$750,000 Settlement for Harley-Davidson Rider Struck by Left-Turning Driver Despite Gap in Medical Care

Gary McGee was riding his Harley-Davidson through Connecticut when Stephen Holbomb turned left directly across his path. McGee had the right of way. The collision was the kind that left-turn cases are built on: a driver who failed to yield to oncoming traffic, and a motorcyclist with nowhere to go.

The harder problem came after the crash. McGee did not seek medical attention right away. That gap gave the defense a foothold. In personal injury litigation, delayed treatment is a recurring argument: if the injuries were as serious as the plaintiff claims, why wait? The longer the gap, the more that argument cuts.

Carter Mario attorney Jessica Ayala took the case knowing the delay would be the central obstacle. Her task was to separate the medical timeline from the question of fault and damages. Motorcyclists struck by left-turning drivers often underestimate their injuries at first, particularly when adrenaline and shock suppress early symptoms. The delay did not mean the injuries were minor; it meant McGee waited too long to have them diagnosed.

Ayala built the liability case around the straightforward facts of the collision: Holbomb turned left in front of a rider who was proceeding lawfully. She addressed the medical delay directly rather than around it, presenting the circumstances that led McGee to put off care and the documented injuries that eventually required treatment.

The case resolved for $750,000. No post-settlement reduction has been reported.