In a 2005 San Diego County collision, a Hamilton Meat truck seriously injured Rebecca Howell. "Howell's medical bills approached $200,000 but medical insurance settled with the care providers for $60,000 and the trial judge reduced the medical part of her judgment to that amount." Is Hamilton Meat liable for $200,000, or for Howell's actual damages? California courts differ, and now the California Supreme Court will resolve the issue after a May oral argument. On this question lies $3 billion a year of damages awards, a billion of which would go to attorneys. [Sac Bee; lower court decision]