Bicyclist struck
Award: $5,516,000
A 4-year-old girl was exiting the driveway of her home when she was struck by a one-ton utility pickup truck (Herrera v. Kumre, Tulare County Superior Court).

Fatal rear-ender
Award: $4,073,921
A 55-year-old man stopped at a red light was killed when his car was rear-ended by a van (Valencia v. Jesmar Construction, Los Angeles County Superior Court).

Gastric bypass death
Award: Defense
A 43-year-old woman who underwent gastric bypass surgery for morbid obesity died of post-operative complications (Leskody v. Waldrep, Placer County Superior Court).

Dental malpractice
Award: $344,838
An orthodontia patient alleged negligent treatment kept her in braces for 12 years (Maclyman v. Firestone Dental Group, Los Angeles County Superior Court).

Motorcyclist injured
Award: $4,907,637
A 52-year-old motorcyclist sustained a below-the-knee amputation after colliding with a driver who attempted a U-turn in front of him (Wallace v. Lo, Los Angeles County Superior Court).

Elder death
Award: $300,000
A patient in a convalescent hospital suffocated after she became wedged between her bed and a wall (Carey v. Valle Vista Convalescent Hospital, San Diego County Superior Court).

Pedestrian struck
Award: $18,026,206
A 19-year-old tourist was struck by an SUV while crossing at night in a marked pedestrian crosswalk (Mowatt v. City of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Superior Court).

Missing guardrail
Award: Defense
A 56-year-old man sustained severe injuries after he lost control of his car and went down an embankment that lacked a guardrail (Martin v. State of California, Los Angeles County Superior Court).

Dog bite
Award: $300,000
A man walking his dog was attacked by two German shepherds who escaped from their yard (McNabb v. DeWaal, Contra Costa County Superior Court).

Chain-reaction collision
Award: $3,050,000
A driver was killed and her passenger injured in a chain-reaction freeway collision (Valencia v. Jesmar Construction, Los Angeles County Superior Court).

Editor's Note: California Bar Journal publishes this abbreviated summary of important trials in California provided by Trials Digest, a Thomson West business. To report your case results, go to west.thomson.com/trialsdigest/form.asp or call 415-344-6000.