Attorney Christopher Campbell Watters's Legal Cases

Personal injury

Omar Bautista vs. Rapto Divino Asamblea De Dios

Aug 24, 2015

OUTCOME: Settlement: $250,000.00

Premises Liability Case Fall through attic The plaintiff was asked by the Pastor, Agustin Perez, to go up into the church attic to replace a cable for the sound system. Plaintiff had never been in an ... attic prior to the date of the incident. The attic space was very dark as there was no source of light in the attic. Plaintiff was walking around the attic on the wooden joists searching for the cable that he was to replace. Plaintiff was unable to walk upright due to the low hanging roof and therefore had to walk through the attic area squatting and hunched over while holding his phone light in an attempt to illuminate the area. Since it was very hard to walk and see in the attic it caused plaintiff to lose his footing on the wooden joists at which point he made contact with the sheetrock ceiling causing the ceiling to cave in. Plaintiff then fell through the attic approximately 10 feet onto the ground. The plaintiff was transported by ambulance to the emergency room at Saint Agnes Medical Center where he was diagnosed with a minor right forehead contusion; left hip contusion; lumbar stain and ruptured discs at L4-L5 and L5-S1. He had a CT scan of his lumbar spine which showed a 5 mm disc protrusion at L4-5 resulting in mild spinal stenosis and a larger 7 to 8 mm disc protrusion at L5-S1 with compression of the right side of thecal sac and compression of the right S1 nerve root. Plaintiff then followed up with his primary care doctor, Robert Jablonsky, M.D., who prescribed him pain medication and referred him to physical therapy. Plaintiff was also under the care of Frank L. Cantrell, M.D., Neurologist, for his low back pain complaints and associated radicular symptoms down his left hip and thigh. Dr. Cantrell had plaintiff undergo follow up MRI’s on November 4, 2014 and February 12, 2015, with both showing that his disc protrusions essentially were unchanged from the previous CT scan. Dr. Cantrell was of the opinion that plaintiff’s persistent disc protrusion would require surgical intervention in the future, specifically a discectomy and probable spinal fusion given the size of his disc protrusion. Medical Billings: $18,375.36; Paid amount: approximately $4,800.00. Life Care Plan: Future lumbar discectomy and fusion would cost $109,441.50

Personal injury

McKean vs. Ferrucci

Oct 01, 2014

OUTCOME: Settlement $206,500.00

Bicycle vs. Motor Vehicle Accident

Personal injury

Morman vs. Ikeda

Jul 22, 2014

OUTCOME: Settlement: $190,000.00

Motor Vehicle Accident

Personal injury

Thomas Phillips v. Velocity Iron & Metal, Inc.; et al.

Mar 26, 2014

OUTCOME: Settlement: $265,000.00

Thomas Phillips, date of birth September 3, 1959, was a completely disabled long-haul truck driver when on June 7, 2013, he went to Velocity Iron & Metal, Inc., to be paid for recycled metal. While st ... anding at his truck and trailer, he had his back to a Volvo EC210CL Excavator with LaBounty 200R Shears/Jaws being operated by a defendant employee. He felt a sharp pain in his back presumably from flying metal from the shearing machine. The blow caused him to go his knees. He got into his truck and called 911. He was transported by ambulance initially to Madera Community Hospital and then transferred by ambulance to Community Regional Medical Center where he stayed for almost one week. He then was taken to a skilled nursing facility in Chowchilla. Mr Phillips was found with multiple rib and transverse process fractures, back hematoma, hematuria and hemothorax. Films indicated he had fractures of T10, T11 and T12 and transverse process fractures T9 to T12. There was no wage loss claim since Mr. Phillips was permanently disabled. Medical Billings were incurred in the amount of $7,875.60.

Personal injury

Amy Litman vs. Daichi Sankyo

Jan 30, 2014

OUTCOME: Settlement $250,000.00

Motor Vehicle Accident Third Party Policy Limits of $15,000.00 UM recovery of $200,000.00

Personal injury

Cynthia Arakelian and Eric Arakelian v. Pacific Bell Telephone Company / AT&T Corp.; Tom Bradford; and Does 1 to 10, Inclusive

Oct 28, 2011

OUTCOME: Verdict: $486,010.60 reduced to $264,630.19. Plus awarded costs of $32,471.28.

