Results - $5,000,000 Settlement

$5,000,000 Settlement for Car Accident Victim Who Suffers Spinal Fractures and Traumatic Brain Injury.

On January 11, 2002, thirty-nine year-old Frances Reed* had just dropped her 3 children off at school and was headed to the bank to deposit her paycheck. She was driving on Sahalee Way in Redmond, Washington. There was a large dump truck parked on the corner of a three-way intersection. There were cones placed around the truck and in back while a work crew performed landscape maintenance on the shoulder of the road.

As Mrs. Reed started to pass the dump truck, another vehicle was stopped at the intersection and waiting to turn left onto Sahalee Way. This vehicle was operated by Harold Fair who was 78 years old. Just as Mrs. Reed passed the dump truck, Mr. Fair pulled out and struck her car. Mrs. Reed lost control of her vehicle, went off the road way and struck a tree. Witnesses reported that Mrs. Reed lost consciousness at the scene and suffered a large gash to her head. There was blood everywhere inside the vehicle.

The dump truck and workers did not stay to render assistance to Mrs. Reed. They immediately left the scene before police arrived. Mr. Davis' investigation revealed that the dump truck was owned by the King County Department of Transportation. The County had been performing landscape work at the intersection because it abutted a local park.

Mr. Davis' investigation also revealed that the County had been warned before Mrs. Reed's accident not to park at this intersection. Mr. Davis tracked down a 911 call that was placed one month before the accident where the caller had called to complain that the County's truck was blocking traffic and creating a safety hazard. Mr. Davis then discovered that a Sammamish Police Officer responded to the call and drove to the intersection and warned the County work crew that they should not park so close to the intersection. The County ultimately ignored this warning and continued to park the dump truck at the intersection which led to Mrs. Reed's accident.

Mrs. Reed was rushed to the hospital where she was diagnosed with compression fractures to her thoracic spine. She underwent emergency surgery consisting of placement of metal rods in her back to stabilize her spine. She remained in the hospital for 31 days.

Mrs. Reed also complained of memory loss, fatigue, anxiety, confusion, increased frustration, cognitive difficulties and emotional problems. She was subsequently diagnosed with traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Mrs. Reed was employed as a critical care nurse at a major hospital. She could no longer return to work. She was earning more than $62,000 per year. Mrs. Reed's projected lost earnings were approximately $1.5 Million.

Mrs. Reed's thoracic spine underwent significant kyphosis (abnormal curvature of the spine), and her doctors did recommend more surgery but then decided against it because of the risk that Mrs. Reed might suffer permanent paralysis. Mrs. Reed now suffers from a permanent disfigurement to her spine.

Mrs. Reed underwent substantial medical care for chronic pain and cognitive therapy for her TBI. Her past medical charges exceeded $400,000. Her projected future medical costs were in the range of $3 Million.

Mrs. Reed's children also underwent counseling for the loss of their mother. According to the children, their mother was no longer the same before the accident. Mrs. Reed's husband also received counseling for the significant impact her injuries had on their marriage.

Mr. Davis conducted numerous depositions of witnesses and experts over a period of two years. He also hired a dozen experts to examine and survey the accident scene, examine Mrs. Reed and review her records, and to offer opinions at trial about her future medical needs and lost wages.

Mrs. Reed settled her bodily injury claim for $5,000,000, which included $3,000,000 from King County and $2,000,000 from Mr. Fair's insurance company Safeco.


Mrs. Reed had been represented by Bellevue attorney Christopher Michael Davis and by attorney Mike Nelson of Seattle. Mr. Fair was represented by his Safeco insurance defense counsel Robert Reinhard of Tacoma. King County was represented by Kerry Keefe.

*Some names and facts have been changed to protect the privacy of the individuals involved.