Recent Jury Verdicts: $2.83 million verdict in Warren County, Defense Verdict in Scott County
On June 2, 2009 a Warren County Circuit Court jury returned a $2.83 million verdict in an automobile accident case. Here is the verdict form, which listed twelve categories of damages. I suspect that the defendants would have been better off with a general verdict form with one line for the total damages. Plaintiff's counsel was Gale Walker and John Walker.
There are also reports of a defense verdict last week in Scott County in a medical malpractice wrongful death case. Plaintiff's counsel was Shane Langston and defense counsel was Mildred Morris at Watkins and Eager.
There was also a large verdict in Warren County in April as discussed in this earlier post. Warren County is considered a conservative venue. The string of large verdicts this year in conservative venues suggest two things. First, that large verdicts can be obtained in conservative venues with the right facts. Second, that insurance companies and defense lawyers became overly emboldened by the fact that the Mississippi Supreme Court went years without affirming a jury verdict and are trying cases that should be settled. But the Mississippi Supreme Court and Court of Appeals have affirmed jury verdicts lately and defense lawyers can no longer confidently tell plaintiff lawyers that we're going to try it, and if you win, we'll get it reversed on appeal.
It took a while for the legal community to recognize how conservative juries and the appellate court were in the early to mid- 2000's. Now with a swing back to the middle, it may again take a while for everyone to recognize the change.
In addition to your thoughts, it would be nice to know what deamnds/offers are made in these cases. Of course, that'll never be public, but it would be of value in quarterbacking the various decisions to go to trial.
As to each of these cases, if you obtain more facts, please post as you did with Diaz/Sweet case. Who was defense counsel in Warren County, and which judge? As for Scott County, I certainly would have expected Mildred Morris to connect with a jury there, especially in a medical malpractice case. Plaintiff probably should have settled unless the case was egregious or no decent offer was forthcoming.
i recently looked at the court filings for this case.
apparently, the defendant was driving in excess of the speed limit and attempting to pass in a curve of a two-lane winding road when he colided with the plaintiff's vehicle. a passenger (plaintiff's mother) was killed and the plainitff severely injured.
it looks like this verdict was for the plaintiff's personal injuries only, the wrongful death aspects having been litigated in a separate suit that was filed in 2005 and settled prior to a trial. (this suit is a 2008 action.)
Judge patrick presided over the trial. Gene Parker and Cliff Whitney had substantial roles in the defense.