Case Results

In Attorney Petrulakis' two decades of legal experience, he has recovered millions of dollars in both settlements and verdicts. See just a few of the cases that he's successfully handled by reading below:

$1,000,000 Recovery in Motorcycle vs. Big Rig Accident

Client is a 48-year-old man driving home from work on his motorcycle. The client was heading straight and a tractor/trailer heading in the opposite direction attempted a left turn directly in front of our client. Our motorcycle driving client was forced to lay down his bike in an attempt to avoid the big rig. Unfortunately, he was not able to miss the tractor/trailer and he was struck. He sustained multiple fractures requiring several weeks of hospitalization. The insurance company for the tractor/trailer would not agree to liability, even in a case so apparently clear cut. We applied immediate and constant pressure until the insurance company admitted that their driver was the sole cause of the accident. We were able to obtain the full 1 million dollar policy limit amount without ever filing a lawsuit. We negotiated all of the medical bills of our client in order to maximize his recovery.

$500,000 Recovery in Auto vs. Auto Accident

Our client was driving in moderate traffic on a city street at approximately 35 mph. Traffic ahead of him began to slow for a red light. After our client came to a complete stop, he was rear ended by the defendant. Initially, the insurance company for the defendant contended that our client stopped very abruptly. They stated that their driver had no time to come to a safe stop. A truly ridiculous position. After a few weeks (and after a few threats), the insurance company saw the light and agreed that their insured driver was at fault. Many persons involved in such moderate rear end collisions do not sustain serious injuries. But, people are not all the same and a person's injuries are unique to them. Insurance companies often have a difficult time processing this concept. In this case, our client's knee hit against the dashboard and he suffered a fracture to his knee which required surgery. We were able to obtain a settlement of approximately $500,000 without having to file a complaint with the court. We also helped set up a medical "set aside" account for any future treatment that may be needed for our client.

Six Figure Recovery for Auto vs. Big Rig Accident

Our client was heading to work in the early morning. It was still dark and it was a foggy morning. A tractor/trailer heading in the opposite direction had started his left turn into a commercial parking lot. Our client did not see the big rig until it was too late. He collided with the trailer. Our clients' vehicle was not equipped with airbags. His face went into his steering wheel causing significant nasal injuries and facial fractures. The police report stated that our client was driving without his headlights activated. It also said that our client was not wearing a seat belt. Knowing that the insurance company would use this as ammunition against our client, we immediately hired a former CHP supervisor who investigated the accident. We also immediately hired an expert regarding seat belt analysis. We located our client's vehicle. It was sold to a wrecking yard and was over 100 miles away. We dispatched our seat belt expert to the wrecking yard and he, through his testing and analysis of the "seat belt burns," was able to conclusively prove that our client was in fact wearing his seat belt when the accident occurred. The insurance company had just taken a major blow to their case. We helped our client find the best doctors and plastic surgeons is Northern California. Also, we hired a graphics animation expert to vividly demonstrate the collision and the injuries sustained by our client. A six figure settlement was obtained without ever having to go to court.

Full Settlement for Wrongful Death Case

Our client had just arrived at the Department of Motor Vehicles office to renew her drivers' license. It was her birthday. After she parked her car in the parking lot, she began walking to the entrance of the building. The defendant was driving around the lot, looking for a parking space. Our client was walking past an empty space when the defendant attempted to park into that space. He struck our client. Sadly, her head hit the ground and she died from her injuries. Predictably, the heartless insurance company representing the negligent driver did not immediately admit to fault and take responsibility for this tragedy. After several weeks, they relented. Our office obtained a full settlement against the driver and his insurance company. Of course, no recovery could ever be enough to compensate for the death of this innocent lady.

Settlement for Hit & Run Pedestrian Accident

Our client was walking in the morning to meet his friend for coffee. He began walking across the street in a crosswalk when a speeding vehicle struck our client and left the scene. The hit-and-run driver was never caught and arrested. Our client suffered serious injuries to his hip, knee, and ankle. He was hospitalized for over one month. He incurred medical bills of nearly $1.5 million. Fortunately, he did have uninsured motorist coverage through his insurance company which extended coverage to him as a pedestrian. The insurance company agreed to tender the significant policy limits to our office. However, of great concern were the large medical bills and medical liens on his settlement recovery. Our office worked until the medical providers and lien holders agreed that our client was the victim in this incident and fairness required that he receive the majority of all monies recovered.