News 02.28.17

Michigan Shareholders David J. Yates and Eric P. Conn Secure a Defense Verdict in Trucking Case

Segal McCambridge Michigan Shareholders David J. Yates and Eric P. Conn recently obtained a defense verdict in a trucking accident case in Washtenaw County, MI (Ann Arbor).

The Plaintiff alleged at trial that a low speed accident caused him to sustain a debilitating neck injury which eventually required him to undergo a two-level cervical fusion surgery.  Shareholders Yates and Conn introduced medical records pre-dating the accident, however, and argued to the jury that these records proved that it was Plaintiff’s pre-existing condition, in fact, that necessitated the surgery-not the low-speed accident as the Plaintiff had alleged. The defense also introduced security video of the accident and subsequent surveillance video showing that the Plaintiff was functioning without any significant limitations. The jury offered that it was this subsequent evidence that was helpful in making their determination that the Plaintiff was not injured in the subject accident.  Plaintiff’s pre-trial demand was for $495,000, and Plaintiff asked the jury for $4 million.