18 minute read
Civil Jury Trials, Franklin County Common Pleas Court
by: monica l. waller
Plaintiff Matifern Hicks was a patron of the Scioto Downs Racino on the evening of Oct. 22, 2013. As she left the Racino and was walking to her car, she was struck by a car driven by 89-year-old Hilda Turcotte. Hicks was thrown into the air and struck the front windshield of Turcotte’s vehicle, knocking Hicks unconscious. She suffered a fracture to her left knee, left ankle and right lower leg and a subdural hematoma. She underwent several surgeries to repair the fractures and remained hospitalized for eight days. Upon discharge, Hicks remained confined to a hospital bed for several months and then had several months of physical therapy. She claimed that she suffered anxiety which required psychological counseling. She also suffered partial hearing loss associated with the closed head injury and bladder dysfunction related to her extended convalescence. Hicks owned a fruit stand and was unable to carry out her responsibilities to her business, requiring her to recruit friends and family to provide additional labor. Hicks settled her claims against the driver, Turcotte. She proceeded against Scioto Downs, arguing that the conditions on the premises were dangerous and negligently designed and maintained by Scioto Downs. Specifically, Plaintiff alleged that the crosswalk where Turcotte struck Hicks was not properly marked, that there was insufficient lighting in the parking lot and that the Racino had a bus parked in a position that obstructed the view of the crosswalk. Scioto Downs argued that the premises were properly maintained and that the accident was not caused by any of the factors cited by Hicks, but rather was the result of the combined negligence of Turcotte and Hicks. Scioto Downs argued that Hicks did not look both ways before crossing the parking lot. Scioto Downs also argued that Turcotte was driving 25 mph in a 10 mph zone. Turcotte also had vision problems and a license that restricted her from driving at night. Scioto Downs presented evidence that Turcotte had no peripheral vision in her right eye and struck Hicks as Hicks approached from the right. The weekend prior to trial, Turcotte’s live-in boyfriend died. The boyfriend had been subpoenaed to testify at trial as he was an eye-witness to the accident. Turcotte was also excused from appearing at trial due to her boyfriend’s death. The jury concluded that Hicks was not negligent, but both Turcotte and Scioto Downs were negligent. The jury attributed 33 percent of the responsibility for the accident to Scioto Downs and 67 percent of the responsibility to Turcotte. Scioto Downs filed a motion to apply the damages cap following trial. Scioto Downs also planned to appeal the verdict based upon a dispute over the jury instructions. The parties reached a settlement for less than a tenth of the verdict while the post-trial motion was pending. Medical Specials: $160,892.61 ($122,710.93 after reductions). Lost Wages:
Not itemized. Last Settlement Demand: $30,000 offer withdrawn prior to trial. Last Settlement Offer: $15,000. Length of Trial: four days. Plaintiff’s Experts: Kevin Pugh, M.D. (orthopedic surgeon); Daniel R. Aerni, P.E. (engineer); Charles Kistler, D.O. (primary care physician). Defendant’s Experts: None. Plaintiff’s Counsel: Michael R. Guluzian. Defendant’s Counsel: William B. Benson. Judge Dan Hawkins. Case Caption: Matifern Hicks v. Scioto Downs, Inc., Case No. 18 CV 2506 (2019).
On May 21, 2012, Plaintiff James Evans was in his vehicle at the intersection of Morse Road and the exit ramp for northbound I-71 when Defendant Christina Marshall failed to stop at a red light and her vehicle struck Evans’ vehicle in a T-bone collision. The collision caused disabling damage to Evans’ vehicle. Evans claimed injury to his left shoulder and right knee. On Nov. 30, 2013, Evans was on Lincoln Avenue when his vehicle was rear-ended by a vehicle driven by James Cawthorne. This collision also caused disabling damage to Evans’ vehicle. Evans claimed injuries to his neck and right wrist in the November 2013 collision. Evans underwent three surgeries that he related to these accidents—a right carpal tunnel release on Sept. 19, 2014, a cervical fusion on May 11, 2016, and a left shoulder surgery on Feb. 21, 2017. Evans filed suit against both drivers and the owner of the vehicle driven by Marshall. He also asserted an underinsured motorist claim against his insurer, Nationwide Insurance. The defendant tortfeasors had just $12,500 in coverage each. Shortly before trial, Nationwide consented to settlements with both tortfeasors for the limits of their coverage. Trial proceeded on the underinsured motorist claim. At trial, Nationwide conceded that liability was not disputed, but argued that the damage to Evans’ knee, shoulder, wrist and neck was preexisting and degenerative in nature and not caused by the accident. Nationwide’s medical expert concluded that Evans suffered only soft tissue injuries in each accident and had recovered from those injuries by the end of 2013. The total medical expense that Nationwide attributed to these accidents was $11,000. Plaintiff claimed $193,869.98 in medical expenses ($121,406.44 after adjustments) was related. Plaintiff also claimed he would incur future medical expense and future lost wages. Following trial, Plaintiff filed a motion for prejudgment interest, in the amount of $140,814.26. Nationwide filed a motion to have the Court apply the statutory cap on non-economic damages to the portion of the verdict that represented noneconomic damages related to the May 2012 accident. The parties settled the case before the Court ruled on any of these post-trial issues. Last Settlement Demand: $510,000. Last Settlement Offer: $30,000 in “new money” (above the $25,000 already offered on behalf of the defendant tortfeasors). Length of Trial: five days. Plaintiff’s
Experts: Douglas Chonko, D.O. (orthopedic surgeon) and Mark White, D.O. (neurosurgeon). Expert for Defendant Nationwide Insurance: Steven Wunder, M.D. (physical medicine and rehabilitation). Plaintiff’s Counsel: Jack J. Lah and Joel A. Gonzalez. Counsel for Defendant Nationwide Insurance Company: Jerome F. Rolfes and Rebecca J. Johnson. Judge Mark A. Serrott. Case Caption: James Evans v. Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co., et al., Case No. 17CV10510 (2019).
