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Following a football game at Pro Player Stadium between the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots, an out-of-control escalator at Pro Player Stadium sent approximately 200 football fans on a terrifying plunge, injuring nearly 30 people and drawing several lawsuits against the stadium, its staffing company, and the escalator manufacturer.
After a two-week trial in Miami circuit court, a six-person jury found that the escalator manufacturer was 90% liable, and that Pro Player Stadium was 10% liable.
Attorney William E. Johnson claimed that the escalator manufacturer improperly marketed the escalator as being able to hold two people on each step, but in reality, the brakes were only designed to hold one person per step. The plaintiffs also argued that the Stadium was liable because it put up signs allowing two people on each escalator step without determining if the escalator could handle the load or not. Johnson said witnesses described the Pro Player escalator’s fall as a “roller coaster”. He said one witness saw a woman toss a child from the moving escalator, and people were seen jumping from the side of it to avoid the pile up.
With opening day for Florida Marlins baseball fast approaching at Pro Player Stadium, Johnson warned that something must be done to either limit the number of people on the escalators or install stronger brakes. “The scary thing is that the experts at trial said that if you get the same scenario again, it will happen again”, Johnson said. “What they need to do is put a person on every other step. If they don’t and this happens again, they are looking at punitive damages”.
A crash victim who forever may be dependent on narcotic pain medicine has won a $8.4 million judgment from a Palm Beach County jury.
The jury awarded the money after a seven-day trial in Palm Beach County circuit court. Buckstein was sitting in the front seat of a car and was wearing his seat belt when it was struck broad side by an uninsured driver. Buckstein was taken to the hospital by ambulance after the crash, and despite undergoing two surgeries on his lower back, he is now permanently disabled. Because of his physical condition, Buckstein closed his restaurant in downtown West Palm Beach and is now unemployed. He had recently graduated from Cornell University with a degree in hotel and restaurant management before the crash.
Prior to trial, the uninsured motorist carrier, USAA, had offered to settle the claim for $300,000.
The parents of a champion high school wrestler who died after his Buick slammed into a disabled truck settled their lawsuit against the trucking company for $1 million.
Gloria and Mike Trudeau sued Florida Express Freightways and the driver of the tractor trailer, Audo Sanchez. Danny Trudeau was a 1996 graduate of Santalucas High School. He was 18 years old when he died of severe head injuries sustained in the crash.
During trial, Gloria Trudeau wiped away tears as the family’s lawyer, William E. Johnson, spoke of her son’s accomplishments. Johnson argued that Sanchez and the trucking company were at fault because Sanchez should have pulled the truck off the road when it became disabled.
After five days of trial, and before the defense began it’s case, Florida Express and Sanchez paid their policy limits of $1 million to settle the case.
A pedestrian who was struck by a car has won a $1.85 million judgment from a Broward County jury.
Peggy Ann Cavallaro was riding her bicycle and was struck by a car at a pedestrian crosswalk in the Sunrise residential complex where she lives.
Ms. Cavallaro, mother of two and a pediatric intensive care nurse, suffered a fractured tibia, underwent three operations, and suffered chronic neurological pain. After the accident, she attempted to return to her job at Miami Children’s Hospital, but had to leave after six months for health reasons.
Attorney William E. Johnson, on behalf of Ms. Cavallaro, filed a negligence suit against the property management company of the residential complex alleging that it was negligent in failing to maintain a stop sign at the pedestrian crossing. A stop sign had previously been at the crosswalk, and one was required according to the construction plans.
A Palm Beach County circuit court jury awarded $630,000 to a Palm Beach Gardens nurse injured when a car ran a red light on Belvedere Road. “Linda Jacobs’ shoulder blade was shattered when a car driven by Nicki Kurnitsky crashed head on into Jacobs’ car near Palm Beach International Airport”, said William E. Johnson, attorney for Jacobs. The impact occurred at approximately 45 M.P.H. and both vehicles were declared a total loss.
As a result of the collision, Ms. Jacobs sustained three fractured ribs and a shattered right shoulder blade which is now permanently deformed, resulting in chronic ongoing pain. Prior to trial, Attorney William E. Johnson demanded $550,000 and when the defendant only offered $300,000, the case went to trial.
Brian Ambrose, a 35-year old pharmaceutical sales representative was walking on the sidewalk in Bal Harbour , Florida when he was struck by an elderly driver at a high rate of speed. The Defendant was unable to explain why his car accelerated, but the evidence was clear that the Defendant had mistakenly pushed on the accelerator instead of the brake pedal. Upon impact, Brian Ambrose was thrown approximately 35 feet onto the roadway where he was knocked unconscious. He was subsequently airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital where he was diagnosed as having sustained bleeding, swelling and bruising of the brain. As a result of his injury, Brian was later diagnosed as having sustained brain damage resulting in his inability to ever return to work and a future of lifelong therapy.
Brian and his wife had initially retained a law firm in Fort Lauderdale and quickly realized that they were not being adequately represented. The Ambroses researched various law firms on the internet, and after talking to several friends in the legal community, they contacted William E. Johnson. Shortly after switching law firms, Mr. Johnson immediately coordinated proper medical care for Brian Ambrose and assisted the Ambrose family in providing much needed wage loss compensation until the case was settled. Within seven months of retaining William E. Johnson, the case was successfully settled for $4.5 million.
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