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Real Examples of Vista Car Accidents and Settlement Amounts

Side Impact Accident

Facts: Mr. C's car accident occurred in Vista, California when his BMW was struck at a high rate of speed by Ford Ranger near the intersection of East Orange Street and North Santa Fe Avenue. The defendant ran a red light and collided into the front end of Mr. C's, causing his vehicle to roll onto its roof.

Injuries: Mr. C had lacerations to the face and complained of knee pain at the scene. He was taken by ambulance to the hospital where he was diagnosed with complete rupture of the posterior cruciate ligament. Surgery was performed, and he recovered completely.

Settlement: $100,000.00 (insurance policy limits)


Cut Off at Freeway Onramp

Facts: Mr. C was travelling eastbound in the front passenger seat of his wife's car when the car was cut off at the I-15 on ramp. A T-bone accident followed.

Injuries: Ms. C was elderly with a history of strokes. He was taken to the hospital and admitted to the ICU as a precaution. Because of complaints of pain in his neck, a CT was performed revealing a fracture to the left C6-7 facet joint. Surgery was not required, but he required extensive physical therapy.

Settlement: $100,000.00 (policy limits)


Pedestrain Accident

Facts: Ms. Y’s injuries occurred in Vista, California, a few minutes before 8:00 a.m., while she was taking her morning walk. At the time of the accident, Ms. Y. crossed Sycamore Avenue approximately 25 feet east of Brookhaven Pass. The defendant turned left from Brookhaven Pass onto Sycamore Avenue and rolled through the stop sign. For reasons unknown, she did not see Ms. Y crossing the street, and drove right into her, throwing her into the air and onto the street.

Injuries: Immediately following the impact, Ms. Y complained of pain in her left knee, left hip, and neck. She was transported to Tri-City Hospital and was seen in the Emergency Department there. The ED physicians examined and imaged Ms. Y and concluded she had sustained a left knee strain and swelling, a left hip strain, and a neck strain. She was given morphine and diazepam and was discharged with crutches and a knee immobilizer. A MRI scan revealed a complete or nearly complete tear of the ACL and a Grade II MCL injury. There was also a vertical tear of the posterior horn medial meniscus, and contusions of the lateral tibial plateau, lateral femoral condyle and fibular head. They also found large joint effusion and chondromalacia patella. Surgery was later performed.

Settlement: $60,000.00


Head-On Collision

Facts: Mr. A was injured in Vista, when the driver of a Toyota pickup, travelling east bound on Vale Terrace Drive, crossed over the double yellow line and struck Mr. A head on. Upon impact, Mr. A’s head struck the steering wheel and the windshield, and his forehead cracked the windshield leaving a star pattern. He refused medical treatment at the accident scene, but instead sought treatment two hours later at the Scripps Coastal Medical Center emergency room.

Injuries: Mr. A experienced facial trauma, a three-centimeter chin laceration, scalp swelling, a forehead abrasion, a headache, and a chipped front tooth. He was wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident, but his car was not equipped with airbags. The emergency room doctor conducted several tests to evaluate Mr. A’s condition, including full CT scans of his head, neck, chest, abdomen and pelvis. The doctor’s clinical impression of Mr. A was an acute closed head injury with possible mild concussion, scalp cephalohematoma, a chin laceration and oral trauma with tooth fracture. The laceration on his chin was sutured, and Mr. A was sent home with a prescription of Vicodin. His injuries resolved over time.

Settlement: $39,000.00 (including third-party policy limits and underinsured motorist coverage).


Facts: Mr. C, a 22-year-old, newly married, active duty Marine, was injured in a motorcycle accident when he was cut-off by a Toyota while riding on N. Santa Fe Avenue in Vista, California.

Injuries: After being transported to Palomar Hospital, Mr. C complained of pain in his left shoulder, left arm and left hand. He had an obvious injury to the tip of his left third finger, which was smashed. After a complete physical examination, Mr. C was diagnosed with bruising to his chest and abdomen, and a fracture and laceration to his left, third finger. The finger was splinted and sutured and he was released to home. He missed three days of work.

Settlement: $22,000.00


Rear-End Accident

Facts: Mr. R was driving southbound in the number one lane on Sycamore Avenue in Vista, CA. Traffic was backed up, and Mr. R was duly stopped with the other vehicles around him. The defendant, a teenager, was driving southbound in the number one lane on Sycamore Avenue behind Mr. R, but failed to notice that traffic was stopped ahead. She was unable to stop in time to avoid a collision and rear-ended Mr. R at a high rate of speed.

Injuries: In the ER at Palomar Medical Center Mr. R complained of neck pain and body aches. He was examined and noted to be anxious and had diffuse pain in his upper trapezius. A CT-scan of his cervical spine was performed, which revealed no evidence of acute osseous injury. Mr. R was discharged with instructions to follow-up with his primary care physician. His primary care physician ordered physical therapy, which helped, but Mr. R developed anxiety when driving. His anxiety eased over time.

Settlement: $18,000.00


T-Bone Accident Causes Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Facts: CM was a 19-year-old woman who lived at home with her family and was driving with her boyfriend at the time of the accident. CM was wearing her seat belt and sitting in the front passenger seat of her boyfriend’s 2010 Ford Mustang convertible when the vehicle was involved in two accidents occurring within minutes of each other. CM blacked out when the Honda CRV hit them and remembers little of the five hours preceding the accident. Although she has no memory of the impact, bystanders, who spoke to her in the vehicle, noted that she was conscious. According to the emergency room report, CM lost consciousness after the accident, and her boyfriend suffered major injuries.

Injuries: CM suffered the fracture of four ribs and a punctured lung in the crash, but the more significantly she developed neurological symptoms, including dizziness, confusion, and headache. The headaches persisted for more than a year.

Settlement: $250,000.00 (Policy Limits)

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