Areas of Law

In December 2017, Susan Stokes, a resident at the Centre Walk Condominiums in Milford, Connecticut, sustained a fracture to her left wrist and a knee injury after slipping on a patch of water in the building’s communal laundry room. Stokes alleged that the condominium association had been negligent by failing to repair leaking machinery, ignoring drainage issues, and using dangerously slick paint on the concrete floor. The Association countered with a strong defense of contributory negligence, arguing that Stokes had failed to maintain a proper lookout and that the hazard should have been obvious. After years of litigation, a jury examined whether the Association had "constructive notice" of the leak. In January 2026, the jury delivered a verdict in favor of the defendant, finding the Association not liable for the incident.

On the night of October 14, 2021, James Douglas was driving his family southbound on I-95 in Stratford, Connecticut, when their vehicle collided with a car driven by Travis Henry. Douglas, along with passengers Alayshia Tedder and minor Jah’Layshia Douglas, filed suit in 2023, alleging that Henry had abruptly drifted into the center lane without warning. The plaintiffs sought damages for significant physical injuries, medical expenses, and lost wages. However, the defense argued that Douglas was actually the negligent party, citing excessive speed and a failure to maintain his own lane under prevailing weather conditions. After a full trial in the New Haven Superior Court, the jury returned a defense verdict in November 2025, finding no liability on the part of Henry or the vehicle owner, Christie Panton.

Denise A. Booth was participating in a golf league at Grassy Hill Country Club on July 7, 2020, when a routine round turned into a life-altering accident. After teeing off on the third hole, Booth drove her rented golf cart down a designated path that featured a dangerously steep downward slope. The vehicle suddenly skidded off the path, jumped an asphalt curb, and gained speed on the grassy embankment before slamming into a large boulder. The impact ejected Booth onto the asphalt, causing a "Bankart lesion" and multiple fractures in her left shoulder and right knee. While the country club argued that Booth ignored warning signs and drove too fast, the jury ultimately found the club's negligent course design largely responsible for the crash. After accounting for comparative negligence, the court awarded Booth $269,433.43 in net damages for her permanent physical impairments and extensive medical bills.

A California jury awarded $6 million in punitive damages to the family of James Doherty, a 72-year-old cancer patient who died after developing a severe infected pressure ulcer at Alameda Healthcare & Wellness Center. The verdict found the skilled nursing facility and its management company liable for neglecting basic care requirements, including failing to reposition the bedridden patient regularly. Staff missed up to 37% of required repositioning sessions despite knowing Doherty was at high risk for skin breakdown. His wound progressed from minor skin damage to a stage IV pressure ulcer that caused fatal sepsis.

Case Excerpt Lecia L. Shorter, a former pre-trial detainee at the Century Regional Detention Facility (CRDF), filed a lawsuit against the County of Los Angeles and its Sheriff’s Department, alleging a "culture of egregious inmate abuse." Shorter opted out of a major class-action settlement to pursue individual claims regarding approximately 19 group strip searches she endured between 2010 and 2013. She described being forced to undergo visual body cavity inspections in a cold, public bus garage while male deputies watched. In one instance, Shorter spent twelve hours handcuffed in a holding cell wearing a "spit mask" without access to food or water. The county defended the searches as necessary security measures, but eventually agreed to a $99,999 settlement to resolve the civil rights and privacy violation claims.

In February 2023, Ignacio and Geneva Duran were traveling through an intersection in Arcadia, California, when their vehicle was violently struck by a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department vehicle. The plaintiffs alleged that the driver, Anthony Trinh, had negligently entered the intersection against a red light while on duty. The high-impact collision resulted in significant physical injuries, mounting medical expenses, and loss of income for the couple. While the County initially denied liability and offered numerous affirmative defenses—including claims of government immunity and contributory negligence—the parties ultimately reached a resolution. The legal battle concluded in April 2025 when the County agreed to a $60,000 settlement to compensate the Durans for their pain, suffering, and financial losses.

In May 2022, Carlos Garcia Guerra was driving near the intersection of Palmdale Boulevard and 90th Street East in Littlerock when a vehicle owned by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works struck him. The county vehicle, operated by employee Jeffrey Wilson, allegedly failed to use reasonable care, resulting in a high-impact collision. Guerra filed a lawsuit in December 2022, citing significant physical injuries, property damage, and a loss of future earning capacity. While the County of Los Angeles presented over twenty legal defenses—including claims that Guerra was partially at fault—the parties moved toward a resolution before reaching trial. In April 2025, the legal teams finalized a $100,000 settlement to compensate Guerra for his medical expenses and the disruption to his life caused by the accident.

Telesia Telsee sought justice after a routine drive turned into a traumatic collision involving the San Francisco Police Department. On July 12, 2022, while Ms. Telsee attempted a lawful left turn into a driveway, Officer Robert Spencer Brown bypassed traffic by crossing into the oncoming lane without his emergency lights or sirens activated. The resulting impact totaled Ms. Telsee’s vehicle and caused severe injuries to her head, neck, and back. Although the city initially denied the claim for lack of information, the police department's own investigation found the officer at fault for speed and passing violations. To avoid a jury trial, the City and County of San Francisco agreed to a $125,000 settlement to cover medical expenses and pain and suffering.

A federal jury awarded Kyle Johnson $1,353,313 after finding San Jose Police Officer James Adgar used excessive force and retaliated against Johnson for exercising his First Amendment rights during George Floyd protests on May 30, 2020. The jury found Adgar violated Johnson's Fourth Amendment rights, committed battery, and acted negligently when he shot Johnson with a 40mm foam baton projectile near City Hall. The City of San Jose prevailed on all claims against it.

A Los Angeles jury delivered a $6 million verdict against California State University after finding the institution subjected Anissa Rogers, former Associate Dean at the Palm Desert campus, to severe gender-based harassment. The jury determined that Dean Jake Zhu engaged in relentless harassment of female employees, including screaming rampages and demeaning comments about women being too emotional or sensitive. Rogers was forced to resign in January 2022 after the university failed to address her complaints and instead retaliated against her. The October 2025 verdict included $3 million for past suffering and $3 million for future damages.

A Duval County jury found an apartment complex owner and management company liable for the fatal shooting of a minor at The Avenues Apartments in Jacksonville. Heather Moorer, representing her son Makye Vogel's estate, argued the defendants failed to provide adequate security despite knowing the property sat in a high crime area. The jury awarded $6 million for past pain and suffering and $7 million for future damages, attributing 30% fault to the defendants and 70% to the unknown shooter. The final judgment totaled $3,902,685 plus interest.

A Jacksonville nonprofit museum won a partial verdict against an auto repair shop after a rare 2001 Lotus Esprit Twin Turbo suffered repeated mechanical failures and damage during a years-long repair dispute. The jury found Eurospec made misleading statements about completed repairs but rejected negligence claims. Jurors awarded $11,067.36 under the Florida Motor Vehicle Repair Act after the collector car broke down four times within blocks of the shop between 2017 and 2018.