BD&J Attorneys Shawn McCann, Jesse French, and Garret Valerio Achieve $21 Million Gross Verdict in Bakersfield Tow Truck Crash

LOS ANGELES, July 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- One of BD&J's top litigators and Partners, Shawn McCann, achieved yet another incredible verdict. Alongside Junior Partner Jesse French and Attorney Garret Valerio, the team achieved a $21,363,898.08 gross verdict in Kern County Superior Court for a tow-truck accident case. By applying exceptional litigation skills and remaining dedicated to their client, Luis Luna, Jr., the team successfully argued the Defendants were primarily at fault and secured a net $12.8 million for the injured client.

The accident in this case involved a flatbed tow truck attempting a three-point turn across State Route 65 outside of Bakersfield, California, when a passenger car driven by Luis Luna struck the side of the flatbed. Luna suffered multiple bone fractures in his right leg and right wrist, spinal fusion at L5-S1, and ACL repair in the left leg. Doctors treated the right leg fractures with a surgical rod and screws, which later became infected, requiring an additional surgery to remove and replace the hardware. 

The Defense's legal team questioned Luna, obtained all his medical records, and a defense medical doctor examined his injuries. Luna demanded to settle for the insurance policy limit but was denied twice. Luna claimed the truck was negligent for attempting a complex turn on a highway. The Defendants asserted that the plaintiff was negligent for failing to see the truck blocking the lane for approximately 14 seconds. Defense legal counsel also blamed Luna for inattentiveness, fatigue, and/or falling asleep. Our team served a statutory 998 demand for $1.2 million on Luna's behalf in October of 2025.

The Defendants' insurance company offered only $100,000 before and during trial, while the policy limit provided coverage up to $1 million. BD&J attorneys successfully demonstrated a shared responsibility to achieve a $21 million jury verdict with 60% being paid out to the plaintiff. Specifically, the jury awarded: 

• $2 million for past pain and suffering
• $17 million for future pain and suffering
• $2,363,898.08 for past and future medical expenses. 

The insurance carrier will also be responsible for approximately $300,000 in litigation costs and over $1 million of interest. "Our client is a hard worker, a husband and a father, whose life was forever changed by the poorly conceived turn by the tow truck driver," Lead Counsel Shawn McCann shared. According to Jesse French, "Our goal was to indicate to the jury that mistakes from one party should not preclude them from recovery. Our client was disproportionately impacted by this crash, and he deserved for that pain to be recognized." Ultimately, BD&J's skilled litigators were able to secure $12.8 million in compensation for Luna, more than ten times than his original demand.

About BD&J, PC: BD&J, PC, has served all Californians since 2007 in many areas of personal injury law, including auto or truck accidents, motorcycle and pedestrian collisions, premises liability, commercial injury, dog bites, and more. Having represented tens of thousands of clients from all walks of life, the attorneys at BD&J are proud to protect the rights of individuals from anywhere in California at any time. To learn more, contact BD&J here. 

Media Contact: Juniper Elizondo – [email protected]

SOURCE BD&J, PC