Richardson v. United States

835 F. Supp. 1236, 1993 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14539, 1993 WL 409837
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Washington
DecidedOctober 13, 1993
DocketCY-92-3137-JBH
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 835 F. Supp. 1236 (Richardson v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Richardson v. United States, 835 F. Supp. 1236, 1993 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14539, 1993 WL 409837 (E.D. Wash. 1993).

Opinion

*1238 OPINION, FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

HOVIS, United States Magistrate Judge.

This matter was tried to the court without a jury over the period from September 21, 1993 to September 23, 1993. With the consent of the parties, the undersigned presided at the trial.

Plaintiff Larry W. Richardson appeared personally at the trial and through his attorney Terry P. Abeyta of ABEYTA NELSON P.C. Defendant United States of America appeared through its attorney of record Robert S. Linnell, Assistant United States Attorney.

The following witnesses were called and testified:

Plaintiffs Witnesses
1. Trooper Ken Ward, Washington State Patrol
2. Larry J. Stadler, Accident Reconstructionist
3. K.F. Aboulhosn, M.D.
4. Larry W. Richardson, Plaintiff
Defendant’s Witnesses
1. Jeffrey E. Blasko
2. Michael E. Hlastala, Ph.D.
3. Ralph E. Duncan, Accident Reeonstructionist

The following exhibits were offered and admitted into evidence:

Plaintiff’s Exhibits
1. Safe Driving Award from Associated Grocers, Inc.
2. Color photographs showing scene of collision, position of vehicles upon impact, and property damage to Mr. Richardson’s 1965 Ford Ranchero pickup.
3. Police Traffic Collision Report prepared by the Washington State Patrol dated June 8, 1991, and pages from trooper’s field notes.
4. Report from Washington State Toxicology Laboratory .showing blood alcohol results of sample taken from Mr. Richardson on the date of injury.
5. Letter from Kittitas County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office dated August 28, 1992 stating Mr. Richardson was never charged with any offense arising out of this collision.
6. Scale diagram of collision scene, with overlay, to illustrate Mr. Stadler’s reconstruction of collision.
7. Two 5x7 inch color photographs taken at the scene of collision on May 21, 1993 showing width of lane dividers.
8. Vehicle Valuation/Settlement Report showing value, of Mr. Richardson’s vehicle of $2,465.80.
9. Ambulance report from City of Ellensburg Ambulance Service dated June 8, 1991.
10. Emergency room records from Kittitas Valley Community Hospital dated June 8,1991 (edited to delete hearsay information as to collision and blood alcohol results).
11. Anatomical illustration showing the areas of tears in the mesentery root and mid-portion of the transverse colon suffered by Mr. Richardson.
12. Hospital records from Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital covering the 11-day period of inpatient hospitalization from June 8, 1991 through June 19, 1991 (edited to delete hearsay information as to collision).
13. Chart notes from Barry D. Bernfeld, M.D., covering the period from July 3, 1991 through August 5, 1991.
14. One 5x5 inch color photograph taken in December 1991 showing the scars and disfigurement to Mr. Richardson’s face.
15. One 5x7 inch color photograph taken by K.F. Aboulhosn, M.D., just before surgery in February 1992 showing the scars over the right side of Mr. Richardson’s face and nose.
*1239 16. Medical report from Dr. Aboulhosn dated August 28, 1992.
17. Four 5x7 inch color photographs taken on May 18, 1992 showing scarring to the forehead, both temple areas, left and right eyebrows and upper eyelids, nose, and left cheek.
18. One 5x7 inch color photograph taken on May 18, 1992 showing 12-inch scar to abdomen.
19. Three 5x7 inch color photographs taken shortly before trial to illustrate current appearance of scars to face and abdomen.
20. Summary and copies of past treatment expenses totaling $39,302.74.
21. Letter from Associated Grocers, Inc. dated June 19, 1992 verifying Mr. Richardson’s past wage loss of $6,545.60 covering the period from June 8,1991 through August 10,1991.
22. Pay stub showing Mr. Richardson’s rate of pay as of September 4,1993 of $16.99 per hour.
23. Letters from Associated Grocers, Inc. dated September 21, 1992 and July .18,1993 documenting an additional 80 hours of time loss for Mr. Richardson following the second scar revision surgery over the period from February 2, 1992 through February 15, 1992 in the amount of $1,273.60.
24. Mr. Blasko’s diagram of collision scene from deposition.
25. Three photographs of skid marks.
26. Facial drawing showing placement of lacerations.
Defendant’s Exhibits
101. Kittitas Community Hospital laboratory report of Nancy Stubbles dated June 8, 1991 showing blood alcohol of 0.14.
102. Washington State Patrol Trooper Evans’ report, acknowledgment of delivery, transfer-disposition of report, request for analysis, and State Toxicology Laboratory report showing completion date of June 12, 1991 by Egle Weiss showing blood alcohol of 0.08.
103. Other charts, photos, etc. utilized by Dr. Hlastala and Ralph E. Duncan in the course of their respective testimony.
104. Information used by Dr. Hlastala to make calculations.
106. Chart drawn in court by Dr. Hlastala for clarification.

OPINION

The court notes, in making a determination regarding the June 8, 1991 accident, the sparse credible eyewitness testimony before it. Mr. Richardson’s testimony on the amount of beer he drank is much less than the much larger amount that the evidence shows he consumed. Richardson’s testimony on his limited consumption of alcohol severely damages his credibility. It is a well established rule of probability that if one is not truthful about a material issue, you can be reasonably assured that he will repeat this performance if it suits his interest. This fabrication, together with the obvious limitations on Richardson’s ability to observe and remember caused by his alcohol consumption, and the residual of the trauma he experienced June 8, 1991, coupled with Mr. Richardson’s self interest, does not allow this trier of fact to use any contested portion of Mr.

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Bluebook (online)
835 F. Supp. 1236, 1993 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14539, 1993 WL 409837, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/richardson-v-united-states-waed-1993.