In a Philadelphia arbitration case, Plaintiff brought suit against defendant for striking her car while she was in the process of making a left turn on a green light. Defendant also had a green light. Counsel for Plaintiff, Valerie K. Williams, argued that defendant was speeding at the time of the accident, had a history of speeding violations, and had the last clear chance to avoid the accident. Counsel also introduced into evidence defendant’s criminal history of retail theft, which weighed heavily against his credibility. Prior to arbitration, the defendant and his insurance carrier denied liability and made no settlement offer. The arbitration panel found plaintiff’s testimony more credible than defendant’s testimony, and an award was entered in favor of plaintiff. There was no appeal.
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