Brain Injury Lawsuit Settled for $4 Million

Northern California Injury Lawyers

Alameda, CA., September 19, 2005—Berg Injury Lawyers, a law firm specializing in personal injury cases, announces a $4 million settlement for an auto accident in which a nine and one-half month old baby suffered serious and permanent brain damage.

The incident took place on September 12, 2001, when Raeshun Thompson and her twin brother Raymond were back seat passengers in a car driven by their aunt, Juanita McPherson. Both children were securely belted into their car seats. As Mrs. McPherson was driving westbound on Interstate 580 a truck owned by Shames Construction Company driven by Andres Nunez collided with the rear of the McPherson car. The impact of the collision pushed a metal object into the rear seat of the car where it struck Raeshun’s skull.

The vehicle was totaled in the accident and both the Raeshun and her twin brother were originally thought to be dead. Raeshun suffered a seizure before she was airlifted to Children’s Hospital in Oakland. She underwent surgery to repair her fractured skull and remove blood clots from her brain but despite her doctor’s efforts, Raeshun suffered serious and permanent brain damage.

The California Highway Patrol concluded that the truck driver, Mr. Nunez, caused the collision by driving at an unsafe speed for traffic conditions.

“This child suffered permanent brain damage,” says Michael Edward Coke, Esq., an attorney with the office of Berg Injury Lawyers. “For the rest of her life she will be forced to confront both the mental and physical challenges that are a direct result of the injuries she suffered in this auto accident. This is not like a broken bone that will heal - this is a broken life. Raeshun will never pass through the stages of normal development.”

Medical professionals have concluded that Raeshun’s traumatic brain injury has caused speech and language disorders, visual perceptual problems and physical restrictions on the entire left side of her body. Individuals with this sort of injury typically grow up with poor social skills, have great difficulty in social situations and frequently end up in the mental health system. Raeshun is at significant risk for such problems by the time she hits adolescence.

Raeshun is now almost five years old and her medical care to date exceeds many hundreds of thousands of dollars. The $4 million dollars received in this lawsuit have been put into a structured settlement that will yield a lifetime payout of $43 million.

“No amount of money can make up for the devastating injury suffered by Raeshun, but I am pleased that this settlement will help assure the future of this brave little girl,” said William Berg, founder and principal of Berg Injury Lawyers.

About Berg Injury Lawyers
Berg Injury Lawyers has successfully litigated a wide range of personal injury claims throughout northern California since 1981. With a staff of over fifty legal professionals, the Alameda-based law firm specializes in plaintiffs’ personal injury law. Berg Injury Lawyers take great pride in their reputation as aggressive litigates and persuasive negotiators always committed to representing the rights of individuals injured by the negligent conduct of others.

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