About Us > Case Studies
AVIATION WRONGFUL DEATH TRIAL
A high performance single engine aircraft crashed on takeoff at a local airport killing all on board. The plane struck a utility pole placed on the extended center of the runway less than 48 hours earlier by Georgia’s largest public utility.
We were hired to represent the utility company in the lawsuits that followed the crash including wrongful death and property damage claims. The utility admitted it had not notified the FAA the pole had been erected. The lawsuits claimed if the utility had provided notice the pilot would have been made aware of the newly placed obstruction.
Two of the cases came to trial in Richmond County Superior Court. The jury was convinced the cause of the crash was pilot error and an overweight airplane. Defense verdicts were entered for the utility we represented in both trials.
BUSINESS OWNER REPRESENTED IN CONDEMNATION TRIAL
In order to widen a roadway, a governmental entity took the land upon which a local business was located. The business was situated upon unique and commercially advantageous property, and the taking of the land resulted in the complete destruction of the business.
The condemning authority offered only minimal compensation to the owners of the business, and the offer was inadequate to pay for the losses and damages resulting from the taking of the property, and the lost profits of the business.
The law firm was retained by the owners of the business in an effort to obtain an adequate measure of compensation. Following the conclusion of a jury trial, a judgment was entered in favor of the business owners against the governmental entity for approximately three times the compensation originally offered by the condemning governmental authority.
DEFENSE OF ALLEGED CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
The law firm was retained to defend a lawsuit involving claims based upon the alleged physical and emotional abuse of a group of special needs children. Claimants made numerous allegations of egregious civil rights violations, and damages were sought in excess of ten million dollars.
Upon the conclusion of extensive litigation of the issues in federal court, the firm filed a motion seeking dismissal of all claims. The firm successfully demonstrated that the claimants were not entitled to recover on any of their federal civil rights claims, and the trial court entered an Order dismissing all claims.
REPRESENTATION OF INVESTORS IN CLASS ACTION
We, along with several out-of-state law firms, represented a group of investors in a class action brought in federal court. The class action suit alleged that an insurance company sold tax free annuities to be placed into retirement accounts that already had tax deferred status. The case was ultimately certified as a class action, which was affirmed by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. After almost five years of intense litigation, we were able to negotiate a settlement for the class for 60 million dollars.
DEFENSE OF LAWYER IN LEGAL MALPRACTICE CASE
The firm was hired by the insurance carrier for a lawyer who was sued for alleged legal malpractice. We filed a motion to dismiss the complaint, which was granted by the trial court. The plaintiff appealed, and the Georgia Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court’s dismissal.
REPRESENTATION OF WOMAN SEVERELY INJURED IN TRACTOR TRAILER CRASH
A woman was driving her motor vehicle in her lane of travel when a tractor trailer veered into her car, resulting in severe injuries to her. Her husband and she retained us to represent them in an action against the tractor trailer and its insurance carrier. Without having to file a lawsuit, we were able to negotiate a settlement for her and her husband in the amount of 1.75 million dollars.
MISSISSIPPI FEDERAL COURT VERDICT FOR CLIENT SERIOUSLY INJURED BY DEFECTIVE ELECTRICAL TRANSFORMER
The firm was associated by an attorney in Mississippi to assist him in pursuing a claim against the manufacturer of a defective transformer which exploded and seriously injured his client. We filed an action in federal court in Mississippi against the manufacturer on behalf of the injured man and his wife. After a weeklong trial, the jury returned a verdict on behalf of the injured man and his wife in the amount of 5 million dollars. The verdict was affirmed by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
SAVANNAH VERDICT FOR CLIENT INJURED BY CHLORINE GAS
The firm was associated by an attorney in Savannah, Georgia, to try a case on behalf of a man who was exposed to chlorine gas, which resulted from a leak at a chemical plant. As a result of the exposure to the chlorine gas, the injured party had serious respiratory problems. After a four day trial, the jury returned a verdict for the injured man and his wife in the amount of 4.9 million dollars.
