Breach Of Contract Jury Verdicts Settlements

Stahl-Lee v. Coit Cleaning & Restoration: $375,000 Settlement Ends Dispute Over Toxic Damage

A Miami-Dade County jury delivered a defense verdict in favor of People's Trust Insurance Company on July 29, 2025. Homeowners Jasmine Villaflor and Margarita Hijosa claimed a September 2022 windstorm damaged their residential property at 5920 SW 157th Place, Miami. Their public adjuster estimated repairs at $100,731.52, including full roof replacement and interior repairs to multiple rooms. The insurance company denied the claim, arguing the plaintiffs reported the loss more than one year after it allegedly occurred. People's Trust raised fourteen affirmative defenses, including late notice, wear and tear, and policy exclusions. The jury found the plaintiffs did not prove windstorm damage occurred during the coverage period, ending the case without a damages award.

A Broward County jury issued a decisive ruling in favor of Plaintiff Yezid Arango in his contract dispute against Carlos Cifuentes and Urbanac Construction LLC SAS. The case arose from a failed housing development project in Colombia and a promissory note through which Arango had lent the Defendants more than $364,000. Despite multiple payment deadlines, the Defendants made no repayments and denied owing the debt. During trial, Arango presented evidence showing repeated fund transfers, a written promissory note, and a subsequent acknowledgment of additional debt. The Defendants argued that the funds were part of a separate Colombian transaction and that the Florida court lacked jurisdiction. The jury rejected these defenses and awarded Arango the principal balance plus accrued interest totaling $481,307.35. The verdict ended an 18-month legal battle and confirmed that the Defendants were contractually liable for the unpaid loan.

This federal commercial dispute involved a breakdown in a specialized underwater cable repair project governed by the Subsea Cable Repair Agreement. Subsea Marine Services, Inc. claimed it fulfilled its repair obligations, while SMITCOMS failed to pay for the work performed. Subsea argued it mobilized specialized vessels, crew, and equipment, yet SMITCOMS withheld payment despite receiving the benefit. SMITCOMS countered that Subsea failed to perform according to contractual standards and raised several affirmative defenses, including nonperformance, estoppel, waiver, and unclean hands. After reviewing technical evidence and contract terms, the jury returned a unanimous verdict on November 3, 2025, finding that SMITCOMS breached the agreement. The jury awarded Subsea $286,250.00 in contract damages and $3,900.00 for unjust enrichment, rejecting every defense raised. The jury also found Subsea did not breach the contract, resulting in zero recovery on SMITCOMS’s counterclaim.

Miami-Dade jury awards Bay Harbour Investment, Inc. $300,000 in damages after finding four defendants liable for fraud in the inducement and negligent misrepresentation in a disputed waterfront property transaction. The May 2025 verdict held 9740 W Bay Harbor Dr, LLC, SINA, LLC, and individuals Samuel Sami and Elias Sabbagh responsible for concealing material defects about the property's condition and development potential. Judge Antonio Arzola's final judgment includes pre-judgment interest from October 2021, with the court reserving jurisdiction over attorney's fees and enforcement. The three-year litigation centered on alleged intentional misstatements regarding sea wall problems and permitting issues that caused the buyer significant remediation costs and development delays.

In the case of Marie Henriquez and Alfonso Martinez v. Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, the homeowners filed a breach of contract lawsuit following the denial of their insurance claim for damages sustained during Hurricane Ian. The insurer denied coverage, asserting that the damage to the property was not caused by the hurricane but was instead the result of "wear and tear, marring, chipping, scratches, dents, and/or deterioration". Following a trial in the 17th Judicial Circuit Court of Broward County, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the homeowners on key liability issues. The jurors determined that the plaintiffs suffered a direct physical loss during the policy period and explicitly rejected the defense's argument that the roof damage was caused by wear, tear, or deterioration.

