A California state court jury has awarded $535,100 to a pedestrian struck by an oncoming car while crossing a road outside of a crosswalk, who sought over $9 million in damages for her injuries, and the full trial was recorded gavel-to-gavel by Courtroom View Network.
The Los Angeles County jury returned its verdict on January 30 in the lawsuit filed by Plaintiff Camecia Lee against defendant Yolanda Coleman. Lee accused Coleman of driving recklessly on a dark road near a residential area and sought up to $9.7 million in damages. Coleman argued that Lee and a companion caused the accident by darting across an intersection at night, where the crossing was not designed for pedestrians.
During the trial, Lee’s attorneys told jurors the accident caused a concussion with lasting effects, along with knee injuries that eventually required a total knee replacement. They claimed Lee wasn’t technically jaywalking and that drivers still have to be mindful of pedestrians even without a marked crossing.
Lee’s attorney, Yana Henriks of McMurray Henriks LLP, told CVN after the trial she anticipated a tough case on the liability issue, admitting there was “clear evidence of comparative negligence on both sides.”
“I was transparent with the jurors about my client’s share of responsibility, as she deserved her day in court to seek justice for her injuries, including a mild traumatic brain injury that’s often poorly understood,” Henriks stated.
Despite the jury verdict coming in lower than requested and being further reduced by the liability split, Hneriks suggested the decision by Coleman’s insurer, GEICO, not to settle the case could have potential consequences.
The case is captioned Camecia Lee v. Yolanda Yvette Coleman, case number 19STXV03327 in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
Email David Siegel at dsiegel@cvn.com
