Recent Results

Type of case:Slip and fall case.

Jury trial in June of 2005. Our client, a 51 year-old gentleman, broke his ankle in a fall at a sporting goods store when he stepped backward onto a skateboard that was negligently left on the floor. He had approximately $20,000.00 in past medical bills, which included surgery to repair the broken ankle. After a three day trial, the jury determined that our client's gross damages were $609,190.00, which is exactly the amount that we argued to the jury. Our client attempted to settle the case prior to filing suit, but the insurer for the sporting goods store did not even bother responding to his settlement proposal. They left him no choice but to file suit, and we represented him throughout and argued his case to a jury.

Type of case:Motorcycle crash.

Jury trial on damages in March of 2006 after a jury trial on liability in December of 2005. Our client was riding his sport bike on the expressway in Miami when a Florida Highway Patrol cruiser suddenly darted into his lane when it left the shoulder abruptly in an attempt to pursue a speeding motorist. Our client was ejected from his bike when he impacted the rear of the police cruiser and sustained a broken arm and injuries to both knees that required surgical intervention. The Florida Highway Patrol vigorously contested liability and asserted throughout the case that our client caused the crash. FHP made no offers to settle the case prior to the first trial. In fact, FHP, at one point, formally demanded that our client pay FHP for the property damage to the police cruiser that resulted from the crash. Upon conclusion of the trial on damages, the jury determined that our client's gross damages were $570,000.00, and FHP retracted its demand that our client pay for the damage to the police cruiser.

Type of case:Motorcycle crash.

Settlement on the eve of trial in February 2006. Our client was riding his Harley on Federal Highway in Aventura, FL when his front wheel got caught in a trench that a road contractor had dug but failed to fill properly. The contractor also failed to cordon off the area where it left the long trench in a lane of travel. Our client could not right the bike after the wheel slipped into the trench, and he went down injuring his shoulder. He later had arthroscopic surgery on the shoulder to repair the damage. The insurer ignored his offer to settle the case at the pre-suit stage. As a result, we filed suit against the road contractor. The insurer made no reasonable settlement offers during the course of over a year of litigation leading up to trial. A couple of days before we were scheduled to go to trial, the insurer approached us and made a serious settlement offer, which eventually led to meaningful negotiations and our client resolving his case for $150,000.00.

Type of case:Motorcycle crash.

Settlement in April of 2006 after we filed suit. Our client was riding his motorcycle on Miami Beach when a car blew through a stop sign and hit him. He suffered a knee injury that required arthroscopic surgery and subsequent rehabilitation. The insurer made a nominal settlement offer and dragged its feet for several months in responding to our demands to resolve the case. As a result, we filed suit. We had a difficult time perfecting service of process on the defendant, as he managed to avoid numerous attempts by our process server. Eventually, we were forced to attain substitute service of process. At that point, the insurer approached us and increased its offer by over 100 percent, and our client settled his case for $95,000.00.

Type of case:Car crash.

Pre-suit settlement in December of 2005. Our client, a kind and responsible young lady from a great family, injured her knee when an uninsured motorist lost control of his car and crossed the center lane divider directly into our client's path of travel. She later required surgery to repair the damage done to her knee in the crash. Despite the fact that the uninsured motorist was obviously and completely at fault, our client's uninsured motorist carrier attempted to play hardball with her and her family and went so far as to side with the uninsured motorist blaming our client for the crash. Our client's mother was so frustrated and disgusted by her uninsured motorist carrier's untenable stance that she was visibly shaken during her initial visit to our office. Her family had paid premiums to this insurer for many years on several vehicles. We were particularly happy to accept representation of this client because we believed so strongly in her and her family. In addition, we are adamant that people who pay the additional premium to their insurers to protect themselves against negligent uninsured motorists deserve that protection in the unfortunate event that they are injured by someone who decided to drive like an imbecile and also decided not to carry proper insurance. We immediately set forth to dispatch the nonsensical arguments that the insurer tried to force on our client prior to our representation and convinced it to accept responsibility for the loss. After we cleared that hurdle, we demanded that it tender the $100,000.00 policy limit, which it eventually agreed to do.

Type of case:Slip and fall.

Settlement in January of 2006 at mediation. Our client slipped and fell when a plumber, who was working on a drain at her place of work, left a slippery substance on the floor. Our client had a couple of surgeries on her shoulder due to the fall. Our client did not retain us until over 3 years after the fall. As you could imagine, it was extremely difficult to prepare a case over 3 years after the incident transpired. Witness memories were not as sharp and documents were difficult, and at times impossible, to find. On top of that, the statute of limitations was looming. We filed suit and moved forward with litigation. The trial judge ordered the parties to mediation where we settled the case for $145,000.00.

Type of case:Car crash.

Pre-suit settlement in December of 2005. Our clients, two brothers, were struck by a negligent motorist while driving on I-95 in Palm Beach County. Both sustained knee injuries and each had arthroscopic surgery and rehabilitation to repair cartilage damage. We were able to convince the defendant's insurer to tender $200,000.00 (each client received a separate check for the insured's $100,000.00 policy limits) to our clients at the pre-suit stage.

Type of case:Motorcycle crash.

