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Archive for the ‘Case Results’ Category

Trial Victory for Harris Personal Injury Lawyers

Tuesday, February 1st, 2011

Harris Personal Injury Lawyers is proud to announce another trial victory. Client retained Harris Personal Injury Lawyers in the Spring of 2008. He had been backed into by a vehicle while he was standing in a private parking lot, sustaining a neck injury. The insurance company for the defendant took a strong position that they would not pay for the client’s medical expenses. The insurance company disputed liability, denied the client was struck by the defendant’s vehicle, and argued that even if he had been, he could not have been injured. The insurance company only offered $7,500 to settle the client’s bodily injury claim, despite the fact that he had suffered a significant neck injury.

Attorney Ryan Harris tried the case with the assistance of Harris Personal Injury Lawyer’s Philip Alexander, Esq. Prior to trial, the insurance company withdrew its $7,500 offer to the client and made no further offers to settle the case. In fact, the insurance company’s defense lawyer from Orange County guaranteed a defense verdict and told Mr. Harris that he was going to “bring his reputation to San Diego County.” The defense attorney hired an accident reconstruction and bio mechanical expert. He also hired an orthopedic expert. Both experts came to court and testified that the accident was very minor, and therefore, the client could not have been injured in the collision. At trial, attorney Ryan Harris cross examined the insurance company’s experts and demonstrated the sloppiness of their work, the flaws in their analysis, and their lack of qualifications to render such opinions. (The defense orthopedic expert was an extremities specialist and not a spine specialist). Mr. Harris also exposed the defense expert’s clear bias, having been hired and paid for by the defense attorney, not only on this case, but many times before. Harris Personal Injury Lawyers subpoenaed the client’s treating physicians to trial and they testified on the client’s behalf and to the significance of his injuries. The jury found the treating physicians to be very credible.

At the close of evidence, and after deliberating for a day, the jury returned a $71,373 verdict in the client’s favor. Post verdict, the insurance company agreed to promptly pay $70,000 to satisfy the judgment and settle the case.

We have successfully tried numerous personal injury cases to verdict, both small and large. If you or a loved one have been involved in a serious personal injury case please do not hesitate to contact Harris Personal Injury Lawyers to get more information on how we can help.

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Posted in Auto Accident, Case Results, Harris Personal Injury Lawyers, Insurance, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Another Trial Victory!

Monday, June 28th, 2010

Harris Personal Injury Lawyers is proud to announce another victory. Clients retained Harris Personal Injury Lawyers in May 2010. They had been involved in a rear end motor vehicle collision one year earlier. The insurance company for the defendant had told the clients for over a year that it would not pay the clients’ medical expenses, because they were not entitled to any medical treatment and simply could not have been injured in such a minor rear end collision.  The insurance company took a zero offer position on the clients’ bodily injury claim, despite the fact that they suffered back, neck, and jaw injuries.

The clients had an upcoming bench trial and were without representation.  Harris Personal Injury Lawyers agreed to take on the case and represent the clients at their upcoming bench trial.

Attorney Ryan Harris handled the bench trial with the assistance of the firm’s law clerk Garrett May.  Prior to the trial, the insurance company made no offers to settle the case.  The insurance company’s lawyer hired an accident reconstruction and bio mechanical expert.  This expert came to court and testified that the accident was very minor, and therefore, the clients could not have been injured in the collision. At trial, attorney Ryan Harris cross examined the insurance company’s expert and demonstrated the sloppiness of his work and the flaws in his analysis.

At the close of evidence, and after only deliberating for 5 minutes, the judge returned a $15,920.00 verdict in the clients’ favor.

We have successfully tried numerous personal injury cases to verdict, both small and large. If you or a loved one have been involved in a serious personal injury case please do not hesitate to contact Harris Personal Injury Lawyers to get more information on how we can help.

We are located in San Diego County at:
301 Mission Avenue, Suite 203,
Oceanside, CA 92054 (map)
Toll Free: 877-231-9970

Labels: car accident settlement, harris personal injury lawyers, motor vehicle collision, personal injury settlement

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Another Auto Accident Trial Victory!

