Cabral v. Ralphs – $4.8 Million Jury Verdict Reinstated
Los Angeles Insurance Bad Faith Attorneys
Attorney: Michael B. Horrow
Case: Cabral v. Ralph’s Grocery Co. (2011) 51 Cal.4th 764
Case Description
Adelelmo Cabral was driving home from work on the Eastbound I-10 freeway when he lost control of his car, crossed several lanes of traffic, and collided with the rear of a Ralph’s tractor-trailer rig that had been parked on the freeway shoulder, about 16-feet from the edge of the right lane. The area where the truck had been parked was marked by CalTrans with an “Emergency Parking Only” sign. The Ralph’s driver had stopped there to have a snack. He chose that specific area because it was shaded. Michael Horrow represented Mr. Cabral’s wife and children in a wrongful-death case against Ralph’s.
At trial, Mr. Horrow obtained a jury verdict in favor of the Cabral family, which found that the Ralph’s driver had been negligent in parking his truck adjacent to the freeway, and he also persuaded the trial court to deny Ralph’s motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict. On appeal, however, the Court of Appeal reversed the judgment in favor of the Cabral family, finding that Ralphs could not be held liable because its driver owed no duty of care to passing motorists with respect to where he parked his truck alongside the freeway.
The California Supreme Court agreed to hear the case, and reversed the Court of Appeal, reinstating the jury verdict of $4.8 million.
- Download Decision Cabral v. Ralphs Grocery Co., 51 Cal.4th 764 (2011) (PDF)
- Download Jury Verdict Information Cabral v. Ralphs Grocery Co., 179 Cal.App.4th 1 (2009) (PDF)
- More Verdicts and Settlements
- Disability Claims and ERISA vs. Non-ERISA Insurance
About Michael B. Horrow
With a particular emphasis in disability, life and health insurance litigation, attorney Michael Horrow has fought successfully against the biggest insurance companies and won. Some of the insurance companies he has successfully prevailed against IG, UNUM Provident, MetLife, AETNA, Hartford, F & G Life, CIGNA, Life insurance Company of North America, State Farm, Farmers, Prudential, Trustmark, Paul Revere, UNUM Life, Provident, Mass Mutual and Mass Casualty.
Mr. Horrow has recovered millions of dollars on claims like these:
- Denial of individually purchased disability insurance benefits – including denials of ERISA disability benefits;
- Denial of health insurance benefits including a failure to pay insurance bills AFTER the insurance company has approved a procedure or surgery;
- Denial of life insurance claims;
- Denial of long term care insurance claims;
- Denial or delay of property insurance claims including underpayment of the claim;
- Denial or delay in payment of uninsured motorist claims.