This is a list of our firm's case results in Virginia (VA) and beyond. We can't guarantee you'll receive the same results, but we can guarantee we'll work tirelessly on your behalf and try to obtain the jury verdict or settlement you deserve.

DISCLAIMER: Please note that every case is different and these verdicts and settlements, while accurate, do not represent what we may obtain for you in your case.

Motorcycle Passengers Severely Injured in Head-On With Police Officer Recover $1,512,000

Attorneys and Staff: James C. Lewis and Randall E. Appleton, Attorneys; Denell Falzon, Paralegal; Dana D. Roth, Legal Assistant

Court/Date: Albemarle County Circuit Court, January 2008

Case Description: Motorcycle riders hit head on by police officer.

What Happened: The plaintiffs, who are husband and wife, were returning home from work on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and traveling on a two-lane primary highway that has its northbound and southbound lanes separated by painted stripes.

The defendant, a county police officer, was operating a marked police cruiser while on his way home from a day of driver’s training at a local speedway. He was traveling in the opposite direction from the plaintiffs. As the officer approached the plaintiffs’ motorcycle, his cruiser drifted over the center line, sideswiped a pickup truck and hit the plaintiffs’ motorcycle head on.

The defendant police officer claimed to have "blacked out" unexplainably with no warning. After the accident, he was seen and treated at a local emergency room, where the treating physician noted no injuries. Approximately six weeks later, however, the defendant’s supervisor visited the ER physician and convinced thedoctor to add a diagnosis of "syncopal events secondary to dehydration" to the defendant’s medical chart.

In the course of pretrial discovery, the plaintiffs’ attorneys -- Lewis and Appleton -- discovered that one year prior to the accident, the defendant police officer had been diagnosed with sleep apnea and had been noncompliant with his doctor’s recommendation for treatment. Accordingly, the plaintiff motorcycle passengers were able to retain the services of two medical experts who were prepared to testify that the defendant was not dehydrated. Rather, it was the experts' opinion that the officer had suffered an acute episode of sleep apnea before the collision that had caused him to lose control of his police cruiser.

Both motorcycle passengers were severely injured in the head-on collision. The wife suffered multiple fractures to the bones of her arm, wrist, tibia, ankle and hand. She later developed a chronic nonunion of one of the broken bones in her hand and was determined to be totally disabled from performing her job, which required repetitive heavy lifting.

The husband sustained a severe pelvic fracture that was treated with an external fixation device. In addition, he sustained a severe scrotal injury and a dislocated prostate gland. Subsequent to these injuries, his testicles had to be surgically transferred from his abdomen, where they had migrated, back to his scrotum. Fortunately, he was able to return to work and is presently employed full time.

Key Legal Strategy: Critical to the plaintiffs successfully prosecuting their motorcycle accident injury claim was the fact that they retained representation from our law firm quickly. This allowed our attorneys to promptly survey and inspect the accident scene and the defendant’s vehicle, and also to obtain the medical records necessary to explain why the defendant crossed over the center line and collided with the plaintiffs’ motorcycle.

Outcome: The case was settled in mediation shortly before the scheduled trial for the sum of $1,512,000.00.

Awarded: $1,512,000

About the Editors: Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton is a Virginia injury law firm which focuses on personal injury and accident law and our attorneys have experience handling motorcycle accident cases. Check out this case result involving a motorcycle and a pickup truck. Our primary office in based in Virginia Beach but we're ready to come to you anywhere in Virginia, including Hampton, Portsmouth, Newport News, Norfolk, Chesapeake and Suffolk, VA, if you've been seriously hurt by someone else's carelessness.

Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been included among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008 and have been named Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law since 2010, an honor fewer than 5 percent of attorneys receive. Lawyers with our firm have also been selected by the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum since 2009.

In addition, we were the first injury law firm in Virginia to join Primerus, a select group of highly ethical, respected law firms. Our VA accident injury firm has the highest rating of AV from Martindale-Hubbell, a national lawyer ranking organization, which means we have a reputation for preeminent legal skill.

While not every injury case meets our criteria, we offer a free, initial confidential injury case consultation, so call us toll free at (800) 752-0042. If you cannot get through due to high call volume, please leave a voicemail and we will return your call promptly.