Law Office of John J Rueda: Sacramento, California

All cases are important to me just as they are to my clients. The following are listed simply to provide illustrations of the nature and variety of legal matters I have succesfully worked on.

Personal Injury

Krogh vs. M&R Packing

In this case I obtained and collected a 2.5 million-dollar jury verdict in San Joaquin County in 1998 for my client, a thirty-five-year-old carpenter who was rendered a paraplegic as a result of a motor vehicle accident on a two-lane county highway.

Concepcion vs. Nestle

My client, a fifty-two-year-old state employee, suffered serious spinal cord injuries in an accident involving a tractor trailer owned and operated by the defendant on State Highway 99 in Modesto, California. Defendant first contended that the accident was the fault of another motorist. Before trial, however, the defendant admitted liability and the case went to trial on damages only. The jury awarded my client 2.7 million dollars: 1.2 million dollars for medical expenses and wage loss and 1.5 million for loss of enjoyment of life.

Aowrang vs. Round

I mention this case because it shows that all cases are important and that the legal system serves us all. My client, Susan Aowrang, was a twenty-six year old, single mother, who suffered cervical strain and soft tissue injuries when she was rear ended by defendant's car on a Sacramento freeway. In Sacramento, such cases are referred by the court to non-binding judicial arbitration. At arbitration the arbitrator awarded my client $8,000. Though disappointed, I advised my client to accept the award as the costs for more litigation may offset any increased award. The defendant and his insurer, however, rejected the arbitrator's award and instead offered the sum of $1,500 which would not even cover my client's medical bills. Consequently, I took Susan's case to trial and after a four-day jury trial, the jury awarded Susan $8,500. Again, not a lot of money, but some measure of vindication for my client. Also, because the jury's verdict was more than the arbitrator's award, defendant's insurer had to pay my medical expert's witness fees plus prejudgment interest.

Business Litigation

Obie Media vs. Z-Spanish Media

I had the privilege of representing Z-Spanish Media Corporation from its beginnings as a start-up company in Sacramento to its merger with Entravision in 2002. Z-Spanish began acquiring and operating Spanish language radio stations in Northern California and grew to a nationwide network of over fifty stations. It also ventured into other media areas including outdoor advertising. When Z-Spanish attempted to compete for a billboard advertising contract put out by Sacramento Regional Transit, it was sued for unfair competition and business interference by Obie Media, the previous holder of that contract. This case involved cutting edge issues of unfair competition, constitutional law, First Amendment rights, and California's antiSLAPP statute, a law enacted by the state legislature to prevent large corporations from using lawsuits to squelch the exercise of constitutionally protected rights such as freedom of speech. The Obie case was litigated in Federal District Court. Through motions attacking the legal basis for Obies lawsuit, I was able to force Obie into dismissing its case.

KZSA vs. Diamond Radio

This was a business lawsuit which I successfully tried in 1999, obtaining a judgment of $200,000 for contract damages in favor of my client, KZSA, a Spanish radio station and a member of the Z-Spanish Media family. In addition to finding Diamond Radio had breached a broadcasting agreement it held with KZSA, the court found that an option agreement that my client had with Diamond Radio to purchase a radio station was valid and enforceable, rejecting the claims of the defendant that the contract had been induced by fraud.

Insurance Claims

Bertrand vs. Minnesota Life

Betty Bertrand came to me when her adult daughter suddenly and tragically died of ovarian cancer. Just months before her death, the daughter had purchased mortgage insurance on her home with Minnesota Life designating Betty as the beneficiary the policy. Minnesota Life denied payment of benefits to Betty under the policy claiming that her daughter had misrepresented her health condition on her insurance application by failing to disclose her cancer. I obtained and reviewed the medical records of the daughter which showed that although the daughter had been complaining for several months before her death about abdominal pain, no specific diagnosis was rendered until an ultrasound was performed at about the time the daughter applied for the insurance policies. Although the results of the ultrasound disclosed ovarian cancer, the records showed that the test results were not disclosed to the daughter until several days after the daughter had applied for insurance. Thus at the time of her application the daughter had no specific knowledge of a serious health condition. I set forth these facts and the relevant California law regarding questions on health insurance applications to the insurer and to its credit, it reversed its decision and paid benefits to Betty under the policy.