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

Client retained Harris Personal Injury Lawyers in the Spring of 2007. She had been involved in a rear end motor vehicle collision 2 1/2 months earlier. The insurance company for the defendant argued that the client was not entitled to any medical treatment and could not have been injured in such a small collision.

The insurance company took this position on the client’s bodily injury claim, despite the fact that she suffered from a persisting neck injury. Attorneys Ryan Harris and Ryan Sargent tried the case in February 2010. Prior to trial, the insurance company had only offered $7,500 to settle the case.

Following a 4 day trial, the jury returned a $32,000 verdict, with $12,000 awarded for past medical expenses, $20,000 awarded for pain and suffering. In addition to the jury’s $32,000 verdict, the insurance company will also have to pay prevailing party costs, and CCP Section 998 interest and costs, of about $30,000, requiring a total payment of approximately $62,000 to satisfy the judgment.

We have successfully tried several personal injury cases to verdict, both small and large. If you or a loved one have been involved in a serious personal injury case please do not hesitate to contact Harris Personal Injury Lawyers to get more information on how we can help.

We are located in San Diego County at:
301 Mission Avenue, Suite 203,
Oceanside, CA 92054 (map)
Toll Free: 877-231-9970

Labels: auto accident, car accident settlement, law offices of ryan harris, motor vehicle collision, personal injury settlements

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$13.3 Million Verdict for Oceanside Law Firm

Tuesday, January 19th, 2010


Harris Personal Injury Lawyers Obtains an 8-Figure Verdict

January 19, 2010 (Oceanside, California): Ryan Harris of San Diego law firm Harris Personal Injury Lawyers, and his co-counsel Robert Hamparyan, were recently awarded a $13.3 million dollar jury verdict in an auto accident case.

Mr. Harris’ client, who was just 19 years old at the time of the accident, was struck head-on by a negligent driver on a two lane rural highway in Farmersville, California. The collision, which occurred in October 2007, resulted in severe injuries to the client.

The insurance company for the negligent driver denied any responsibility for causing the car accident because the driver had been rear-ended by another vehicle before colliding with Mr. Harris’ client. As a result, the insurance company refused to offer any money to settle the case.

During his investigation of the case, Mr. Harris obtained the black box data recorder from the driver’s Chevy Silverado. The data recorder demonstrated the negligent driver had been braking aggressively just before the accident. This was a key piece of evidence the jury relied upon in awarding a verdict in the Plaintiff’s favor.

The case was tried in the California Superior Court in Visalia, California. The trial lasted 6 weeks, with 3 days of jury deliberation. The jury reached its verdict on December 23, 2009, awarding Mr. Harris’s client a verdict of 13.3 million dollars. When asked about the case Mr. Harris responded, “representing this client has forever changed my life, and if there ever was a young lady who needed to be taken care of through our civil justice system it is her”.

About Harris Personal Injury Lawyers: Located at 301 Mission Avenue, Suite 203, Oceanside, California 92054. The law firm is located in the heart of the Oceanside redevelopment zone, approximately 400 yards east of the Oceanside Municipal Pier.

Harris Personal Injury Lawyers is a law firm dedicated to providing aggressive legal representation for people who are injured as a result of the negligence of others. Mr. Harris founded his personal injury law firm on the principal that injured clients deserve the same quality legal representation as insurance companies.

Harris Personal Injury Lawyers represents individuals who are injured in auto, motorcycle, bicycle, and truck accidents, as well as victims of dog attacks, slip and fall accidents, defective products, and all other accidents caused by the negligence of others. The firm offers free case consultations, and attorneys who speak Spanish are available.

If you have been in an accident and would like more information about the attorneys at Harris Personal Injury Lawyers, or to schedule a free case evaluation, please call toll-free 877-231-9970 or visit www.harrispersonalinjury.com. Se habla Espanol.

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Posted in Auto Accident, Case Results, Press Release | No Comments »

Tractor Trailer Case Victory in Southern California

Monday, September 7th, 2009

Client came to San Diego Personal Injury firm , the Law Offices of Ryan Harris, in July of 2008. The client, who is a truck driver, was standing next to a loading dock talking on his cell phone. The client had parked his tractor trailer in an adjacent loading dock, and was calling on his cell phone to receive further directions as to what he should do with his load. While the client was standing talking on his cell phone, another truck driver backed his tractor trailer into the adjacent loading dock where the client was standing, striking him in the neck and head.

