Jurimatic: Verdicts and Settlements

Stephen Wertheimer filed a negligence lawsuit against Vail Andrew Szendrei following a 2022 vehicle collision in Miami-Dade County. Wertheimer alleged Szendrei’s driving caused serious injuries and sought significant damages. But on December 19, 2024, a jury found Szendrei not liable and issued a defense verdict, awarding no compensation to the plaintiff.

Max Spielberg filed a civil lawsuit against Betty and Jefferson Granado, and GEICO, following a July 2021 auto accident. After a full trial in Miami-Dade County, a jury awarded him $3.6 million in damages for medical costs and pain and suffering. The case revolved around allegations of negligence and a disputed insurance claim.

Angela Samuels sued Miami-Dade County after hitting a pothole on a public road in 2020, claiming serious injury and negligence. She alleged the County failed to maintain safe road conditions. On April 1, 2025, a jury found in favor of the County, concluding it was not liable for her injuries.

Clifford Law Offices obtained a $4.85 million settlement on June 4, 2025, for the family of a 27-year-old man who died in a trucking crash. The victim was a passenger in a vehicle making a left turn when a speeding semi-truck struck it, resulting in fatal injuries. Attorneys Bradley M. Cosgrove and Charles R. Haskins led the case, which settled before trial, providing the family with financial support and holding the trucking company accountable for its role in the tragedy.

A Miami-Dade County jury delivered a defense verdict on April 25, 2025, in a high-profile workplace harassment and retaliation lawsuit filed by firefighter paramedic Treena Wright. The suit accused county officials of sexual misconduct, discrimination, and defamation, but jurors ultimately found no liability on the part of Miami-Dade, Chief Daniel Bolline, or Lieutenant Angelica Kenyon. Wright, who sought damages for emotional and financial harm, received no compensation following the trial.

In a motor vehicle negligence case arising from a 2022 lane change collision on Route 15 in Meriden, Connecticut, a Waterbury jury ruled in favor of the defendant, Michael Tomarelli. Plaintiff Kim Sanders-Croom alleged that Tomarelli’s unsafe lane change caused the crash and her resulting injuries. The defense argued Sanders-Croom’s own negligence contributed to the incident. On March 26, 2025, the jury awarded no damages, finding Tomarelli not liable for the crash.

A Hartford jury awarded $30,230.18 to Michelle Burnham following a motor vehicle accident involving Victor Mendez in June 2021. Burnham, injured in the collision, brought claims of negligence and sought damages under her uninsured motorist coverage with State Farm. The jury found Mendez entirely at fault, holding State Farm liable for the full award. The verdict was accepted and entered by Judge Baic on April 4, 2025.

After Tropical Storm Eta damaged her Miami-Dade home, Rebeka Perera filed a claim with Heritage Property & Casualty Insurance Company. The insurer denied coverage, citing policy exclusions and delayed reporting. Perera sued for breach of contract and declaratory relief. On May 2, 2025, a jury found the loss was covered and awarded her $631,187.40 in damages. The case highlights the challenges homeowners face when seeking insurance benefits after major storms.

Mark Garbitini secured a $10.3 million jury verdict following a severe workplace injury at a Connecticut packaging facility. The case centered on allegations that Sun Automation Group and its affiliates failed to inspect or upgrade a Langston Die Cutter machine that caused Garbitini’s partial hand amputation. The jury found the company primarily liable, though an inconsistent defense verdict raised post-trial questions. The lawsuit highlights ongoing safety concerns in industrial equipment maintenance.

“This verdict wasn’t just about money—it was about accountability,” said lead attorney Jon Marko after his firm secured a record-setting $75.6 million jury verdict in a catastrophic injury case involving an HVAC explosion at a Kroger facility. The blast, caused by a preventable equipment failure, severed both hands of technician Brian Mierendorf. Marko Law’s victory marked the largest premises liability award in Michigan history, sending a clear message to corporations nationwide that negligence has consequences.

A Miami-Dade jury awarded $3.3 million to Lissette Ramirez in a medical malpractice lawsuit involving failed foot surgeries performed by Dr. Stephen Wigley. The case centered on two procedures that caused lasting damage, followed by multiple corrective surgeries. The jury found Dr. Wigley and his clinics liable after they failed to respond to the lawsuit, leading to a default judgment. The award includes compensation for pain, medical costs, and permanent impairment.

In January 2025, a Miami-Dade jury awarded $563,325 to Binish Mahmood in a negligent security lawsuit after her apartment was burglarized. The verdict held the building’s owner and parking operators responsible for failing to staff and monitor the property’s garage, which allowed masked intruders to access and ransack her unit. Mahmood lost over $300,000 in luxury goods and cash and brought claims of negligence and inadequate supervision against multiple parties, including the dissolved entity’s operator.