Pre-suit settlement in February 2006. Our client, who was riding his motorcycle near Gainesville, FL was injured when he was struck by a negligent underinsured motorist. Our client was transported to Shands Hospital at the University of Florida where he was treated for a broken hip, broken leg and fractured knee cap. We secured a settlement for the $200,000.00 uninsured motorist policy limit and the $10,000.00 bodily injury policy limit from the negligent driver. The defendant's insurer initially refused to pay for the damage to our client's bike, but we structured our formal demand in such a way that the insurer eventually agreed to pay full value for the bike. Moreover, we worked hard to negotiate with the medical providers to reduce our client's outstanding medical liens to very manageable levels so that our client was able to retain a significant portion of the settlement monies for himself.

Settlement/Verdict amount: $1,700,000.00
Type of case: Medical Malpractice

Nature and cause of injuries: Client received an excessive dose of radiation from his doctor. As a result of the excessive radiation, Client sustained damage to his digestive tract.

Settlement/Verdict amount: $1,250,000.00
Type of case: Motorcycle Accident

Nature and cause of injuries: Client was injured as the result of another motorist's negligence. Client sustained a broke lower leg that required surgery to repair. Case was settled before a lawsuit was filed for the full amount of the negligent motorist's insurance policy.

Settlement/Verdict amount: $724,739.51
Type of case: Pedestrian Struck by Automobile

Nature and cause of injuries: Client was a pedestrian when he was struck by an automobile. Client suffered a fractured skull and made a very good recovery. Defendants offered $1,000.00 to settle the case. Defendant said Client 100% at fault for the accident. We tried the case in front of a jury.

Settlement/Verdict amount: $563,500.00
Type of case: Auto Accident

Nature and cause of injuries: Client was the front seat passenger in an automobile, and the driver of the automobile made a left into oncoming traffic. As a result of the driver's negligence, the Client sustained several broken bones.

Settlement/Verdict amount: $450,017.00
Type of case: Motorcycle Accident/Intersection Collision with Car

Plaintiff rode his motorcycle eastbound on Bird Road at the Intersection of LeJeune Road in Miami. The defendant drove her automobile northbound on LeJeune Road and attempted to make a left-hand turn to head west on Bird Road. The plaintiff said he had a green light, and the defendant said that she had a green arrow. Plaintiff suffered a comminuted fracture to his right femur that required open reduction and internal fixation. Plaintiff also sustained an injury to his right knee, but hasn't been able to have an MRI study of his knee due to the metal road placed in his leg after the accident. Defendants offered $10,000.00 to settle the case. Defendant said plaintiff 100% at fault for the accident. We tried the case in front of a jury. The jury held the defendant 100% at fault.

Settlement/Verdict amount: $190,000.00
Type of case: Slip and Fall Accident

Nature and cause of injuries: Client fell as a result of loose tiles on stairs at a mall. Client sustained injuries to both knees. Prior to seeing our television commercial and consulting with Pape & Chandler, P.A., Client was told by several prominent personal injury attorneys that she did not have a case. Defendant's doctors said that Client's injuries were not caused by the fall, and existed prior to the fall.

Settlement/Verdict amount: $130,000.00
Type of case: Motorcycle Accident

Client was test-riding a customer's motorcycle after performing repairs on it, and an uninsured motorist made a left turn in front of him causing him to crash. Client suffered a right tibial plateau fracture that required internal fixation. Client missed several months of work. We were able to uncover three uninsured motorist policies that covered the client. We made demand on three uninsured motorist carriers that has uninsured motorist policy limits of $10,000.00, $20,000.00, and $100,000.00, respectively. One insurer tendered its $10,000.00 policy limit, but the other two forced us to file a lawsuit. After we filed the lawsuit, the other two insurers tendered their policies.

Settlement/Verdict amount: $125,000.00
Type of case: Motor Vehicle Accident

Nature and cause of injuries: Client was the front seat passenger in an automobile, and the driver of the automobile lost control of the car and struck a tree. As a result of the driver's negligence, the Client sustained several broken bones. The case was settled for the limit of the driver's insurance policy and the limit of client's uninsured motorist policy.

Settlement/Verdict amount: $100,000.00
Type of case: Motorcycle Accident

Client was riding his motorcycle when another vehicle cut him off, and forced him into a curb. Client suffered a serious knee injury. The insurer for the negligent driver refused to make a settlement offer until we filed a lawsuit. Shortly after the defendant was served, the insurer for the defendant offered the $100,000.00 bodily injury policy.

Settlement/Verdict amount: $100,000.00
Type of case: Motorcycle Accident

Nature and cause of injuries: Client was riding a motorcycle when injured by an uninsured motorist. Client suffered a broken collar bone. The case was settled for the limit of the client's uninsured motorist policy.

Settlement/Verdict amount: $90,693.00
Type of case: Motor Vehicle Accident

Nature and cause of injuries: Client was rear-ended by another motorist. According to the defendants' doctor, Client suffered soft-tissue injuries. The defendant offered $20,000.00 to settle the case. We tried the case in front of a jury.

Settlement/Verdict amount: $80,000.00
Type of case: Motorcycle Accident

Nature and cause of injuries: Client was riding his motorcycle when he was hit by another motorist. As a result of the driver's negligence, the client sustained a broken toe.

Settlement/Verdict amount: $80,000.00
Type of case: Motorcycle Accident

Nature and cause of injuries: Client was riding his motorcycle when his bike collided with an SUV. Client was seriously injured. Client received the traffic citation for careless driving. We defended client at the traffic ticket trial and he was found not guilty of the charge. The SUV driver's insurance company fought us about who was responsible for the accident, but ultimately paid the limit their liability policy plus $5,000.00. We then recovered the limit of client's uninsured motorist policy.