Jason Friedman, from our Ft. Lauderdale office, and Hillary Lovelady from our Jacksonville office, with appellate support from Ben Carter from our Miami office, secured a complete defense verdict on the sixth day of trial in Seminole County.

This was a complex and hard-fought case that required extensive preparation and seamless collaboration across three KD offices. The matter appeared on multiple dockets and required numerous long-distance appearances. During the first trial setting, the court declared a Day 5 mistrial after insurance was improperly referenced before the jury. The case was reset a month later, and the team returned to trial, ultimately obtaining a defense verdict after barely more than an hour of jury deliberation.

Although the case involved a $50,000 policy, plaintiff pursued it as a potential excess verdict. Past medical bills were in the six figures, and plaintiff presented five treating physicians along with a life care planner projecting nearly $1 million in future medical expenses.

A pivotal moment occurred when Jason, supported by Ben’s research, successfully argued to exclude approximately $700,000 in claimed future damages due to the lack of legally sufficient testimony. The case was vigorously defended on liability, causation, and damages, with photographic evidence significantly undermining plaintiff’s version of events.

The result was a complete defense verdict and a strong example of persistence, preparation, and effective teamwork.