This action arises out of a motorcycle accident that occurred on June 30, 2008, in the County of Madera. At the time of the subject accident, Plaintiff, Cynthia Arakelian was a passenger on a motorcyc ... le operated by Plaintiff, Eric Arakelian. Mr. Arakelian was traveling southbound on Highway 41 at the posted speed limit of 55 mph. Defendant Tom Bradford was the operator of an AT&T van owned by Defendant Pacific Bell Telephone Company and was operating the vehicle within the course and scope of his employment with Pacific Bell Telephone Company. Mr. Bradford was also traveling southbound on Highway 41 following behind other vehicles on Highway 41. Plaintiff Eric Arakelian’s motorcycle was traveling behind the AT&T vehicle operated by Mr. Bradford. As the vehicles continued southbound on Highway 41, Mr. Bradford abruptly applied his brakes and pulled his vehicle to the right soft shoulder of Highway 41 in an attempt to avoid colliding with a white Honda that was stopped ahead of him in the roadway waiting to turn. As Mr. Arakelian was passing the pulled over vehicle driven by Mr. Bradford, Mr. Bradford suddenly pulled his vehicle back onto Highway 41 directly into the path of Mr. Arakelian’s motorcycle forcing Mr. Arakelain into the path of oncoming traffic. As Mr. Arakelian made evasive maneuvers, plaintiff Cynthia Arakelian was ejected from the motorcycle and Mr. Arakelian subsequently lost control of the motorcycle causing it to eventually land on its side. Plaintiffs impacted the pavement and suffered injuries. The plaintiffs claimed the defendant Tom Bradford was negligent in the operation of the AT&T van and his employer Pacific Bell telephone Company was vicariously liable for Mr. Bradford’s negligence. Plaintiffs contended that defendant Bradford was negligent in pulling back into the roadway in front of Mr. Arakelian after pulling over to the right shoulder to avoid colliding with the stopped Honda. As a result of the accident, Eric Arakelian, suffered injuries to his lower spine, right leg, thigh, left wrist, his calf and feet. He developed right leg atrophy, eversion of the right foot causing balance problems and requiring the use of a cane, bowel and bladder problems, and severe back and radiating leg pain. In March of 2011, Mr. Arakelian came under the care of David Jones, M.D., Fellowship Trained Spinal Surgeon in Carson City, Nevada. Dr. Jones performed extensive spinal surgery on Mr. Arakelian on May 2, 2011, specifically a lumbar fusion at L4-L5 and removal of instrumentation from a previous lumbar fusion. At the time of the accident, Eric Arakelian was suffering from a pre-existing back condition going back to the mid 1980s. He underwent a lumbar fusion surgery at L5-S1 in 1990 and continued to be asymptomatic in his back until a year prior to the accident. Defendants disputed plaintiff's claim that his post-accident surgery and related damages was caused by the accident. Plaintiff, Eric Arakelian’s, medical bills were in the amount of $141,386.95, which were reduced to the paid amount of $50,720.44. Plaintiff, Eric Arakelian’s, Offer to Compromise pursuant to CCP §998 and Civil Code Section 3291 in the amount of $250,000 was served on August 31, 2011. Defendant’s offer was Zero to Plaintiff, Eric Arakelian. The jury apportioned 67% liability to defendants and 33% liability to Mr. Arakelian.

Personal injury

Dari L. Bourdase v. Langley Family Trust; et al.

Oct 19, 2010

OUTCOME: Settlement: $435,000.00

The Langley defendants are the owners of a home at 2931 North Adoline Avenue, Fresno, California, which they maintain as a rental property. They rented the property to Louis Silva and had a Rental Agr ... eement. The Agreement stated that the tenant can keep one dog and that no alterations could be made in the premises. Mr. Silva owned two pit bull dogs when he moved in and they had a litter of puppies and he kept two of them. At the time of the incident, both were full grown adult males and six years of age. Mr. Silva informed the Langleys that he was keeping the two pit bulls and they agreed. The Langleys observed the dogs during monthly visits to the residence to collect rent and conduct repairs/maintenance. A neighbor so testified. The pit bulls were vicious and had a prior multiple bite encounter on December 4, 2007, when they attacked a next door neighbor in his walkway. There were reports by the Fresno Police and the SPCA. The two pit bull dogs got loose on October 28, 2009, and at 11:22 a.m. they attacked Ms. Bourdase who was riding a bicycle in the alleyway behind the house. She was pulled off the bike and clawed and bitten over both lower extremities. The Fresno Police Department came out once again and Fresno Animal Control/CCSPCA also investigated. The dogs were quarantined and later destroyed. After the attack, it was noticed by the investigating parties that the gate leading from the backyard of the household to the alley was open and swinging and was in very poor repair. According to the Rental Agreement the Langleys were responsible for repairs/maintenance and defendant Silva was not permitted to make any alterations or repairs. The legal contentions were that a landlord may be held liable for injuries inflicted by a tenants if the landlord has knowledge of the danger and sufficient control as to make it possible to protect against it. It was further contended that the Langleys had immediate and actual control over the premises and were responsible for repairs/maintenance and to properly maintain the rear gate which they did not do. The plaintiff was taken to the emergency room at Community Regional Medical Center where her wounds were irrigated, cleaned, medicated, bandaged/dressed and she was prescribed medications. She had a plastic surgery consult with Dr. Kent Yamiguchi. On November 17, 2009, Dr. Yamiguchi performed surgery to remove large areas of dead tissue and the underlying soft tissue from both legs. She has been unable to have skin grafting procedures after the initial surgery because of the resulting infection and her high blood pressure, which surfaced after the dog bites. She has been left with chronic pain and Dr. Yamiguchi testified the swelling in her legs and feet are permanent and she has been left with significant scarring. He testified that cosmetic surgery could increase the pain or tightness and there would be a new injury site from skin grafting. She also suffered severe emotional and mental distress and has Post Traumatic Stress and Depressive Disorder. Medical Billings: $24,808.15 Life Care Plan: Future Therapy costs calculated to be $12,232.00 to $17,411.00 Potential future cosmetic surgery $30,000.00 This matter when to Mediation in front of James Dilling, Esq., on October 5, 2010. The Plaintiff had demanded the $500,000.00 policy available through The Hartford and the Defendant offered $75,000.00. The final demand was $450,000.00. On that same date, the Plaintiffs filed a statutory offer pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure Section 998 and Civil Code Section 3291 in the amount of $500,000.00. The case settled on October 19, 2010, for $435,000.00 to include an annuity. The Mediator was not involved in the final settlement.

Christopher Campbell Watters's Legal Cases (7)

Omar Bautista vs. Rapto Divino Asamblea De Dios

McKean vs. Ferrucci

Morman vs. Ikeda

Thomas Phillips v. Velocity Iron & Metal, Inc.; et al.

Amy Litman vs. Daichi Sankyo

Cynthia Arakelian and Eric Arakelian v. Pacific Bell Telephone Company / AT&T Corp.; Tom Bradford; and Does 1 to 10, Inclusive

Dari L. Bourdase v. Langley Family Trust; et al.