Seattle Man Wins $30 Million Lawsuit

Rear End Collision on I-405

Koti Hu, a local Kings County man, was awarded 30 million dollars in damages after a car accident left him paralyzed, the Seattle Times reports. The collision occurred while Hu was stopped at the 70 ^th street onramp, waiting to merge onto I-405. A pickup truck following behind him on the ramp collided with his vehicle, breaking Hu's neck and badly damaging his spinal cord. After being taken to the hospital, he learned that he was permanently paralyzed from the chest down. As a result of his paralyzation, Hu has been forced to move back in with his parents. The damages they have received from the suit will go to pay for the lifetime of care Hu will require, his parents told reporters, saying that he is still in a lot of pain.

Department of Transportation Held Responsible for Accident

Though the driver of the pickup is also at fault, Hu and his attorneys argued that the very design of the onramp itself led to the injury. According to an interview with the legal team representing Hu, the ramp has several important flaws, one of the foremost being the placement of the stop-line in shadows, preventing drivers coming up the ramp from seeing it until they've cleared the sharp 180 degree turn. The jury concurred with this assessment, finding the Department of Transportation (DOT) at fault for 12 of the 30 million. A spokesman for the DOT argued that the design was not at fault, however, saying that they "strongly object" to the jury's rulings. The state will probably try appeal the case, he told reporters.

Protect Your Future With a Car Accident Lawyer

A serious car accident can have life changing consequences. If your have been involved in an accident, it is of the utmost importance that you retain the services of a skilled car accident attorney. At Ward Smith, Attorneys at Law, our legal team is dedicated to helping you receive the compensation you deserve. Call our offices now, and you can receive a free consultation to discuss your case.

Do not hesitate! Contact a Seattle car accident attorney right away!