Representing motorcycle crash victims always presents unique challenges in overcoming the stigma some people associate with motorcyclists. The defendants, and their lawyers, seek to capitalize off that stigma by blaming the motorcyclist for causing the crash — even when there is no evidence that the motorcyclist did anything wrong.
Such was the case in a case that Passen & Powell settled this week on behalf of a 68-year-old retired Vietnam war veteran who was riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle one evening on the streets of Chicago when he was struck by a car that suddenly pulled out from a parking lane and cut across the thru lanes of traffic into our client on his motorcycle. Our client was thrown from his bike onto the pavement, and fractured his ankle and thumb, requiring surgery. In the months that followed, our client also noticed a deformity on his penis, and he was unable to get an erection. He was eventually diagnosed with a condition called Peyronie’s Disease, which is caused by trauma, as well as permanent erectile dysfunction.
Although the defense tried to blame our client, we were able to build a strong liability case — through extensive investigation and witness depositions — showing that this crash was caused solely by the negligence of the defendant driver.
Next, we focused on bringing to life the true nature and extent of our client’s injuries. We did this through witness preparation and the creation of several exhibits to show what our client has gone through. For the orthopedic injuries, we used the X-ray images.
We created similar illustrations and videos to show the jury — if the case went to trial — how trauma from the motorcycle crash caused our client’s Peyronie’s disease and erectile dysfunction. After being confronted with this evidence and the exhibits we created just before trial, the case settled for $750,000. Our client is thrilled with the result and looking forward to moving on with his life.
For a free consultation with one of Passen & Powell’s attorneys to discuss a potential case, call us at 312-527-4500.