The Day of the Accident
Just after being let off an LACMTA bus at an the intersection, of Adams and Grand in Los Angeles, and while walking in a marked crosswalk at that same intersection, 21 year old plaintiff Jerell Logan was struck by the bus from which he had just gotten off. He suffered severe injuries which have both permanently disfigured and permanently disabled him.
Injuries
Mr. Logan suffered severe orthopedic, neurologic, psychiatric and plastic/reconstructive injuries as a result of the accident. He was taken from the scene by ambulance and noted to have a severe crush/degloving injury to his left leg, a complete avulsion from his mid left thigh to left mid shin. Over the next 8 months, he had a total of five surgeries involving 3 admissions (2 inpatient) at California Hospital. Mr. Logan lost a significant amount of calf tissue from his left leg in the accident.
He has constant pain in his left knee and left leg, exacerbated when he tries to stand for more than a few minutes or walk more than a short distance. He has impaired balance on the left knee and walks with a limp because of decreased weight bearing ability in his left leg. He has loss of sensation in the plantar aspect of his left foot, confirmed by an abnormal EMG result.
Much of the skin on his left leg is extremely hypersensitive to touch, even of light clothing. He cannot lie on his side, kneel or squat. Because of the pain, weakness and residual numbness in his left extremity, he is totally precluded from many activities of daily living without assistance.
Results
The police report found the bus driver to have been the primary cause of the accident by violating CVC Section 21451 which requires he yield to pedestrians lawfully in the intersection. The bus driver was later fired by MTA following their finding this was an “avoidable accident”. The Plaintiff was awarded $3.3 Million dollars.