$1M Settlement for Motorcycle Rider Hit by Truck that Ran Red Light Posted on July 9, 2014 by Larry Bodine The injury to the motorcyclist’s left ankle was catastrophic — he lost all of his left ankle bone. A motorcycle rider in Washington, DC, who was disabled when a commercial truck ran a red light and struck him, has received a $1 million settlement from the company that owned the truck. The plaintiff endured serious, painful, and permanent injuries when he was hit by a driver who was not paying attention. The collision threw his body onto the roadway, and he sustained a laceration to his left eye and a concussion, injury to his left shoulder, left knee and lower leg, and fractured both of his ankles and his right hand. Damian Danchenko, age 37, was riding in the 1900 block of Massachusetts Avenue NW around 7 pm on Jan 14, 2013. Meanwhile, Stanley Gagne was driving a Chevy truck owned vehicle United Metro Golf Cart in Brandywine, MD, where he was employed. Gagne ran a red light, and crashed into the motorcyclist. Because of the severity of the injuries, Danchenko underwent multiple surgeries on his left ankle, and surgery to his left knee. The injury to his left ankle was catastrophic — he lost all of the medial malleolus in his ankle. Danchenko, who works as a web designer, will always walk with a limp and slow gait, and further surgeries may be necessary. Jonathan Portner, a partner at Portner & Shure, and a member of the National Trial Lawyers and Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and Christine Airey, a paralegal with more than a decade of experience, settled with the truck driver’s insurance company for the policy limits of $1 million, keeping the case out of lengthy litigation. “This is a huge victory as it is very difficult to obtain a $1 million settlement, and less than 1% of attorneys are able to accomplish this their entire career,” attorney Portner said. “Our record of successfully obtaining million-dollar verdicts and settlements is further proof of our dedication and commitment to our number-one priority — our clients.” Portner & Shure, based in Columbia, MD, has represented plaintiffs in personal injury and criminal defense case for more than 20 years.
