Mandy C. was driving her sister’s Lexus down State Route 145 in Fresno County when she struck a disabled tractor which was blocking part of her lane. The California Highway Patrol arrived at the scene and determined that Mandy was totally at fault for the accident because she was unable to stop in time to strike trailer. A previous accident had occurred minutes before; the CHP blamed the driver of that vehicle for his accident.Â
Mandy was treated at the hospital and released. She had no initial complaints of neck pain. Three months later, in September, she awakened with excruciating neck pain. She was treated by a local San Luis Obispo County neurosurgeon who opined that the need for the surgery was caused by the accident. Mandy hired lawyers in Fresno who spent very little time or energy on the case. On the advice of a friend, she terminated those lawyers and hired James R. Murphy, Jr. And John D. Barron, A Law Corporation.Â
 The case was mediated, a process by which an attempt was made to settle the case. The senior claims adjuster for the insurance company made a top offer of $65,000.00. The offer was rejected; Mr. Murphy walked out of the mediation politely but firmly indicating that the offer was ludicrous.
 As the trial date approached, Defendants increased the offer to $175,000.00. Unfortunately, by this time Mandy’s attorneys had spent over $100,000.00 on costs. The case went to trial in Fresno Superior Court before the Honorable Jeffery Y. Hamilton, Jr.Â
 Mr. Murphy retained top quality expert witnesses as is the custom and practice of our firm. Jon Landerville from Momentum did CSI quality graphics; John Brault, the biomechanist with Semper Scientific did an outstanding job. John located a video of an airbag test at a similar speed showing the violent, wrenching forced applied to the Plaintiff’s body. The video had a tremendous impact on the jury. Robert W. Johnson did the economic work and Dr. Ann Wallace of Solvang, California did the life care plan as well as a vocational rehabilitation assessment.
The jury commenced deliberation on August 3rd at 9:00 a.m. By 9:45 a.m., the jury asked for the damages charts that had been prepared for the testimony of Dr. Wallace and Mr. Johnson. Three hours later, the jury rendered a verdict for $3,000,000.00 in favor of the Plaintiff. The case settled 10 days later for the $3,000,000.00.Â
Testimonial by Mandy C.:
My former attorneys had basically dropped the ball on my case. The other man that was injured was also represented by those lawyers. He had almost $50,000.00 in medical bills and the attorneys talked him into settling for $110,000.00. He recovered very little of that amount. At the time I hired Mr. Murphy, he made a commitment to me that he would work hard for me. Jim and his team never let up. I was in trial everyday. Jim is a tremendously effective trial lawyer. The jury loved him. He aggressive attacked every component of the defense case, which has changed my life and that of my family. I am very grateful to Jim and consider him the finest attorney I have ever seen. Mr. Murphy is a rare exception….