A US Navy serviceman was left paralyzed after a motorcycle accident in 2021. He has now won a lawsuit and is set to receive $45 million in compensation.
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The incident occurred in March 2021 when Don Zemo, a Navy serviceman who was only 26 at the time, was riding his motorcycle to a towing company in Connecticut (USA).
Upon arrival, he collided with a blue Ford Explorer that was crossing the street. Zemo sustained a T12 spinal cord injury and permanently lost movement in his legs.
A video captured by a security camera confirmed that the accident was caused by the truck driver’s questionable parking, which obstructed the view of multiple drivers approaching from different directions.
Zemo filed a lawsuit against the company MyHoopty.com in March 2022, claiming that due to the truck driver’s actions, neither the Ford Explorer driver nor Zemo himself had proper visibility to maneuver safely.
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Although Zemo attempted to evade when he realized what was about to happen, he still struck the bumper of the Explorer and suffered a serious crash that left him permanently paralyzed.
Then, on July 22, 2025, a jury ruled in favor of Zemo, awarding him $45 million in a verdict that included a section called “distribution of percentage(s) of negligence.”
After reviewing all the evidence presented, the jury determined that the accident was 65% the fault of MyHoopty.com LLC, 25% the fault of the Explorer’s driver, Dwayne Conley, and 10% the fault of Don Zemo.
The decision aims to cover Zemo’s lifelong expenses resulting from the accident that changed his life, including medical care and lost income due to the severity of his injuries.
Photo and video: YouTube @ctinsider. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
