Personal Injury Cases that Made the Headlines

Many people may not realize that most personal injury cases are settled between the parties long before they ever make it to a courtroom, though a fair share are ultimately decided by a jury. In either case, when the situation involves famous people, is strikingly unusual, or occurs in a place that is well-known, personal injury cases make it into national, and even international headlines. Some of the biggest cases in recent years caught the interest of the public for a variety of reasons.

Headliners

 Eric Garner V NYC: After officers put Eric Garner in a chokehold for selling cigarettes on a public sidewalk, Garner kept repeating the phrase, “I can’t breathe!”  He complained about breathing difficulty eleven times before dying there on the street. The Garner family settled a death claim with New York City and collected no less than $5.9 million.

Charla Nash V. Sandra Herold:  Although the names may not ring a bell, you’ve likely heard the horrendous case involving a pet chimpanzee that attacked a friend of its owner. The case highlighted the dangers of keeping wild animals as pets, and the moral and legal negligence of giving an exotic species the freedom to roam freely. The victim of the chimp attack endured disfiguring injuries to her face, including the loss of her nose and eyes. Eventually the parties settled for $4 million to tackle medical bills and future care.

Tracy Morgan v. Walmart: Tracy Morgan suffered life altering injuries when a Walmart delivery truck smashed into a limousine carrying Morgan, Jimmy Mack, and others. Jimmy Mack was killed in the incident, and Morgan was hospitalized for months to receive treatment for a broken femur, ribs, and nose. Two others in the limo were also hospitalized with severe injuries. Ultimately, authorities discovered that the truck driver had violated federal regulations by remaining awake for over 24 hours. Morgan sued. The case never made it to court, but rumor has it the settlement against Walmart was for around $90 million.

The Harvey Weinstein case:  Many people don’t realize that in addition to the criminal consequence of prison time after being found guilty of sexual misconduct, Harvey Weinstein had a financial liability toward victims. He was ordered by the bankruptcy court to fork over $17 million to be split among roughly 50 accusers.

Demonstrating Liability 

Like all successful personal injury cases, plaintiffs’ attorneys demonstrated that the defendants had a duty of care which was not met. Due to negligence or even outright recklessness, defendants’ actions were the proximate cause for the victims’ injuries. You don’t have to be famous or be involved in a bizarre incident to deserve compensation. The dedicated La Plata & Waldorf personal injury attorneys at The Law Office of Hammad S. Matin, P.A. fight for the best possible outcomes in all kinds of personal injury situations. To discuss, schedule a confidential consultation today.

Source:

nytimes.com/2015/07/14/nyregion/eric-garner-case-is-settled-by-new-york-city-for-5-9-million.html