The insurance company for the tractor trailer company blamed the client for the incident, claiming he should have been paying more attention and should not have been speaking on his cell phone.

The client was injured, and needed medical treatment for his neck injury. After the San Diego client retained the Law Offices of Ryan Harris, the firm was able to secure proper medical treatment for the client, who did not have health insurance or the means to pay for medical care for his injuries.

The client received proper medical treatment, and eventually recovered from his neck injury. The attorneys at the Law Offices of Ryan Harris were also able to prove the driver of the tractor trailer had negligently failed to properly check his rear view mirrors before backing up into the loading dock, and as a result, secured a $155,000 settlement for the client in San Diego County.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a serious personal injury case in Orange County or San Diego County please do not hesitate to contact our personal injury firm to get more information on how we can help.

The Law Offices of Ryan Harris is located in San Diego County at:
301 Mission Avenue, Suite 203,
Oceanside, CA 92054 (map)
Toll Free :877-231-9970

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Tractor Trailer Case – Pre-Trial Settlement

Monday, August 10th, 2009

In the summer of 2006, the client was struck by a tractor trailer while driving a motorcycle in San Bernardino County. The collision left the client with a left leg injury. The client needed a personal injury attorney. Unfortunately, the client’s first attorney dropped the case once he realized the insurance company was unwilling to settle. A few days before the statute of limitation ran, the client came to the Law Offices of Ryan Harris. We listened to his story and knew that his case was righteous. The defendant claimed that our client was at fault for the collision. Because the client’s motorcycle was not insured at the time of the collision, he could not recover for his pain and suffering. The defendant also claimed that because the client did not have a motorcycle license, he should not have been on a motorcycle. We believed that the truck driver made an illegal lane change, and therefore, the trucking company was responsible for the collision and the client’s injuries and damages.

The personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Ryan Harris believed the client and believed in the case. One month prior to trial, when the defendant trucking company realized the Law Offices of Ryan Harris was prepared to try this most difficult case, the case settled for $500,000.00. A stark contrast to the defendant’s initial offer: $0.

This case is not unusual. We have successfully resolved the most difficult cases in Southern California. If you or a loved one has been involved in a serious personal injury case please do not hesitate to contact our personal injury firm to get more information on how we can help.

The Law Offices of Ryan Harris is located in San Diego County at:
301 Mission Avenue, Suite 203,
Oceanside, CA 92054 (map)
Toll Free :877-231-9970

Posted in Auto Accident, Case Results | No Comments »

Uninsured Motorist Arbitration Victory!

Wednesday, April 15th, 2009

Client in San Diego County retained the Law Offices of Ryan Harris in the summer of 2007. He had been involved in a rear end motor vehicle collision two years earlier in the summer of 2005 and needed a personal injury attorney. The defendant did not have insurance, therefore, the client made a claim against his own automobile insurance company through his uninsured motorist coverage. However, rather than do the right thing, the client’s auto insurance company refused to honor its obligations under the client’s contract of insurance and improperly claimed the client’s neck and shoulder injuries were the result of an automobile collision the client had been involved in 2 months before the uninsured motorist collision. The insurance company took this position, despite the fact that the client did not have persisting neck pain until after the uninsured motorist collision.

The personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Ryan Harris arbitrated the case in February 2009. Prior to the arbitration, the insurance company had only offered $7,500 to settle the case, despite the fact the client had a $25,000 uninsured motorist policy limit with his insurance company. Following an all day arbitration, the arbitrator returned a $25,000 arbitration award, which is the maximum the arbitrator could award under the circumstances. In addition to the arbitrator’s $25,000 award, however, the insurance company also had to pay $13,000 in prevailing party costs, and CCP Section 998 interest and costs, resulting in a total award of $38,000 for the client.

We have successfully arbitrated several uninsured motorist arbitration cases in San Diego and Orange County, both small and large. If you or a loved one have been involved in a serious personal injury case please do not hesitate to contact our personal injury firm to get more information on how we can help.

