Overview

A young man was injured when a vehicle turned left into his motorcycle, causing a badly fractured wrist that required surgery. The injury prevented him from returning to his pre-accident physical job and left him with permanent limitations in his hand and arm. After the defence argued that he was partly responsible for the collision, the case settled at mediation for more than $490,000.

Key Takeaways

  • Settlement: More than $490,000
  • Accident type: Motorcycle collision involving a left-turning vehicle
  • Primary injury: Badly fractured wrist
  • Medical treatment: Surgery
  • Resolution method: Mediation
  • Notable legal issue: The defence argued that the client was partly at fault for entering the intersection on an amber light and not taking proper steps to avoid the left-turning vehicle
  • Employment impact: Unable to return to his pre-accident physical job
  • Long-term impact: Permanent limitations in his hand and arm
  • Retraining: Successfully retrained for a less physical job paying nearly as well as his previous job

The Case

Our client was a young man working in a well-paid physical job when a vehicle turned left into his motorcycle. The collision caused a badly fractured wrist that required surgery.

Following the crash, his injuries prevented him from returning to his pre-accident physical employment. He was left with permanent limitations affecting his hand and arm. Despite these limitations, he retrained for a less physical occupation that would pay him nearly as well as his previous job.

Liability was disputed. The defence argued that the client was partly responsible for the collision because he entered the intersection on an amber light and did not take proper steps to avoid the left-turning vehicle.

The case was resolved at mediation, resulting in a settlement of more than $490,000.

Why It Matters

This result demonstrates how a motorcycle collision can have lasting consequences even when an injured person successfully retrains and returns to work in a different occupation. In this case, the client could no longer perform his previous physical job and continued to experience permanent limitations in his hand and arm.

The settlement is also notable because the case involved a dispute over responsibility for the collision. Despite the defence’s argument that the client was partly at fault, the matter was resolved at mediation for more than $490,000.