Andrade Law Offices, Santa Barbara, Secures $3M Judgment for Couple Rear-Ended by Off the Charts Delivery Driver
Palm Springs, CA — $3,054,527.80 Judgment Against Area 29, LLC d/b/a Off the Charts Our clients were seated in a
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Palm Springs, CA — $3,054,527.80 Judgment Against Area 29, LLC d/b/a Off the Charts
CA, UNITED STATES, July 26, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Plaintiffs’ Counsel: Steven R. Andrade, Andrade Law Offices, APC
Defense Counsel: Quintin Shammam, Law Offices of Quintin G. Shammam
Andrade Law Offices, a Santa Barbara personal injury firm, has secured a combined judgment exceeding $3 million on behalf of two seriously injured plaintiffs against Area 29, LLC, a California Limited Liability Company doing business as Off the Charts — one of the largest cannabis retail chains in California — and its employee and delivery driver, Gerardo Herrera. The judgment was entered by the Riverside Superior Court on May 21, 2026, in Case No. CVPS2104189.
Area 29, LLC owns and operates the Off the Charts cannabis dispensary located at 1508 South Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, California 92264, under California Department of Cannabis Control License No. C10-0000729-LIC.
On March 7, 2021, plaintiffs Crystal P. and Christopher F. were seated in their stationary vehicle on Palm Canyon Drive near Racquet Club Road in Palm Springs when they were struck from behind by a vehicle driven by Herrera who was making a delivery for Off the Charts. He was in the course and scope of his employment with Off the Charts when the accident occurred. The impact was so severe that the rear end of the plaintiffs’ vehicle was completely torn from the car, leaving both plaintiffs with severe, permanent and life-altering injuries.
Andrade Law Offices was retained to represent Crystal P. and Christopher F. after prior counsel had already filed the lawsuit. Taking over an active personal injury case mid-litigation, after pleadings are filed, discovery is underway, and the procedural record is established, required plaintiffs’ counsel to master quickly a complex factual and legal record, prepare the case for trial, and present the evidence effectively to the Court. Andrade Law Offices met that challenge, tried the case to judgment, and secured a full and binding judgment for both clients.
The matter was tried to the Court without a jury before the Honorable Craig G. Riemer, Retired Judge of the Riverside Superior Court, Assigned by the Chief Justice. Judge Riemer found by a preponderance of the evidence that the crash was solely caused by Herrera’s negligence, that Herrera was acting within the course and scope of his employment with Area 29, LLC d/b/a Off the Charts, and that there was no comparative fault on the part of either plaintiff. Both defendants were found jointly and severally liable.
The Court awarded Crystal P. $824,398.67 in principal damages, including $124,398.67 in medical expenses and $700,000 in non-economic damages for physical pain and suffering. The Court awarded Christopher F. $1,576,861.00 in principal damages, including $476,861.00 in medical expenses and $1,100,000 in non-economic damages for physical pain and suffering.
On October 2, 2023, offers to compromise were presented to defendants. Because defendants rejected the offers, and the judgments awarded were higher than those offers, plaintiffs are entitled to substantial prejudgment interest on the judgment amounts awarded, and reimbursement of costs, under California Code of Civil Procedure section 998 and Civil Code section 3291. Interest continues to accrue at $657.87 per day until the judgment is fully satisfied.
Steven R. Andrade has been practicing law for over 30 years in California. His legal strategies and trial experience have resulted in multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements over the course of his career.
Steven R. Andrade
Andrade Law Offices
+1 805-962-4944
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