to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center and was there for 4 days undergoing various surgeries to repair her ankle. Her ankle remained in a boot for more than a month and her upper torso was placed in a brace she had to wear on a 24-hour basis for three months. After the initial 4-day hospital stay, she was transferred to Loma Linda University Medical Center Acute Rehab Center for another 2 weeks. She used a walker for several months and then used a cane for several more months. She required 24 hours, around the clock care until her upper torso brace was removed. She needed 17 months of physical therapy on her back and right ankle and she suffered significant pain, instability and limitation of movement in her ankle.
“This poor woman couldn’t even go to the bathroom by herself for months, let alone enjoy a hike with the lover of her life or wrestling around with her grandkids,” said attorney King. “Car accident injuries like this are often deadly and could have been prevented had an officer of the law just obeyed the law.”
The case is Diane Lynne Lee v. Cal State San Bernardino, San Bernardino County Superior Court, Case No. CIVDS1905109.
