Callahan & Blaine

Carol Daniel and Stacy Neria of San Clemente were jogging on the Pacific Coast Highway with two friends when they were struck by a hit and run driver. Both women have been left permanently disabled by the accident, unable to use their arms or legs. Both women are also mothers to three children, and both of their husbands have had to quit their jobs to care for their wives around the clock.

The hit and run driver was identified as William Todd Bradshaw, who had three previous drunk driving convictions on his record. He was sentenced to four years in prison for the incident. While Daniel Callahan of Callahan & Blain has said that Bradshaw likely deserves the “lion’s share” of the blame for the women’s personal injuries, when the Daniel and Neria families engaged his law firm, Callahan took a different approach to the case.

Callahan maintained that the city of Dana Point was partly to blame for the accident for failing to properly maintain the roadway, which he pointed out has an unmarked bicycle lane that could confuse drivers into thinking it is an extra car lane. The city of Dana Point’s insurance company decided not to risk a jury trial, and Callahan & Blain negotiated a $50 million settlement for the families on the day the case was slated to go to trial. Both families were “relieved” to avoid a trial.

The families report that the settlement funds will be used to pay for medical expenses, including long-term therapy. The city has since erected a barrier for a bike lane along the highway to protect bikers and joggers from another tragic accident like the one suffered by Neria and Daniel.

The $50 million settlement in this case has been certified by West Trial Digest as the largest personal injury settlement in the history of the United States.

At Callahan & Blaine, winning is our specialty. All of our attorneys have at least seven years’ experience, and many of them have 15-25 years’ experience; we use that experience to accomplish record breaking jury verdicts and settlements. If you or someone you know has been catastrophically injured or killed in an accident, contact Callahan & Blaine for expert personal injury representation.