- Appeals court ruled surprise expert swayed jury’s $14M verdict.
- Crash was at “walking speed,” rider left without treatment.
- Judges saw no cause for sudden spine surgery proposal.
A motorcycle rider initially won a $14 million jury verdict after being hit a “walking-speed” collision, but the court later overturned the decision after his legal team came under scrutiny for introducing a surprise witness just days before trial. Now, the rider is headed back to court.
That rider, Iain M., was struck at very low speed by a car. He didn’t fall, walked to the sidewalk on his own, and left the scene without seeking medical attention. When he visited a clinic the next day, he reported pain in his hip, leg, and foot. Nothing more. This happened back in 2017. But several years later, the situation changed.
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The rider later claimed that the crash caused neck and groin injuries. The defense countered by pointing out that he allegedly continued snowboarding, rollerblading, and riding motorcycles after the incident.
Nonetheless, a Los Angeles jury awarded the motorcyclist $13,872,900 in 2023, including nearly $1.9 million for future medical expenses and a staggering $12 million for past and future pain and suffering. But all of that just got wiped out.
According to a report from Carcomplaints, the Second District Court of Appeal had a big problem with one aspect of the situation. The biker’s counsel brought in an expert witness not previously cleared, and they did so with just seven days to go before trial. That witness, spine surgeon Dr. Toorag Gravori, reportedly recommended multiple six-figure procedures that no other expert had suggested.
The court found no indication of a medical emergency, no documented worsening of symptoms, and no evidence of a new injury. According to the record, the motorcyclist is alleged to have gone rollerblading both the day before and the day after the appointment.
The appeals court also pointed out that Dr. Gravori had previously served as an expert witness in unrelated cases involving the biker’s trial attorney. Based on these factors, the verdict and associated cost awards were vacated, and the case was ordered back for a new trial.
In short, what began as a low-speed collision ballooned into an eight-figure payout, and then collapsed when the appeals court decided the jury never should’ve heard the most dramatic evidence in the first place. That’s one wild motorcycle ride.
