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Fall from second story leaves veteran paralyzed — $6M settlement
Virginia Lawyers Weekly//July 18, 2022
Fall from second story leaves veteran paralyzed — $6M settlement
Virginia Lawyers Weekly//July 18, 2022//
Listen to this articleType of action: Premises liability
Name of judge or mediator: Judge Thomas S. Shadrick (Ret.)
Verdict or settlement: Settlement
Amount: $6,000,000
Attorneys for plaintiff (and city): John M. Cooper, Norfolk; Bailey L. Gifford, Virginia Beach; and Jan Hoen, Hampton
Description of case: The plaintiff, a 44-year-old veteran, was rendered a paraplegic after a fall from a second story structure in Hampton Roads. The complex liability issues were highly contested and technical. The contributory negligence and causation challenges were significant. The case settled for $6 million less than a month before trial and several weeks after mediation. Alan Michaelis of Alcar Multimedia assisted in the mediation and trial preparation.
Bailey L. Gifford, counsel for the plaintiff, provided case details.
[022-T-079]
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Opinion Digests
- Body cam footage properly admitted
- Motion to withdraw pleas properly denied
- Evidence supports murder, conspiracy conviction
- Court affirms convictions for abduction, malicious wounding
- Officials allegedly assaulted inmate
- Non-party discovery dispute transferred
- No sanctions levied for ‘deplorable’ communications
- Progress note was party admission in damages trial
- No res judicata bar to personal injury claim
- Default judgment set aside in accident case
- Motion to set aside default judgment denied
- Punitive damages cap applies per lawsuit
