$9.5 Million Settlement Reached for Pedestrian Seriously Injured by Garbage Truck When Pedestrian Was in Crosswalk

Corzon Espano, an accountant in her 60s, was standing at the corner of an intersection waiting for a traffic light to change before she was about to cross the street. When the light signal showed “walk,” she entered the crosswalk and was abruptly hit by a turning garbage truck driven by Raymond Morell, who worked for the City of Torrance, Calif.

Espano unfortunately suffered a traumatic brain injury and multiple orthopedic injuries including a crushed knee. She underwent several surgeries and procedures, including open reduction internal fixation of the right tibia, skin grafting, and debridement of her lower right leg.

It is possible that she may later require a leg amputation due to her high risk of infection. The Medicaid lien through the state of California totaled $100,000.

Espano and her husband sued Morell and the City of Torrance alleging negligent operation of the garbage truck and vicarious liability meaning that the driver of the garbage truck made his principal, the City of Torrance, also liable. The defendants admitted liability.

Before trial, the parties settled for $9.5 million.

The attorneys successfully representing the Espano family were Thomas M. Dempsey, Daniel E. Selarz and Aryan Sarbaz.

In preparing for trial, the Espano attorneys engaged experts in orthopedic surgery, neuropsychology, economics, infectious disease and pain management.

The defendants engaged experts in the fields of orthopedics, neuropsychology, physical medicine, lifecare planning and economics.

Espano v. City of Torrance, No. BC 612078 (Cal. Super. Ct. Los Angeles County).

Kreisman Law Offices has been handling pedestrian accident lawsuits, traumatic brain injury lawsuits, catastrophic injury lawsuits, truck accident lawsuits, product liability cases and pharmaceutical product defect lawsuits for individuals, families and loved ones who have been injured, harmed or killed by the carelessness or negligence of another for more than 40 years in and around Chicago, Cook County and its surrounding areas, including Harvey, Dolton, Arlington Heights, Olympia Fields, Skokie, Evanston, Wilmette, Warrenville, Joliet, Lincolnwood, Aurora, Zion, Lake Zurich, Waukegan, Naperville, Prospect Heights, Mount Prospect, Chicago (Near South Side, Mont Clare, McKinley Park, Lower West Side, Hyde Park, Lake Calumet, Irving Park, Kelvyn Park, Little Village, Polish Village, Pulaski Park, West Ridge, Uptown, Lakeview, Goose Island, Roscoe Village, Pilsen, Stockyards, Woodlawn, Calumet Heights, Pullman), Riverdale, Blue Island and South Holland, Ill.