Case Results

Since he began practicing law, attorney Barraza has been involved in excess of 30 cases that have resulted in settlements or verdicts for his clients in excess of one million dollars. A few examples of the cases and results obtained by Mr. Barraza are:

• Mr. Barraza represented a man driving a motorcycle on a two-lane road when an unattended car rolled down a driveway due to the owner’s negligence in failing to ensure the vehicle’s transmission was in the “Park” position. This occurred as the motorcyclist rounded a curve. As a result, the motorcyclist had insufficient time to perceive and react to the car causing the broadside collision. As a result, the motorcyclist sustained injury to his right leg. The owner of the vehicle had a $100,000 policy which was offered immediately. Unfortunately, the damages exceeded those policy limits. Litigation continued until the owner of the vehicle paid an additional $100,000. The case concluded with a $200,000 result for the client.
• Mr. Barraza represented a young lady that was driving her vehicle on a two-lane highway. As she rounded a curve, a man in an oncoming vehicle crossed over into her lane of travel causing his vehicle to collide with hers in a side to side collision. Due to the impact, the young lady sustained a serious injury to her left lower extremity. Mr. Barraza was able to settle the case for the man’s insurance policy limits of $250,000.
• Mr. Barraza represented a four year old girl who accompanied her parents to their neighbor’s home. While at the neighbor’s home, the young girl began to play with the neighbor’s Chihuahua dog. The neighbors failed to warn the young girl or her parents about their dog’s temperament and/or prevent her from playing with the dog. As she played with the dog inside the house, the dog bit her face just above her upper lip. Mr. Barraza was able to settle the case for the homeowner’s policy limits of $100,000.
• Mr. Barraza represented a man driving a vehicle westbound on I-8 when a truck that was also westbound on I-8 crossed over onto the vehicle’s lane of travel. The truck collided with the vehicle causing the vehicle to drive off the road and down an embankment. The case settled for the Motor Carrier’s policy limits of $750,000.
• Mr. Barraza represented a lady who was unloading groceries from her car parked in her driveway when a neighbor who was walking his dog walked by. With the owner’s permission, she leaned down to pet the dog when the dog bit her face on her right cheek. Mr. Barraza was able to settle the case for the homeowner’s policy limits of $100,000.
• Mr. Barraza represented a man against a local utility company after the man sustained an electrical burn when his ladder came into contact with an electrical wire as the man was harvesting oranges from a tree. The Public Utilities Commission mandated that the Utility Company raise their wires to a certain distance above the tree line which they had failed to do. Mr. Barraza was able to settle the case for $275,000.
• Mr. Barraza represented several property owners against the Gas & Electric Company that caused several of the 2007 wild fires in San Diego County. Mr. Barraza was able to obtain in excess of $13,000,000 for his clients.
• Mr. Barraza was co-counsel on a case where he represented a construction worker employed by a drywall sub-contractor who was in the process of installing drywall on a framed wall when an adjoining wall collapsed over the worker. As a result, the worker sustained serious injuries. The action was brought against the General Contractor who retained control over the job site and was responsible for the overall safety on the site. The case was settled for $1,000,000.
• Mr. Barraza represented a motorcyclist who sustained serious injuries when a vehicle broadsided the motorcycle on the right side as the motorcyclist made a left turn. The collision occurred after an oncoming vehicle came to a stop in order to allow the motorcyclist to turn. As the vehicle was stopped, a second vehicle came up behind the stopped vehicle and attempted to pass it at this intersection when that vehicle crashed into the motorcycle. Mr. Barraza was able to settle the case for the insurance policy limits of $300,000.
• Mr. Barraza represented a seventh-grade student against a local school district. The student was injured during PE class when a soccer goal post toppled over and hit his head. The school had failed to tie or anchor down the goal post. The metal post fractured his skull and caused a serious head injury. After he was air lifted to the hospital, he underwent surgery and was placed in an induced coma. He required extensive speech, physical and occupational therapy to assist him in performing what had been routine daily activities. He suffered cognitive deficits and developed significant vision impairments. After litigating the case for two years, the case settled for $9,300,000.
• Mr. Barraza represented the widowed husband and two adult children of an elderly lady who died as a result of injuries she sustained when she and a friend were hit by a truck while walking across the street in a marked mid-block crosswalk. The driver was unaware that a mid-block crosswalk was there until after the accident. In addition to suing the driver, the County was also sued because there were no signs at the crosswalk, no flashing beacons, no in-pavement lighting and no lights on adjacent poles to inform motorists of the location of the crosswalk. The County also failed to produce a plan or design with engineering studies that would have been required before installing the crosswalk at that location. The case proceeded to trial which resulted in a $1,800,000 jury verdict.
• Mr. Barraza represented a college student who was riding his bike within the bike lane when he was hit by motorist who had swerved into the bike lane. The bicyclist sustained a laceration to his head and injury to his right knee. The driver responsible for the accident had a minimal policy which was immediately paid. Unfortunately, the damages exceeded those policy limits. A claim was then filed against the injured client’s own automobile insurance. The case was mediated and settled for $325,000.
• Mr. Barraza represented a man who was driving his pickup on the freeway when he was rear-ended by a semi truck. The semi driver had exceeded his allowable driving time and failed to see that the pick-up truck was slowing down to exit. The client sustained injuries to his left arm and shoulder as well as other internal injuries. As a result, the case settled for $750,000.
• Mr. Barraza was co-counsel on a case representing a motorcyclist against the state of California who suffered a below-the-knee leg amputation when a state employee failed to yield before making a left turn. After the jury rendered a favorable verdict for the injured motorcyclist, the state of California appealed. The case settled for just over $9,000,000 during the appeal.
• Mr. Barraza was co-counsel in an Intellectual Property case that was tried over a period of a month and a half in the Los Angeles Superior Court. The case concluded in a $5,000,000 result for his clients.
• He was co-counsel in a personal injury case which involved a man who had suffered third degree burns over 90% of his body. The case resulted in a verdict in excess of $7,000,000 for his client.
• He was also co-counsel in a case of a man seriously injured in a construction site accident where after three weeks of trial. The case concluded with a $2,000,000 result for his client.
• Mr. Barraza was also co-counsel in a case involving a semi-truck accident where the trucking company denied all responsibility for the accident. The case was taken to trial and after the second day of trial, The case settled for $500,000.
• Mr. Barraza has also represented clients in cases involving accidents dealing with auto vs. motorcycle, semi truck vs. auto and most recently a serious accident involving a passenger bus that crashed and rolled over as it traveled down a mountain, resulting in multiple deaths and catastrophic injuries to many passengers.