Luhrsen Law Group - Jury Verdict Against Hit and Run Driver

    SARASOTA, FL, March 31, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- On March 16, 2011, a Polk County jury awarded Luhrsen Law Group's 13 year old client $471,708.77 for injuries in a December, 2006 Fort Meade car crash.

The defendant, Luis Guiterrez, broadsided the vehicle in which the then nine year old girl was riding while he was attempting an illegal pass in a residential area. The crash flipped the girl's vehicle over, crushing her hand between the roof and the pavement. Guiterrez stopped briefly but then fled without calling for help. Her hand crushed, the girl was unable to unlatch her own seatbelt, so she was left hanging upside down smelling gasoline fumes. Her psychologist testified she was suffering from post traumatic stress disorder manifested by recurring nightmares of being killed or left for dead in a crash, daytime flashbacks, and fear of heavy traffic among other things. The jury verdict included $250,000 for pain and suffering.

Noting that juries in Polk County are typically very conservative, trial attorney Julie Luhrsen concluded that "[t]he jury, even in the face of a miraculous physical recovery, understood that this girl suffered real harm because of the defendant's reckless choices, first in trying an illegal pass and then in taking off and literally leaving a kid hanging on for life. They held him personally responsible."

Luhrsen Law Group is headquartered in Sarasota, Florida and handles cases throughout Florida. Luhrsen Law Group concentrates on cases involving traffic safety, alcohol-related negligence, hit and run drivers, and underage drinking. For more information visit www.Luhrsen.com or call (866) 957-4878 or (941) 957-4878.

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