Former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Sued By Cyclist After Car Accident

Former California governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, is facing a personal injury lawsuit filed by a cyclist whom he is alleged to have struck with his SUV, according to a recent lawsuit. The woman contends that Schwarzenegger was driving at excessive speed at the time of the accident and failed to keep an accurate lookout. She claims she suffered serious and permanent injuries as a result of the accident and was left with hefty medical bills. The incident occurred on San Vicente Boulevard.

The cyclist is seeking damages in excess of $25,000 for past and future pain and suffering, emotional distress, past and future lost earnings, past and future loss of earning capacity, past and future medical expenses, past and future healthcare expenses, past and future incidental expenses, and past and future household services.

The police report

In this case, the police report does not support the plaintiff’s allegations. While police reports don’t always get the facts right, it helps a plaintiff’s personal injury case when the police report corroborates the plaintiff’s account of events. In this case, the police report says that the cyclist made a left-hand turn in front of Schwarzenegger’s vehicle and says that he struck her before he could break. The police report further states that Schwarzenegger was not driving at excessive speed at the time of the accident. Schwarzenegger was not ticketed for the incident and police said that no crime was committed. The plaintiff will not have the support of the police report to prove her negligence claim.

What will the plaintiff claim?

 The plaintiff can rebut the police report with the help of her personal injury attorney who will hire an accident reconstruction specialist to prove that Schwarzenegger committed some form of traffic violation that led to the incident. The accident reconstruction specialist will attempt to show that Schwarzenegger was either driving at an excessive speed or should have seen the plaintiff had he been paying attention to the road. At present, the police report makes it sound like the accident was the plaintiff’s fault.

What will the defense claim?

Schwarzenegger’s defense team will claim that the accident was solely the fault of the plaintiff who made a left-hand turn in front of his vehicle before he could reasonably react to her presence. The police report will help him support this defense. The plaintiff’s allegations will need additional support to ensure that she can establish that the driver was negligent in this case.

Commentary

Police reports aren’t definitive accounts of what happened. In many cases, they get the facts wrong. A skilled personal injury attorney can help erode faith in a police report by using expert witnesses to testify on how the accident really occurred. They will use evidence from the scene of the accident to reconstruct how the accident unfolded. With this testimony, the plaintiff may still be able to prove her case.

Talk to an Oakland, CA Bicycle Accident Attorney Today

Venardi Zurada represents the interests of Oakland, CA cyclists who have been injured by negligent drivers or otherwise sustained injury due to negligence. Call our Oakland personal injury attorneys today to schedule a free consultation and we can begin discussing your case right away.

Source:

latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2023-11-03/arnold-schwarzenegger-sued-cyclist-crash