Cook County Jury Finds in Favor of Injured Driver in Intersection Crash

On June 23, 2009, Ramon Ortiz was driving northbound on Sacramento Boulevard and stopped at a red light at the intersection of Chicago Avenue in Chicago, Ill. When the light turned green, he started into the intersection and his car was hit by the defendant’s car. Richard Sakre was driving his car westbound. Ortiz alleged in his lawsuit that Sakre ran the red light, which caused the collision.

Ortiz was 44 and suffered three cervical disc herniation/protrusions at C4-5, C5-6 and C6-7. He also sustained a torn left rotator cuff, which was caused or aggravated by this crash. He was treated with steroid injections and physical therapy and then became symptom-free six months after the accident.

Ortiz’s medical bills totaled $55,348. He missed a week of work as a commercial roofing driver.

The defendant, Sakre, claimed that he entered the intersection as his traffic light turned yellow. The defendant argued that Ortiz chose not to yield the right-of-way to Sakre’s vehicle, which was already in the intersection. The attorney representing Sakre suggested that if the jury found Sakre liable, they should award the plaintiff a verdict of just $8,800, which would include $2,000 for medical expenses. The jury spent 7 hours deliberating the verdict, which totaled $75,220 made up of the following damages:

• $55,348 for medical expenses;
• $9,000 for pain and suffering;
• $9,000 for loss of normal life; and
• $1,872 for lost time from work.

Ortiz was represented by attorney Benjamin B. Kelly. The plaintiff, Ortiz, had his treating pain management physician testify at trial, whereas the defendant called an internist physician to testify on his behalf with respect to the medical damages claimed by Ortiz and in an effort to diminish the nature and extent of Ortiz’s injuries.

Ramon Ortiz v. Richard Sakre, No. 11 L 5178 (Cook County, Ill.).

Kreisman Law Offices has been handling intersection automobile crashes, car accident cases, truck accident cases, bicycle accident cases, motorcycle accident cases and nursing home negligence cases for individuals and families who have been harmed, injured or died as a result of the carelessness or negligence of another for more than 38 years in and around Chicago, Cook County and its surrounding areas, including Schaumburg, Libertyville, Mundelein, Inverness, Wilmette, Brookfield, Joliet, Waukegan, Hinsdale, Western Springs, Morton Grove, Chicago and Calumet City, Ill.