A $46 million motorcycle accident settlement has been achieved with Southern California Gas Co. after a critical accident caused a man to be dragged for over 400 feet.

Compensatory damages in the motorcycle accident settlement were listed at $41.8 million dollars. The motorcycle accident settlement was made just before the jury planned to decide on punitive damages in that case.

The motorcycle accident involved an employee of SoCalGas in a rear-end collision.

According to the motorcycle accident lawsuit, the employee hit the victim, an Air Force captain, in February 2017. The lawsuit says a SoCalGas pickup truck struck the victim on a motorcycle. The truck allegedly paused for 23 seconds before speeding away with the victim trapped underneath the truck.

Eventually, bystanders stopped the driver of that SoCalGas truck from fleeing the scene of the incident. That driver alleged that he suffered a seizure before and during the accident.

Within the lawsuit prior to the motorcycle accident settlement, the defendant argued that he had suffered from seizures since 2012 but that his employers still allowed him to work despite their knowledge about the condition.

The defense also claimed that the driver suffered permanent and severe injuries as a result of the accident as well, and that the employer was responsible for allowing him to operate a company truck as a crew leader despite the possible risk of an accident.

Since the driver and the company had already conceded liability prior to the motorcycle accident settlement, the jury was responsible for only deciding about damages. The jury had been deliberating for around three hours before deciding the initial compensatory damages for the motorcycle rider and his family.

The driver said that his right leg was severely disfigured as a result of the accident and that the company should be held accountable for allowing him to drive — putting the driver and others at risk.

Accidents like this often involve a lawsuit filed against the employee’s company, holding the company responsible for personal injuries suffered by the victims. Employers can be held accountable for accidents that occur while the worker is engaged in his or her job.

Individual liability cases can be pursued against a responsible driver, but if the driver was involved in his or her job at the time and should not have been approved to drive due to medical conditions, injured victims can also pursue liability cases against the employer company.

Employers have a responsibility to screen for and respond to medical conditions that could impede someone from doing their job safely. When accidents occur, a thorough investigation is often required to determine who could be held accountable.

SoCalGas argued, in this case, that the injured rider and his wife were entitled to only $9 million total in damages. However, the jury deciding damages prior to the motorcycle accident settlement awarded $35 million for both the past and future pain and suffering, and additional funds for medical expenses, lost income, and loss of consortium.