$1.2M Auto Negligence Verdict in Riverside County

Grisales v. Godding

Case Background

Ramon Grisales filed an auto negligence lawsuit against Crystal Michelle Godding after a motor vehicle accident in Riverside, California. The lawsuit was filed in the California Superior Court, Riverside County. [Case number: CVRI2300567]

Cause

Ramon Grisales, the Plaintiff, claimed that Defendants Crystal Michelle Godding and SC Freight LLC were responsible for the damages he suffered. The Plaintiff alleged that on October 5, 2021, in Riverside, California, the Defendants were negligent in owning, operating, maintaining, entrusting, or controlling the vehicle involved in the collision. This negligence led to the Defendant’s vehicle crashing into the Plaintiff’s vehicle.

Damages

The Defendants were held liable for the Plaintiff’s damages, and the Plaintiff was entitled to recover various types of compensation. These included general, special, actual, and compensatory damages. Specifically, the Plaintiff sought reimbursement for necessary medical expenses and related costs. Additionally, the Plaintiff claimed compensation for past, present, and future lost earnings, as well as loss of future earning capacity. The Plaintiff also sought damages for mental, emotional, and physical pain and suffering.

Key Arguments and Proceedings

Legal Representation

Plaintiff(s): Ramon Grisales
- Counsel for Plaintiff(s): Michael Shemtoub

Defendant(s): Crystal Michelle Godding | SC Freight LLC
- Counsel for Defendant(s): J. Michael McClure

Claims

The Plaintiff claimed that the Defendants’ actions were negligent and directly caused the injuries and damages the Plaintiff suffered. The Plaintiff further argued that the Defendants owed him a legal duty. They allegedly breached that duty, which resulted in the collision.

Jury Verdict

On October 28, 2024, the jury found that Defendant Crystal Michelle Godding’s negligence was a substantial factor in causing Grisales harm. However, the jury also found that Grisales was also negligent. Accordingly, the jury assigned 75% of the responsibility for the harm to Godding and 25% to Grisales. The jury awarded the following damages: a. Past medical expenses: $575,000 b. Future medical expenses: $100,000 c. Past noneconomic loss, including physical pain/ mental suffering: $100,000 d. Future Noneconomic loss, including physical pain/mental suffering: $500,000 The verdict totaled $1,275,000.

Court Documents:

Documents are available for purchase upon request at jurimatic@exlitem.com

$1.2M Auto Negligence Verdict: Riverside Jury Assigns 75% Negligence to Defendant