Callahan & Blaine Announces That Multi-National Corporation Agrees to Pay $6 Million to Settle Bicycle Accident Lawsuit

Callahan & Blaine announced today that a confidential settlement agreement has been reached with a multi-national corporation to pay their client, a 32-year-old bicyclist who was injured in an accident with an airport shuttle bus, a total of $6 million

SANTA ANA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A large multi-national corporation has agreed to pay a 32-year-old bicyclist $6 million to settle a lawsuit scheduled for trial in Orange County Superior Court, according to Callahan & Blaine, attorneys for the bicyclist. The names of all parties are confidential under the terms of the settlement agreement. Callahan & Blaine noted that the settlement is one of the largest bicycle accident settlements in the history of Orange County, California.

“This was a very serious injury suffered by our client. Fortunately, he will now be able to address all of his medical needs going forward and live comfortably for the rest of his life.”

The cyclist was injured on November 12, 2009, when an airport shuttle bus pulled out in front of him, rolling over the cyclist and fracturing his pelvis in several places. As a result, the cyclist was left with chronic pain in his neck, back and pelvis and other internal injuries.

On the night of the accident, the Defendant’s driver pulled the shuttle bus up to the airport parking exit and stopped. As the cyclist proceeded to ride past the front of the bus, the shuttle bus accelerated forward, rolling over the cyclist and fracturing his pelvis. The shuttle driver admitted that he did not see the cyclist approaching on his bicycle and failed to yield.

The Defendant Multi-National Corporation intended to present evidence at trial that on November 12, 2009, the cyclist took several doses of Xanax and was therefore allegedly impaired. The defense was also going to present evidence that the cyclist’s toxicology screening showed THC – the active chemical in marijuana – in his system at the time of the accident. The defense also contended that the cyclist was riding by the Orange County Airport at night, wearing dark clothing without any reflective safety features.

Daniel J. Callahan of Callahan & Blaine expressed his pleasure with the settlement, stating, “This was a very serious injury suffered by our client. Fortunately, he will now be able to address all of his medical needs going forward and live comfortably for the rest of his life.” Mr. Callahan further noted, “Given some of the adverse facts and defenses available to the Defendant Corporation, this was an excellent resolution.”

The cyclist’s attorney, Daniel J. Callahan, previously represented two women in a record-breaking $50 million settlement against the City of Dana Point for injuries suffered while jogging down Pacific Coast Highway (Neria v. City of Dana Point, Orange County, CA Superior Court, Case No. 06CC10395). That settlement is the highest personal injury settlement in the history of the United States.

Mr. Callahan also obtained the highest jury verdict in Orange County history, $934 million, representing Beckman Coulter of Fullerton, California in a business dispute with Flextronics, a large multi-billion dollar corporation in Northern California (Beckman Coulter Inc. v. Flextronics Int'l Ltd., Orange County Super. Ct. No. 01CC08395).

A jury trial was scheduled to commence on March 26, 2012 at the Orange County Superior Court. A request for dismissal of the case was filed today.

About Callahan & Blaine:

Callahan & Blaine is California’s Premier Litigation Firm and one of the leading complex business litigation firms in the state of California. In the last five years, Callahan & Blaine lawyers have obtained over $1.2 billion in verdicts and settlements. Based in Orange County, California, Callahan & Blaine handles commercial litigation cases nationwide. For more information, visit http://www.callahan-law.com.