Paralysis - Paraplegia, And Quadriplegia Injury Cases
Accidents that cause paralysis, whether partial, or complete, can make it seem as though life has ended. This doesn't need to be the case, though - through rehabilitation, counseling, and education, a happy, productive life is still a viable option. However, the therapy, and medical attention necessary in many quadriplegic or paraplegic injury and paralysis cases can be very costly. That is why you should hire an experienced injury attorney to protect your rights, and get you the compensation you deserve, to defray the cost of medical rehabilitation and therapy.
$35,000,000 - Motor Vehicle Accident Awarded by Fort Myers, FL Jury
Viles and Beckman, LLC, Fort Myers - Lee County jury returns $35 million dollar jury verdict against a drunk driver who caused a serious rollover crash striking Sally Schwartz who was rendered a quadriplegic on May 21, 1998. The verdict was returned after a vigilant course of litigation. The Defendant, English, who was driving a Mazda pickup truck was returning home at approximately 4:30 a.m. after a night of drinking. Sally Schwartz, who was a receptionist at a local doctor's office, and a local volunteer, had gotten up early to make a trip to Maryland to straighten out the affairs of her mother who had just died and to assist her elderly father. Ms. Schwartz had not gotten very far when the Defendant driving in excess of 70 miles an hour crashed into the rear of the car that Ms. Schwartz was driving. The impact was so severe that Ms. Schwartz's vehicle was sent rolling over and over until it came to a rest on the side of Pine Island Road.
The Defendant, English, fled the scene and escaped to his house but was eventually arrested by a combined task force of the Lee County Sheriff's Office and Cape Coral Police Department, who acting on a tip, determined his whereabouts. Blood alcohol testing revealed that Mr. English had a blood alcohol level of .180, [per-mille (‰)] more than twice the legal limit.
The jury, consisting of five men and one woman, deliberated for most of the afternoon after hearing closing arguments and returned a verdict awarding $15 million in compensatory damages and $20 million dollars in punitive damages. Ms. Schwartz was represented by the local law firm of Viles and Beckman, LLC through attorneys Michael Beckman, Kelly Huang and Marcus Viles. The Honorable John S. Carlin, Circuit Judge, presided over the matter.
Mr. English's insurance company had been made aware of the Trial but wrote Mr. English a letter the week before stating, "We will not undertake the defense of the insured in this matter." Mr. English had previously been ordered by the criminal court to make restitution to the victim but had refused to do so.
The verdict represents one of the largest verdicts in Southwest Florida and sends a clear and unequivocal message to drunk drivers: "Don't drink and drive because if you do, you can run, you can hide, but we will find you and justice will be brought to bear against you." The case represents the culmination of a long and difficult period for the victim who was paralyzed from the neck down with only very limited use of her upper arms and who requires attendant care 24 hours a day, and will require this care for the rest of her life. The case further highlights the tragedy of our social service system in which the victim was forced to make daily decisions between whether to purchase food or medicine with her limited financial resources and, as a result of those difficult decisions, had suffered extreme malnourishment prior to trial.
Do you have a quadriplegia claim?
The attorneys at Viles and Beckman, LLC are dedicated to help you get the justice you deserve. If you or a loved one have been involved in an accident that resulted in partial, or total paralysis, fill out the form on the right side of this page to request your free case review, or call Viles and Beckman, LLC at 1-800-64-VILES (1-800-648-4537), or if you're in Southwest Florida (Naples, Bonita Springs, Cape Coral, Fort Myers area) you may prefer to call our Fort Myers, FL number: (239) 334-3933 - after our attorneys review your case, we will contact you to discuss your next steps.
REMEMBER: We don't get paid until YOU do.
Practice Areas
Our practice areas include, but are not limited to, the following:
FREE CASE REVIEW
Fill out a free case review form today and have one of our experienced attorneys review your case.
SEARCH OUR SITE
