Panish Shea & Boyle LLP & Girardi | Keese Announce Filing of Lawsuits on Behalf of 2 Teens Killed & 2 Injured in Cajon Pass D...
March 06 2015 - 7:11PM
Business Wire
Two of California’s most prestigious law firms, Girardi | Keese
and Panish Shea & Boyle LLP, have brought lawsuits on behalf of
the families of two teenagers who were killed and two teenagers who
were injured on June 24, 2014 when their passenger vehicle was
struck by a runaway dump truck carrying a load of wet cement as
part of the I-15 Cajon Pass Rehabilitation Project. 18-year-old
Nicole Brittney Lyle and 16-year-old John Anthony Cabrera, Jr. died
at the scene after the dump truck’s brakes failed and went through
a stop sign and collided into Lyle’s PT Cruiser on Highway 138 in
Phelan. Three other teenagers, including Shayne Gretzner and
Michael Baker, were also injured in the crash.
“We hope that this devastating tragedy and lawsuit will bring
about much needed change to a dangerous roadway and the way that
Caltrans and its contractors reconstruct our highways,” stated
Thomas V. Girardi, who represents Gretzner, Baker and the father of
Cabrera. Widely recognized as one of the nation’s top trial
attorneys, Mr. Girardi has obtained some of the largest verdicts
and settlements in the country, including the $333 million
settlement for 650 residents of Hinkley, California depicted in the
movie Erin Brockovich. Both he and David Lira, another attorney
representing the plaintiffs, successfully obtained an $18 million
verdict for Bryan Stowe against the Los Angeles Dodgers last
summer.
Brian J. Panish, who represents the Lyle family and the mother
of John Cabrera, Jr., stated, “This is such an important case for
not only the residents of San Bernardino County, but for everyone
in the state of California who relies on Caltrans and its
contractors and project managers to hire the right people with the
right equipment when performing highway reconstruction projects.”
Also recognized as one of the top trial lawyers in the nation, Mr.
Panish obtained a record verdict of $4.9 billion against General
Motors in an auto defect personal injury case. Mr. Panish and
Deborah Chang, who also represents the plaintiffs, obtained the two
largest wrongful death verdicts in California last year and are the
recipients of the 2014 Consumer Attorney of the Year Award.
The two law firms have combined their considerable resources for
this case brought against the driver of the dump truck, Sonja
Morris Meeks, her company, Samms Enterprises, Inc., as well as
Caltrans, and Coffman/Parsons, the joint venture formed by Coffman
Specialties, Inc. and Parsons Corporation.
Cabrera et al. v. CALTRANS et al.Superior Court of California,
County of San BernardinoCase No. CIVDS1503077
Lyle et al. v. Samms Enterprises, Inc., et al.Superior Court of
California, County of San BernardinoCIVDS1503131
Panish Shea & Boyle LLPDeborah Chang,
877-800-1700chang@psblaw.comorGirardi | KeeseDavid Lira,
800-401-4530dlira@girardikeese.com