$18 Million Jury Verdict in Failure to Yield Right-of-Way Lawsuit, Death, Traumatic Injuries

Yijing Chen, 26, was walking with his mother, Hong Fen Shen, 53, along a public sidewalk near a freeway on-ramp.

When the traffic signal turned green, Chen and his mother walked across the on-ramp. A pickup truck driven by Nicole Herschel turned right onto the ramp, hitting both mother and son. Shen suffered traumatic injuries and later died. Chen suffered a fractured leg and required surgery.

He sued Herschel, alleging she had chosen not to yield the right-of-way.

Chen also contended that the defendant exited her vehicle after the incident and dragged Shen’s body to the curb instead of calling 911 and that she denied involvement in the collision when answering to police officers who asked her what had happened.

Herschel admitted negligence before trial. The jury signed a verdict for $18 million, which included $5 million for the plaintiff’s emotional distress.

The attorneys successfully handling this tragic lawsuit were Jonathan Ritter and Joshua Ritter.

Chen v. Herschel, No. BC685291 (Cal. Super. Ct. Los Angeles County).

Kreisman Law Offices has been handling motor vehicle crash cases, pedestrian injury lawsuits, wrongful death cases, truck accident cases and car accident lawsuits for individuals, families and loved ones who have been injured, harmed or killed by the carelessness or negligence of another for more than 45 years in and around Chicago, Cook County and its surrounding areas, including Park Ridge, Glencoe, Lake Zurich, Round Lake Beach, Northlake, Bensenville, Wilmette, Hawthorne Woods, Mundelein, Libertyville, Lake Bluff, Elk Grove Village, Oak Brook, Chicago (Gage Park, Auburn Gresham, Avalon Park, Woodlawn, Kenwood, Douglas, Chinatown, Wrigleyville, Portage Park, Jefferson Park, Rogers Park, Ravenswood Manor, Albany Park, Mayfair, South Edgebrook, Sauganash), Hoffman Estates, Hanover Park, Elgin, Waukegan, Zion, Aurora, Wheaton, Oakbrook Terrace, Summit, Hickory Hills and Bolingbrook, Ill.

Robert D. Kreisman has been an active member of the Illinois and Missouri bars since 1976.