Negligence

A Miami-Dade County jury returned a $2.7 million verdict for Plaintiff Juan Carranza in a negligence lawsuit. The case involved an alleged "subject accident" caused by Defendants Francisco Aliaga Salazar and Amaya Landscaping Maintenance and Lawn Care, Inc. The verdict, entered in July 2025, confirmed that Mr. Carranza sustained a permanent injury as a result of the incident. Damages included over $633,000 for medical and wage losses and over $1.8 million for pain and suffering. Post-verdict motions were filed immediately by the corporate and individual Defendants, and their insurer, Ascendant Commercial Insurance, Inc., seeking to set aside the verdict and various default judgments. The Defendants claimed insufficient service of process and sought to vacate a prior clerk's default.

A Connecticut jury delivered a massive verdict on July 22nd, 2025, awarding Don D. Zemo, IV $40.5 million in total damages after a serious 2021 motorcycle accident in Oakville. The collision, which involved Mr. Zemo's motorcycle and a Ford Explorer near the defendant company's premises, resulted in a comminuted femur fracture and multiple fractured vertebrae for the plaintiff. The jury determined Mr. Zemo's total gross damages were $45 million. Applying comparative negligence, the jury assigned 65% fault to MYHOOPTY.COM, LLC and 25% fault to driver Dwayne Conley, leaving Mr. Zemo with only 10% fault. Since his fault was less than the combined 90% fault of the defendants, the court reduced the gross award by 10%, resulting in the final net award of $40,500,000.00.

A Miami-Dade jury awarded Plaintiffs Greco Romero, Alejandro Garcia Gachez, and Jesus A. Cabrera Ornelas significant damages in a breach of contract and fraud lawsuit. The suit targeted Newton Cordeiro and The Newt LLC over the loss of luxury timepieces entrusted to the Defendants for sale. Plaintiffs alleged the Defendants failed to insure the watches, gave conflicting stories about an alleged third-party theft, and failed to account for the property. The verdict followed a trial in the 11th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida.

A Waterbury jury awarded Andrea Reilly $200,000 in total damages after finding Ion Bank 100% liable for injuries she sustained while using the bank's drive-up pneumatic tube system. Reilly claimed the system malfunctioned and pulled her hand and arm into the transport tube on December 9, 2022. The bank's defense centered on the biomechanical improbability of the claimed injury mechanism and alleged negligence on Reilly's part.

A St. Joseph County jury returned a verdict in favor of the City of Mishawaka in a wrongful death lawsuit. The parents of a minor who died in a 2020 car crash sued the City, alleging that a high-speed police pursuit constituted negligence. The suit claimed the Mishawaka Police Department breached its duty by pursuing a vehicle suspected only of property damage through a residential area, violating reasonable policing standards. The Defendant denied all negligence and asserted several affirmative defenses, including governmental immunity and that the third-party driver's actions were the proximate cause of death. After a three-day trial, the jury found for the City, closing the case against the municipality.

In Gregory v. Lowenthal, a motor vehicle accident case in Orange County, Florida, Plaintiff Mark Earl Gregory claimed severe and permanent injuries after being struck by a car driven by Alexandra D. Lowenthal. The vehicle was owned by Todd Simon Lowenthal, and Gregory’s insurer, Allstate, allegedly failed to pay his uninsured/underinsured motorist claim. The jury found Alexandra negligent, awarded compensation for Gregory’s medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering, and rejected all comparative negligence defenses.

A San Joaquin County jury awarded $1,348,260 to Michael Macias Langford for injuries from a 2021 collision near the San Joaquin River. The jury found Matthew Erickson negligent in operating and maintaining the vehicle, causing lasting physical pain, emotional distress, and substantial medical expenses. The verdict covered both past and future losses, including $763,260 in economic damages and $585,000 in noneconomic damages.

The Broward County jury delivered a decisive verdict in favor of Kristian-Zani Eatman, awarding her a total of $1.25 million in damages. The trial revealed that the accident occurred when driver Ramnarin Robindranath failed to check his surroundings before pulling forward to pick up a passenger, despite Eatman already approaching the vehicle. As a result, Robindranath's vehicle rolled over Eatman's left foot, causing severe injuries that required multiple surgeries and ongoing therapy. The jury found the driver entirely at fault, emphasizing that his negligence directly caused Eatman's permanent injuries and the subsequent emotional and physical suffering she endured. This case underscored the importance of driver attentiveness during passenger pickup procedures and highlighted the severe consequences of a momentary lapse in safety precautions.

In Elizabeth Alba v. Rosa Zelcer & Spanish Creations Shoe Import, Inc., the Plaintiff claimed serious injuries from a car crash caused by Zelcer’s negligent driving while on the job. Alba sought damages for permanent physical and emotional harm. The defense argued Alba failed to wear a seatbelt and possibly had pre-existing conditions. On May 1, 2025, a Miami-Dade jury returned a full defense verdict, finding no negligence and awarding no compensation. The case closed with no liability assigned to either defendant.

Miami-Dade jury found Nicolas Caprile negligent for striking Stephanie Johnson and Jose Figueroa at a bus stop. AFA Towing & Recovery, LLC was held jointly liable under vicarious liability. On July 2, 2025, the jury awarded Johnson $5,000,000, including $3,140,000 for future medical expenses and $912,500 for pain and suffering.

On November 4, 2017, Diego Suarez Perez was robbed and shot outside Tony’s Food Market in Miami’s Liberty City neighborhood. Perez sued the store’s owners, Eddy and Sara Casamayor, and their company, 4 Brothers LLC, for failing to provide adequate security despite repeated crimes on the property. The defense denied liability, calling the shooting unforeseeable. After hearing evidence of prior violent incidents and expert testimony on preventable risks, a Miami-Dade jury ruled for Perez. On July 9, 2025, they awarded him $20 million for past and future pain, suffering, disability, and loss of life enjoyment.

In Milford, Connecticut, a Superior Court jury delivered a verdict in favor of Dr. Joel W. Malin and Orthopaedic Specialty Group, P.C. in a medical malpractice lawsuit brought by John Fitzpatrick. Filed on December 14, 2021, the complaint accused Dr. Malin and his employer of failing to meet the accepted medical standard of care, allegedly causing Fitzpatrick serious and permanent injuries. The Court had earlier granted a 90-day extension to the statute of limitations in May 2021, allowing the case to move forward. Fitzpatrick’s legal team argued that Malin’s medical decisions were careless and a substantial factor in the plaintiff’s harm. The defense denied all negligence claims, admitting only that Malin had performed surgery on Fitzpatrick as part of his employment. After weighing expert testimony and legal arguments, the jury ruled on September 10, 2025, in favor of the defendants, finding no malpractice occurred. As a result, Fitzpatrick received no damages. The verdict reinforced the high burden of proof required in medical negligence cases and the importance of demonstrating a clear breach of the standard of care.