On January 25, a Ventura jury awarded the largest personal injury verdict in the County’s history – nearly $50 million - arising out of a tragic vehicular accident. Jurors awarded former CHP Officer Anthony Pedeferri and his wife, Carrie, over $39 million in damages and awarded $10.2 million to Jesus and Dora Parra. The Parras’ son, Andres, was killed in the traffic accident on Highway 101, which also left Pedeferri a quadriplegic.
Erik Feingold, a partner with the Ventura based firm of Myers, Widders, Gibson, Jones & Schneider, and Beverly Hills attorney Michael Alder represented Tony Pedeferri, a former CHP officer and world class triathlete, and his wife, Carrie Pedeferri. The Parras’ were represented by Los Angeles attorney John Gerard.
Earlier this month, the jury found Jeremy White of Paso Robles negligent in causing the Dec. 19, 2007 accident near Faria Beach north of Ventura. In a separate criminal case, White was sentenced in 2008 to 15 years in prison for the crash. He pled guilty to two felonies: gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and selling and transporting marijuana. The accident occurred when Pedeferri was either ticketing or assisting Parra on the shoulder of northbound Highway 101. The officer was standing besides Parra’s vehicle when White’s truck slammed into Parra’s sport utility vehicle, killing Parra and causing horrific injuries to officer Pedeferri.
The jurors also found Bert’s Mega Mall in Covina liable in the case. They found that mall employees did not properly strap down two dirt bikes in the back of White’s truck, causing a distraction and contributing to the crash. The jury attributed 67% of fault to White and 33% to Bert’s Mega Mall.
As a result of the jury's allocation of fault, Bert's Mega Mall will be liable for more than $22 million of the award to the Pedeferri’s (100% of over $13 million in economic damages and 33% of $26 million in non-economic damages) and more than $3.8 million to the Parras’ (100% of $675,000 in economic damages and 33% of $9.525 million in non-economic damages). Zurich Insurance, which insures Bert's Mega Mall, had an opportunity before trial to settle the Pedeferri’s entire case for $10.0 million, within its policy limits. Counsel for Bert's Mega Mall indicated his intention to appeal the verdict.
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