Brian Chojnowski, of the Tallahassee office, obtained a favorable trial result after a four day trial in Tallahassee. Our client was the third vehicle in a line of motor vehicles whereby a non-party 16-year-old driver may or may not have switched lanes in front of the Plaintiff’s car causing the Plaintiff to slam on his brakes.  In turn, our client slammed on his brakes, but still hit the back of Plaintiff’s pickup truck.  The impact was severe enough to bend the frame on the truck bed.

Plaintiff and his attorney thereafter claimed that the Plaintiff developed a traumatic brain injury, vertigo, a permanent neck injury, and had a wage loss claim.  In addition, his wife filed a consortium claim.  The Judge granted Brian’s motions for directed verdict on future lost income and future medical expenses.

Brian strategically asked the jury to award 50/50 liability against our client and the non-party in order to gain the jury’s trust and seem more credible as the evidence did not support comparative negligence against the Plaintiff.  The jury returned a verdict that found our client 60% at fault and apportioned the other 40% to the non-party.  The jury awarded only $5,689.91 in past medical expenses, $0 in past lost wages, did not find permanency, and no consortium award.