Jamie McKean, Adam Shelton and Kendall Obreza recently completed a 4-day auto accident trial in Pinellas County. The 2010 accident resulted in significant property damage to the Plaintiff’s vehicle after the jet ski she was trailing was “launched” into her trunk. She claimed neck and back injuries and racked up over $70,0000 in medical bills under Letters of Protection. She ultimately requested upwards of $800,000 in damages for past and future medical expenses and pain and suffering.
The defense not only acknowledged the significant property damage, but also admitted liability for the accident. The defense ultimately focused on the Plaintiff’s lack of candor with her doctors, and the doctors’ financial interest in the outcome of her case. In closing, the defense told the jury to find that the accident caused the Plaintiff to sustain a soft tissue injury, but to only award the medical expenses incurred during the first several months following the accident. That is exactly what the jury did, awarding just over $15,000 in past medical expenses only, and finding no permanent injury.
