Jurimatic: Verdicts and Settlements

In a historic federal court decision in Louisiana, a jury returned a $42.75 million verdict against the private jail operator, LaSalle Corrections, Inc., for the 2015 in-custody death of Erie Moore Sr. at Richwood Correctional Center. The lawsuit, brought by Moore's children, alleged that correctional staff used excessive force and, crucially, exhibited "deliberate indifference" by failing to provide immediate and necessary medical care after the incident, a violation of Moore’s Fourteenth Amendment rights. This record-setting civil rights judgment held the corporate entity and its employees responsible for systemic failures in training and supervision, emphasizing the jury's commitment to holding the private prison industry accountable for the safety and well-being of detainees.

In the Circuit Court of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit in Broward County, Florida, the jury delivered a verdict on September 18, 2025, in favor of homeowners Rene Mateo Jr. and Janill Mateo against their insurer, Citizens Property Insurance Corporation. The Mateos had sued for breach of contract after the insurer allegedly failed to adequately cover direct physical losses sustained during the policy period. The core dispute was whether the damage resulted from a covered event, like a wind-created opening, or an excluded cause, such as wear and tear—a defense the insurer failed to prove. The jury awarded the plaintiffs a total of $61,871.25 in compensatory damages, comprising $19,696.56 for roof damages and $42,174.69 for interior damages caused by water intrusion. This verdict affirms that the insurance policy covered the homeowners’ loss and concluded the matter of factual causation in favor of the plaintiffs.

In a personal injury trial concluding in September 2025 in the Circuit Court of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit in Broward County, Florida, the jury returned a verdict firmly in favor of the defendants, Grandscape Professional Landscaping Service, Inc., and its employee, Armando Ortiz. The plaintiff, Gustavo Castellanos Caicedo, had sought damages exceeding $30,000.00 for severe injuries resulting from a 2021 collision involving his bicycle and a vehicle associated with the landscaping crew's work. The central question posed to the jury was whether Armando Ortiz's actions constituted negligence that legally caused the plaintiff's injuries. The jury explicitly answered "NO," concluding that Mr. Ortiz was not negligent. As a result, the jury's deliberations ended immediately, and no damages were calculated or awarded, confirming a complete defense victory against all claims, including the wife's derivative claim for loss of consortium.

A Santa Clara County jury found no negligence by driver Bruce Tran in a 2023 high-speed rear-end crash on Highway 101, ruling fully in favor of the defense. The plaintiffs, Ayron Romo, Elva Romo, and Ana Mendez, claimed severe injuries but failed to prove fault against Tran or vehicle owner Tonya Lien. The verdict, delivered on September 3, 2025, absolved all defendants of liability and closed the case without damages awarded.

A major lawsuit alleging catastrophic injury and governmental negligence in Los Angeles concluded with a significant $9.5 million settlement before the case reached a jury. Plaintiffs Jean Yuna Horihata and Mark Rappaport filed the lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles and driver Luis Gaytan Hernandez following a severe traffic collision. Horihata sustained life-altering injuries in the crash. The plaintiffs asserted that the accident resulted from the driver’s careless operation of his vehicle and a dangerous condition on public property which the City of Los Angeles had failed to fix or warn the public about. The defense for the City of Los Angeles and the driver had initially denied all claims of wrongdoing, arguing that the roadway was reasonably safe and that their actions had not caused the tragedy. Despite their vigorous defense, the defendants agreed to the substantial payment, resolving all claims and avoiding a lengthy, high-stakes trial. The $9.5 million figure reflected the devastating nature of Horihata’s injuries and the considerable cost of her necessary lifelong care. The final settlement closed the case, formally known as Horihata, et al. v. City of Los Angeles, et al., in the Superior Court of California.

The lawsuit of Gary Gellner v. Eric W. Gill and the Town of Glastonbury centered on a snowplow collision that occurred on Bayberry Road in Glastonbury, Connecticut, on February 1, 2021. Plaintiff Gary Gellner alleged that Town employee Eric Gill, operating a heavy 2013 International snowplow, unsafely backed the vehicle down a snowy hill after failing to drive up it, striking Gellner while he was operating a snow blower in his driveway. Gellner sought damages for injuries to his neck, shoulders, arms, chest, and back, arguing the driver was negligent and careless. The defendants, represented by Michael R. Oleyer, Esq., denied all claims of negligence and raised the crucial Special Defense of Governmental Immunity, asserting protection from liability under Connecticut law for actions related to governmental operations. After the proceedings, which concluded on October 10, 2025, the jury returned a verdict entirely in favor of the defendants, rejecting all claims of negligence and resulting in no award of damages for the plaintiff.

