Vehicular Negligence

In Cyclist v. Caltrans Contractor (Bay Area Sup. Ct., confidential court and case number) Michael A. Kelly and Conor M. Kelly negotiated a cash and annuity package having a present value of $5,000,000 on behalf of a 30-year-old school janitor who was injured while riding his motorcycle home from work on northbound Skyline Boulevard. The roadway was under construction and the plaintiff’s direction of traffic had been tapered from two lanes into one. As the plaintiff entered the construction zone, he collided with a commercial street sweeper. Mike and Conor alleged that the street-sweeper was performing an illegal turn at the time of the collision. Defendants argued that the plaintiff was speeding and driving recklessly. Mike and Conor retained experts in accident reconstruction, human factors and traffic engineering, and created an animation showing that the plaintiff was driving below the speed limit. The plaintiff suffered fractures to his left hip, ankle, foot and arm. He underwent four surgeries and was left with permanent activity limitations which prevented him from returning to work as a janitor. Prior to settlement the parties attended a full day unsuccessful mediation and multiple failed judicially supervised settlement conferences. Ultimately, the case settled following motions in limine.