WACHP would like to congratulate Jonathan Adelman, Dan Prout, Trevor Hiestand, and Russell Waldon for being named 2016 Georgia Super Lawyers.  WACHP would also like to congratulate Rakhi McNeill and Ashley Rice for being named 2016 Georgia Rising Stars.

On April 25, 2016, Ashley Rice obtained a defense verdict from a DeKalb County jury after only five minutes of deliberating.  Ms. Rice’s client admitted fault for the subject motor vehicle accident, but disputed that the plaintiff was injured as she claimed.  The plaintiff went to the emergency room on the date of the accident and subsequently sought chiropractic treatment and pain management for neck, shoulder, chest, and back injuries.  She presented over $10,000 in healthcare bills and asked the jury to award $25,000.  Before trial, the defense had offered $8,500 to settle.

Russell D. Waldon and Raqketa D. Williams obtained a verdict in the amount of $1,700 for their client in Cobb County on Monday, April 11, 2016. Plaintiff attempted to enter almost $9,000 of medical special damages into evidence, at least $7,300 of which stemmed from incidents other than the subject automobile accident. Waldon and Williams brought this out at trial and convinced the jury to award plaintiff only $1,700, after less than an hour of deliberations.

In March of 2016, Marcia Stewart successfully defended a case in DeKalb County in which her client admitted to failing to yield the right of way and entering an intersection causing plaintiff to T-bone the rear of his vehicle.  There was extensive damage, and both vehicles were totaled.  Plaintiff’s airbags deployed and he sustained a “questionable” loss of consciousness at the scene. The plaintiff was taken to the emergency room from the scene where x-rays were taken and he was kept overnight.  After an approximately 3.5 week gap in treatment, plaintiff sought chiropractic treatment. The plaintiff presented $8,200 in special damages, and his attorney asked for all special damages and a generous amount for pain and suffering in his closing.  In less than an hour, the DeKalb jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff in the amount of his ambulance and emergency room bills only, $2,955.  The defendant had offered $10,000 prior to trial.  

Despite the defendant’s admission of fault, on February 22, 2016, Attorney Andrew Brandt obtained a defense verdict in front of a Fulton County jury.  Mr. Brandt’s client admitted that she caused the rear-end accident that caused extensive vehicle damage.  After leaving the scene of the accident in her own vehicle, plaintiff complained of soft tissue injury and began treating with a chiropractor the following day.  Despite a dozen trips to the chiropractor, and undergoing cervical and lumbar MRIs, the jury did not believe that plaintiff was injured as a result of the accident.  Eight months prior to trial, the defendant had extended statutory settlement offers in the amount of $3,500.   Plaintiff’s attorney, in closing arguments, asked the jury to award plaintiff $25,000.

In February of 2016, Jonathan Adelman and Ashley Rice successfully argued to a jury of twelve that their defendant client, who admitted to driving while intoxicated, should not be ordered to pay punitive damages.  The accident occurred when the defendant crashed into the plaintiffs’ vehicle and pushed it into the rear of a third vehicle.  The trunk of the plaintiffs’ vehicle was pushed into the backseat.  The lowest pre-trial demand was $180,000.  The last pre-trial offer was $43,000 with a clear commitment to increase that offer if the plaintiffs lowered their demand.    The plaintiffs refused to counter, and the jury returned with a verdict in the amount of $45,000 and zero punitives.

In January 2016, Kevin Reardon obtained a defense verdict from a Gwinnett County jury in an admitted fault accident. Plaintiff complained of injury at the scene and subsequently received multiple epidural injections, branch blocks, and radiofrequency ablations for her low back.  Two of plaintiff’s treating doctors testified and directly related her injuries and need for treatment to the accident.  Total medical specials were $43,000.  Further, plaintiff claimed lost income of $28,800.   The defense included significant impeachment of plaintiff on cross-examination with other accidents not disclosed during discovery, expert testimony as to plaintiff’s underlying degenerative condition, and vehicle photographs showing minimal damage.  

In a two-day trial in Clayton County, Alex Salzillo obtained a double defense verdict in a case involving two plaintiffs claiming soft tissue injuries.  Mr. Salzillo’s client had admitted that he caused the rear-end accident giving rise to the suit.  Although the plaintiffs attempted to portray the accident as having had a profound effect on their lives, the defendant introduced evidence of multiple similar injuries for each plaintiff that had not been disclosed in discovery.  Ultimately, the jury did not believe that the plaintiffs were injured in the accident with the defendant.  Six months prior to trial, the defendant had extended statutory settlement offers in the amount of $3,500 to each plaintiff.  In closing, the plaintiffs’ attorney asked the jury to award $15,000 per plaintiff.               

In a two day trial in Gwinnett County, Alex Salzillo successfully defended a case in which his client had admitted to negligently running a red light and causing a t-bone accident that totaled both vehicles.   The plaintiff went to the emergency room the night of the accident, where x-rays and CT scans were taken. Thereafter, the plaintiff underwent four months of chiropractic treatment, two MRIs, and consulted with a pain management doctor.   The plaintiff presented $18,000 in special damages, and his attorney asked for no less than $35,000 in closing, the amount demanded prior to trial.  In less than forty-five minutes, the jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff in the amount of his emergency room bills, $6,387.  The defendant had offered $10,000 prior to trial.   

In October, 2015, Brian F. Williams obtained a defense verdict from a Gwinnett County jury in an admitted fault three car accident. Although plaintiff complained of injury at the scene, she did not seek out any treatment for more than a week after the accident.  Plaintiff claimed injuries to her neck, shoulders, and a lumbar disc bulge, which her treating physicians attributed to the accident.  Plaintiff also claimed that her injuries significantly reduced her social activities and adversely affected her ability to make a living.  After fifty-five minutes of deliberations, the jury returned a defense verdict.  Prior to trial, plaintiff demanded $28,500 to settle.