Jerry Lee Holt, et alv. Anonymous Defendant, the City of Huntsville and Madison County.

Settlement of $750,000 (Madison County Circuit Court, 2009). Mr. Jerry Lee Holt was seriously injured in a vehicular accident when the Ford Explorer he was operating was hit by a utility truck driven by Darius Jones, a City of Huntsville employee. Mr. Jones had driven his bucket-truck partially off of the road, encountered a steep drop-off between the asphalt and the shoulder of the road, lost control of his truck and then shot over into the opposing lane of traffic, hitting Mr. Holt and his passenger. The Defendant had recently repaved that particular section of road, leaving a drop-off between the shoulder and the edge of the road. Madison County had overseen the work performed by the Defendant and authorized the Defendant to leave the job without repairing the shoulders or placing warning signs or cones. Recovery was obtained against Madison County, Shelby, the City of Huntsville and Jones.

Joe Lett v. Anonymous Defendants

Settlement of $1,750,000 (Jefferson County Circuit Court, 2008). The victim in this case was an elderly retired gentleman that was walking down the sidewalk on his way to an appointment at the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in downtown Birmingham. He was struck by a station wagon that backed out of a loading dock at the rear of the hospital and suffered catastrophic injuries. The driver of the delivery vehicle testified that he did not even look in the direction from which the victim was walking prior to backing out of the loading dock. The vehicle was driven by a sub contractor of a company that delivers radioactive materials. The corporate defendant denied that there was any liability insurance coverage except for the $20,000 afforded by the individual driver’s liability policy. Through discovery and the application of relevant federal statutes, it was determined that the company was responsible for the actions of it’s contractor because he was involved in the movement and delivery of hazardous, radioactive materials.

Tawanna Brown v. Police Office

Settlement of $1,018,000.00 (Jefferson County, 2008). Tawanna Brown, a nineteen year old freshman in college, was walking across the intersection of 14th Street and University Boulevard in downtown Birmingham when she was hit from behind by a police officer who was speeding through the intersection at a high rate of speed without his emergency lights and siren activated. She suffered a closed head injury, liver laceration, pulmonary laceration, severe right pulmonary contusion, and multiple fractures involving both lower limbs, pelvis, and three ribs. The case was legally significant due to the defenses of sovereign immunity.

An 11 year-old minor and 21 year-old counselor v. Anonymous Camp Operator

Settlement of $2,000,000 (Elmore County, 2006). An 11 year-old camper's right leg was amputated below the knee when she was run over by a pontoon boat belonging to a summer camp as she and a counselor were waiting to be pulled on a large tube while on a lake outing. Her attorneys prepared an extensive life care plan detailing her medical treatment, including future medical procedures, prostheses, as well as the economic impact and vocational losses due to her injuries. The settlement included a $195,000 recovery for the 21 year-old counselor who suffered a broken jaw.

David Barron v. Anonymous bar, et al.

Settlement of $750,000 (Lee County, Mississippi, 2005). David was seriously injured when a motorist crashed into his vehicle. The other motorist was highly intoxicated and had been served approximately a dozen beers by the bar’s employees while already visibly intoxicated. The bar violated Alcohol and Beverage Control Board regulations concerning the sale of alcohol.

Lenise and Christie Anderson v. Anonymous Driver

Settlement of $360,000 (Jefferson County, 2005). Mother and daughter were injured when an intoxicated driver failed to yield the right of way and collided into the Anderson's vehicle which resulted in both Lenise and Christie having fractured femurs and Christie having a cracked vertebra.

Shane and Michelle Carden v. Ray Carden

Judgment of $325,000 (Coosa County,2005). Shane Carden was deer hunting on his father’s property when another hunter, not authorized to be on the property, mistook Shane for a deer and shot him in the abdomen. Shane was seriously injured and permanently scarred.

Sue Ryan v. Hayes

Settlement of $1,106,141.50. (Circuit Court of Limestone County, 2002). Sue Ryan was assaulted and raped by an escaped convict from the Limestone Correctional Facility operated by the State of Alabama Department of Corrections. The inmate should never have been allowed to work on a chain gang due to his poor disciplinary record, but the prison reclassification officer failed to act on the inmate’s reclassification for more than thirty days - allowing the paperwork to sit on his desk. While out on a work detail, the inmate shook of his leg irons and escaped from the prison guard. Suit was brought against the leg iron manufacturer from Birmingham, England as well as the state prison officials responsible for the escape. The trial judge initially ruled that the case could not proceed due to existing Alabama law, but that ruling was appealed to the Alabama Supreme Court. In this reported decision, the Alabama Supreme Court reversed the trial judge and allowed the case to proceed. The leg iron manufacturer initially settled and then the Alabama Department of Risk Management eventually paid the limits available to the plaintiff and certain others injured by the inmate, although none as badly as Mrs. Ryan.

Cassie Rose v. Loomis Fargo

Settlement of $700,000 (Jefferson County Circuit Court, 1999). Cassie Rose and her daughter Anitra Rose, suffered serious bodily injuries when a Loomis Fargo van suddenly pulled out in front of their automobile.

George Austin v. Sears

Settlement of $900,000 (Macon County, 1995). This was a personal injury case stemming from repairs negligently performed by Sears to the Austin vehicle.

Blake Lackey v. Central of Georgia Railroad

Verdict of $400,000 (Tallapoosa County, 1993). Injury from railroad crossing accident.

Donald Davidson v. Central of Georgia

Settlement of $1,350,000 (Tallapoosa County, 1991). FELA case involving a 19-year old railroad worker who received head injuries as a result of falling from a train trestle.

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