A La Puente man must pay $30 million to a driver that he rear-ended and failed to aid, leading the driver to pull himself from his burning vehicle and be hospitalized for about a month, a jury decided Monday, July 28.
The Superior Court jury in West Covina unanimously decided that Kaj Faaborg was solely responsible for the crash that involved four vehicles, killed a driver and left the plaintiff with lasting injuries. He will owe the plaintiff, whose past and future medical expenses are estimated at more than $774,000, $10 million in past noneconomic damages and $20 million in future damages.
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“We think the jury sent a message that when you’re involved in a crash, you really have to stop and help people,” said Don Liddy, one of the plaintiff’s attorneys.
Faaborg was under the influence of alcohol and marijuana when he hit a stopped 2004 Ford Mustang at 60 miles per hour in a construction zone on the 60 Freeway in Industry in January 2020, the plaintiff’s attorneys said in a statement. The Mustang then hit a Honda Odyssey, driven by the plaintiff, which then rear-ended a Toyota Camry.
After the crash, the Mustang burst into flames, and the fire spread to the Odyssey. The driver of the Mustang died, and the plaintiff crawled through the back hatch of the burning vehicle, his attorneys said.
“His skin was melting off his body,” Liddy said.
The victim spent around a month in the burn unit of L.A. General Medical Center after sustaining second- and third-degree burns to nearly 40% of his body, his lawyers said. At the medical center, he underwent surgeries, skin grafts, laser treatments for hypertrophic scarring and debridement treatments to remove dead or infected tissue from his remaining healthy skin.
His hands were disfigured in the fire, impacting his range of motion, sense of touch and functionality and limiting his work as a massage therapist, his lawyers said.
After the crash, the man’s lawyers said he can’t sit for long periods or be exposed to direct sunlight.
Faaborg fled the scene but was later found and taken into custody. He was treated for minor injuries at PIH Health Whittier Hospital.
Liddy said attorneys found a photo that showed Faaborg had a crowbar next to his driver’s seat at the time of the crash and argued he had the means to rescue the victims.
The defense argued that Faaborg was responsible for the crash itself, but that negligent design of the 2004 Mustang fuel system caused the fire, the plaintiff’s attorneys said. Faaborg also argued he hadn’t helped the victims because he was disoriented after the crash. Faaborg’s attorneys didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Camry driver and a passenger said they neck pain after the crash but denied further medical treatment.