The personal injury case Roger Daigle v. Ashley Monick, et al. (AAN-CV19-6033189-S) concluded on October 3, 2025, with a defense verdict. Plaintiff Roger Daigle filed suit in 2019 following a March 2017 rear-end collision on Howe Avenue in Shelton, Connecticut, claiming the defendant, Ashley Monick, negligently struck his stopped vehicle and caused severe, lasting injuries requiring extensive medical care. The trial centered on the disparity between the plaintiff's claimed serious injuries and the low-impact nature of the crash. While Mr. Daigle's experts affirmed the injuries were a direct result of the trauma, the defense experts challenged this causation, suggesting the ailments were pre-existing or exaggerated. After several years of litigation and weeks of trial, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the defendant, Ashley Monick, and against the plaintiff, Roger Daigle. This finding confirmed that Mr. Daigle had not successfully proven his claim of negligence, concluding the six-year legal battle with no damages awarded.

In Mae K. Moore v. Johnson & Johnson, an 88-year-old California woman’s family won a landmark $966 million verdict after a Los Angeles jury found Johnson & Johnson liable for her death from mesothelioma, a cancer caused by asbestos exposure. Mae Moore used Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower daily for decades, unaware of contamination risks. Evidence revealed the company knew for years that its talc products could contain asbestos but continued marketing them as safe. The jury found Johnson & Johnson negligent, guilty of fraud, and acting with malice by concealing the health hazards. It awarded $16 million in compensatory damages and $950 million in punitive damages, marking the largest single-plaintiff verdict against the company in talc litigation history. Johnson & Johnson denied wrongdoing and announced plans to appeal, maintaining its powders were asbestos-free. The verdict, however, stands as a defining moment in nationwide talc lawsuits and a warning to corporations accused of consumer deception.

The lengthy medical malpractice trial, Weinberg, Harlan, Co-Executor of the Estate Et Al v. The Stamford Hospital Et Al (FBT-CV20-6099514-S), reached a decisive conclusion on September 18, 2025. The lawsuit, initially filed against multiple parties, ultimately centered on the claim that Dr. Michael Bernstein, M.D., was medically negligent in the treatment of Robert Joseph Weinberg, who died in May 2018. The Estate of Robert Weinberg had sought substantial damages, arguing that the physician’s actions fell below the acceptable standard of care and directly caused the patient's wrongful death. Following the presentation of conflicting expert testimony regarding the complexity of Mr. Weinberg’s medical condition and the appropriateness of the care rendered, the Bridgeport jury returned a verdict firmly in favor of the defendant, Dr. Bernstein. The jury found that the plaintiffs failed to meet their burden of proof, thus dismissing the claims of medical negligence and absolving the doctor of liability.

The personal injury case Terrance Brown v. Andrew Corazzini, et al. (NNH-CV24-6139139-S) concluded on September 24, 2025, with a defense verdict. Plaintiff Terrance Brown, a passenger injured during an August 2022 collision between a Connecticut Transit bus and a private vehicle on Broadway Street in New Haven, filed suit against the private vehicle’s owner and operator, Andrew and Chiara Corazzini. Mr. Brown alleged that the Corazzini driver's negligent operation caused the crash, which resulted in his serious and painful injuries. Throughout the trial, counsel for Mr. Brown, led by Frank P. Cirillo, presented expert testimony on crash reconstruction and medical causation, arguing for money damages of not less than $15,000.00. The defense, represented by Michael Quinlan, forcefully denied negligence and contested the severity and origin of the alleged injuries. After deliberation, the jury returned a verdict firmly in favor of the Defendant, Corazzini, as against the Plaintiff, Terrance Brown. The finding confirmed that Mr. Brown had not met his legal burden to prove that the defendants' negligence caused his injuries.

The lawsuit Oamic Ingredients, LLC v. Steven Z. Gu (FST-CV23-6063464-S) concluded on October 7, 2025, with a powerful victory for the plaintiff. Oamic Ingredients, LLC, had sued its former Treasurer, Steven Z. Gu, for financial misconduct, including Breach of Contract, Breach of Fiduciary Duty, Conversion, and Statutory Civil Theft. The core of the dispute revolved around Oamic’s claim that Mr. Gu had misused his trusted position to misappropriate company funds and assets. Mr. Gu, representing himself as an attorney, denied the allegations and filed counterclaims. After a full jury trial in the Stamford Superior Court, the jury found in favor of Oamic Ingredients LLC on all claims. The jury awarded $327,593.05 in compensatory damages and $40,000.00 in liquidated damages for Breach of Contract, totaling $367,593.05 in direct damages. Furthermore, the jury made a critical finding of YES for both Treble Damages (Statutory Civil Theft) and Punitive Damages (Breach of Fiduciary Duty), which significantly increased the final monetary judgment against Mr. Gu due to his intentional misconduct.

A California auto group, Logic Automotive Group, LLC, settled a major labor dispute for $212,675, avoiding a trial over claims it had systematically failed to pay employees proper wages and provide mandated breaks. The lawsuit was filed by former employee Neena Jaramillo-Johnson, who utilized the state's Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) to pursue penalties on behalf of all affected workers. The settlement closed the entire case just over a year after the initial complaint, confirming a complete resolution between the parties.