The Law Offices of Ryan Harris is located in San Diego County at:
301 Mission Avenue, Suite 203,
Oceanside, CA 92054 (map)
Toll Free :877-231-9970

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Another Auto Accident Trial Victory!

Tuesday, April 7th, 2009

Client retained the Law Offices of Ryan Harris in the fall of 2007. He had been involved in a rear end motor vehicle collision 4 1/2 months earlier. The insurance company for the defendant argued that the client was not entitled to any additional medical treatment and only offered him $2,500 to resolve his case.

The insurance company took this position on the client’s bodily injury claim, despite the fact that he had a persisting low back injury and soft tissue neck and shoulder injuries, which later resolved. Attorney Ryan Harris tried the case in March 2009. Prior to trial, the insurance company had still only offered $2,700 to settle the case.

Following a 3 day trial, the jury returned a $40,000 verdict, with $9,000 awarded for past medical expenses, $25,000 awarded for future medical expenses, $5,000 awarded for pain and suffering. In addition to the jury’s $40,000 verdict, the insurance company will also have to pay prevailing party costs, and CCP Section 998 interest and costs, of about $11,000, requiring a total payment of approximately $51,000 to satisfy the judgment.

We have successfully tried several personal injury cases to verdict, both small and large. If you or a loved one have been involved in a serious personal injury case please do not hesitate to contact The Law Offices of Ryan Harris to get more information on how we can help.

We are located in San Diego County at:
301 Mission Avenue, Suite 203,
Oceanside, CA 92054 (map)
Toll Free: 877-231-9970

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How Much Money is Awarded in San Diego for Lower Back Injury Cases?

Monday, January 5th, 2009

The amount of money that is awarded in a lower back personal injury case depends on a variety of factors, which include, but are not limited, to the following:

1) The severity of the lower back injury.
Is the injury just a sprain/strain or is it a more significant lower back disk injury?

2) The amount of medical bills incurred to treat the lower back injury.
This includes the amount of medical expenses incurred in the past and the amount that will be incurred in the future.

3) Lost earnings.
Has the lower back injury resulted in missed time and money from work both in the past and the future?

4) Life changes.
What life changes has the lower back injury caused? For example, are there recreational activities or hobbies that can no longer be enjoyed?

5) The permanency of the lower back injury.
Will the injury get better with time or is it a permanent lifelong injury?

Settlements and/or verdicts for lower back injury cases can range from a just a couple thousand dollars to seven figures. This is because low back injuries can be much more severe or complicated than they may seem.

This is why it is extremely important to consult with a personal injury lawyer before attempting to settle your case with an insurance company.

Please feel free to contact one of our lawyers to get more information on our legal process and what we can do for you.

Our office is located in San Diego County at:
301 Mission Avenue, Suite 203
Oceanside, Ca 92054 (map)

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Posted in Case Results, Lower Back Injury | No Comments »

Recent Auto Accident Trial Victory

Tuesday, November 11th, 2008

Client retained the Law Offices of Ryan Harris in the summer of 2006. She had been involved in a motor vehicle collision a month earlier. The insurance company for the defendant had taken the position that the client could not have been injured in the accident, because the property damage to her vehicle was only $800. As a result, the insurance company had denied the client’s bodily injury claim, despite the fact that she had sustained a low back injury.

The case went to trial in November 2008. Prior to trial, the insurance company had only offered $1,500 to settle the case. Following a 3 1/2 day trial, the jury returned a $29,000 verdict, with $14,000 awarded for past medical expenses, $7,500 awarded for future medical expenses, $3,500 awarded for past pain and suffering, and $3,500 awarded for future pain and suffering.

In addition to the jury’s $29,000 verdict, the insurance company will also have to pay prevailing party costs, and CCP Section 998 interest and costs, of about $18,000, requiring a total payment of approximately $47,000 to satisfy the judgment.

We have successfully recovered several types of personal injury settlements. If you or a loved one have been involved in a serious personal injury case please do not hesitate to contact The Law Offices of Ryan Harris to get more information on how we can help.

We are located in San Diego County at:
301 Mission Avenue, Suite 203
Oceanside, CA 92054 (map)
Toll Free : 877-231-9970

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