A San Diego construction defects case ended in a $1.4 million settlement after PB Ocean Condos, LLC sued general contractor KDTD, Inc. dba KD Development over widespread building failures at a 16-unit apartment complex. The property owner alleged the contractor failed to properly supervise construction work, resulting in flat roof drainage problems, excessive stucco cracking, balcony waterproofing failures, window and door leaks, corroded HVAC systems, and water intrusion throughout the structure. The lawsuit, filed in September 2024 in San Diego Superior Court, asserted claims for negligence, breach of express and implied warranties, and breach of contract stemming from a March 2018 construction agreement. The defendant denied all allegations and raised 44 affirmative defenses before the parties reached a settlement resolution.

This commercial dispute had arisen from a failed equipment-manufacturing agreement between Basanite Industries and Upstate Custom Products. Each side had accused the other of breaking core contractual duties. A third party, New Haven, had joined after claiming losses tied to its own agreement with Upstate. The jury had reviewed competing claims of breached obligations, delayed performance, and disputed payments. It ultimately had rejected all of Basanite’s claims. The panel had concluded that Basanite had failed to meet essential contractual duties and that no circumstance had excused the non-performance. Upstate had also prevailed on its defense, though its counterclaim produced no award. New Haven had succeeded on its breach-of-contract and unjust-enrichment claims. The jury had awarded $450,000 in damages plus post-judgment interest, marking the only monetary recovery in this multi-party litigation.

A Miami-Dade County jury issued a $30,077.87 award to homeowner Yiliana Pena after finding that Universal Property and Casualty Insurance Company breached its contract by failing to pay her valid property-damage claim. The jury rejected the insurer’s defenses, ruling that Pena complied with all post-loss requirements, including document requests, inspection access, and the Sworn Proof of Loss. The verdict confirmed that Universal failed to meet its burden and was responsible for compensating Pena for the full covered loss to her Cutler Bay home.

In the Miami-Dade Circuit Court case Serafettin Akkoc vs. Asuman Erguc et al, the dispute arose from a failed agreement to purchase the Golden Greek Souvlaki restaurant for $140,000. Plaintiff Serafettin Akkoc paid $91,000 toward the deal, but the Defendants—Asuman and Alper Erguc and Atlas Foods, LLC—refused to transfer ownership or the lease as agreed. The case centered on breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and allegations of fraud. The Ergucs denied wrongdoing and counterclaimed, arguing the buyers could not be trusted and alleging fraudulent misrepresentation. After nearly five years of litigation, a jury reached a decisive verdict on May 29, 2025. The jury found that Asuman Erguc breached the contract and awarded Akkoc $105,000 in damages. All counterclaims brought by the Defendants were dismissed. On June 3, 2025, Judge Beatrice Butchko Sanchez entered the final judgment. With statutory pre-judgment interest calculated at $35,857.50 from January 17, 2020, the total award reached $140,857.50, holding the Defendants jointly and severally liable. This ruling closes a prolonged legal battle over a broken business transaction and affirms the enforceability of written agreements in commercial sales.

A San Diego County jury ruled in favor of Hanh M. Bui, M.D., a Professional Medical Corporation, in a contract dispute arising from the sale of assets from Dr. Kenneth Carr’s cardiology practice. The lawsuit centered on an Asset Purchase Agreement and a Promissory Note that required Dr. Carr to meet several Conditional Obligations before payment became due. Dr. Bui’s Corporation alleged that Dr. Carr failed to satisfy essential conditions, including maintaining his employment agreement, settling financial obligations with former employees, and transferring all clinical research accounts and contracts. The defense argued that Dr. Carr substantially performed and that any shortcomings were minor or caused by the Plaintiff. After reviewing extensive testimony and financial evidence, the jury found Dr. Carr in breach and awarded $194,601 in damages. The verdict confirmed that the unfulfilled conditions materially harmed Dr. Bui’s Corporation and disrupted the intended transition of the cardiology practice.

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.