	All cases are important to me just as they are to my clients. The following are listed simply to provide illustrations of the nature and variety of legal matters I have succesfully worked on. Personal Injury Krogh vs. M&R Packing In this case I obtained and collected a 2.5 million-dollar jury verdict in San Joaquin County in 1998 for my client, a thirty-five-year-old carpenter who was rendered a paraplegic as a result of a motor vehicle accident on a two-lane county highway. Concepcion vs. Nestle My client, a fifty-two-year-old state employee, suffered serious spinal cord injuries in an accident involving a tractor trailer owned and operated by the defendant on State Highway 99 in Modesto, California. Defendant first contended that the accident was the fault of another motorist. Before trial, however, the defendant admitted liability and the case went to trial on damages only. The jury awarded my client 2.7 million dollars: 1.2 million dollars for medical expenses and wage loss and 1.5 million for loss of enjoyment of life. Aowrang vs. Round I mention this case because it shows that all cases are important and that the legal system serves us all. My client, Susan Aowrang, was a twenty-six year old, single mother, who suffered cervical strain and soft tissue injuries when she was rear ended by defendant's car on a Sacramento freeway. In Sacramento, such cases are referred by the court to non-binding judicial arbitration. At arbitration the arbitrator awarded my client $8,000. Though disappointed, I advised my client to accept the award as the costs for more litigation may offset any increased award. The defendant and his insurer, however, rejected the arbitrator's award and instead offered the sum of $1,500 which would not even cover my client's medical bills. Consequently, I took Susan's case to trial and after a four-day jury trial, the jury awarded Susan $8,500. Again, not a lot of money, but some measure of vindication for my client. Also, because the jury's verdict was more than the arbitrator's award, defendant's insurer had to pay my medical expert's witness fees plus prejudgment interest. Business Litigation Obie Media vs. Z-Spanish Media I had the privilege of representing Z-Spanish Media Corporation from its beginnings as a start-up company in Sacramento to its merger with Entravision in 2002. Z-Spanish began acquiring and operating Spanish language radio stations in Northern California and grew to a nationwide network of over fifty stations. It also ventured into other media areas including outdoor advertising. When Z-Spanish attempted to compete for a billboard advertising contract put out by Sacramento Regional Transit, it was sued for unfair competition and business interference by Obie Media, the previous holder of that contract. This case involved cutting edge issues of unfair competition, constitutional law, First Amendment rights, and California's antiSLAPP statute, a law enacted by the state legislature to prevent large corporations from using lawsuits to squelch the exercise of constitutionally protected rights such as freedom of speech. The Obie case was litigated in Federal District Court. Through motions attacking the legal basis for Obies lawsuit, I was able to force Obie into dismissing its case. KZSA vs. Diamond Radio This was a business lawsuit which I successfully tried in 1999, obtaining a judgment of $200,000 for contract damages in favor of my client, KZSA, a Spanish radio station and a member of the Z-Spanish Media family. In addition to finding Diamond Radio had breached a broadcasting agreement it held with KZSA, the court found that an option agreement that my client had with Diamond Radio to purchase a radio station was valid and enforceable, rejecting the claims of the defendant that the contract had been induced by fraud. Insurance Claims Bertrand vs. Minnesota Life Betty Bertrand came to me when her adult daughter suddenly and tragically died of ovarian cancer. Just months before her death, the daughter had purchased mortgage insurance on her home with Minnesota Life designating Betty as the beneficiary the policy. Minnesota Life denied payment of benefits to Betty under the policy claiming that her daughter had misrepresented her health condition on her insurance application by failing to disclose her cancer. I obtained and reviewed the medical records of the daughter which showed that although the daughter had been complaining for several months before her death about abdominal pain, no specific diagnosis was rendered until an ultrasound was performed at about the time the daughter applied for the insurance policies. Although the results of the ultrasound disclosed ovarian cancer, the records showed that the test results were not disclosed to the daughter until several days after the daughter had applied for insurance. Thus at the time of her application the daughter had no specific knowledge of a serious health condition. I set forth these facts and the relevant California law regarding questions on health insurance applications to the insurer and to its credit, it reversed its decision and paid benefits to Betty under the policy.