On May 18, 2016, Plaintiff Anne Rhodes was traveling eastbound on Route 33 when traffic came to a stop. Behind Rhodes was a vehicle driven by Defendant Clarissa Rance. Behind Rance, Defendant Kurtis Swank was driving a cement mixing truck owned by his employer, Defendant Scioto Ready Mix, LLC. Swank was unable to stop in time to avoid hitting the rear of Rance’s vehicle. The force of the collision pushed Rance’s vehicle into the rear of Rhodes’ vehicle. Rhodes drove to an urgent care after the collision. She was diagnosed with dislocation of her shoulder and, subsequently, with bursitis, impingement, arthritis and fraying of the rotator cuff. She received physical therapy, injections and ultimately had arthroscopic surgery. Following surgery, she was diagnosed with migration of her clavicle, a known postsurgical complication. She planned to have another shoulder surgery to repair the clavicle, but was diagnosed with an unrelated cancer that postponed the second surgery. The defense admitted liability for the accident, but disputed damages. The defense argued that Rhodes’ surgery addressed her preexisting arthritis and not injuries that she suffered in the accident. The defense also argued that Rhodes’ postsurgical complication was the result of her failure to follow her physician’s orders during her recovery and was not causally related to the accident. Past Medical Specials: $60,942.40 ($27,772.73 after reductions). Future Medical Specials: $22,500.00. Lost Wages: $8,000.00. Last Settlement Demand: $100,000.00. Last Settlement Offer: $55,000.00. Length of Trial: three days. Plaintiff’s Experts: Thomas J. Kovack, D.O. (orthopedic surgeon). Defendant’s Experts: Kenneth Westerheide, M.D. (orthopedic surgeon). Plaintiff’s Counsel: John M. Gonzales and Mary Kate Moller. Defendant’s Counsel: Bruce A. Curry and Allyson G. Spivey. Visiting Judge Pat Sheeran. Case Caption: Anne Rhodes v. Scioto Ready Mix, LLC, Case No. 18 CV 3084 (2020).
On June 11, 2016, Plaintiff Michael Rodriguez was driving eastbound on Bethel Road. As he crossed the intersection of Bethel and Dierker Road, his vehicle was struck by a vehicle driven by Defendant Indranil Basu. Rodriguez told the officer who reported to the scene that he had a green light and he saw Basu run the red light. Basu denied that he failed to pay attention when he approached the light, but admitted liability the week before trial. Rodriguez suffered a concussion as well as injury to his shoulder and neck as a result of the accident. Defendant stipulated negligence and the case proceeded to trial on damages only. Defendant argued that Plaintiff’s injuries were pre-existing and not caused by the subject accident. Defendant also pointed to gaps in treatment to contradict Plaintiff’s claimed injuries. Medical Specials: $13,000.00 ($8,900.00 after reductions). Lost Wages: $12,500.00. Last Settlement Demand: $50,000.00 (at mediation). Last Settlement Offer: $22,222.72. Length of Trial: three days. Plaintiff’s Expert: Joseph A. Shehadi, M.D. (neurologist). Defendant’s Expert: None. Plaintiff’s Counsel: David A. Bressman and Thomas F. Martello, Jr. Defendant’s Counsel: Kesha Kinsey. Magistrate Ed Skeens. Case Caption: Michael Rodriguez v. Indranil Basu, et al. Case No. 17
CV 7482 (2019).
On Aug. 27, 2015, Plaintiff Kimberly Kougher was driving eastbound on Lithopolis Road when she was rear-ended by a vehicle driven by Defendant Bryce K. Evans. Kougher alleged that, as a result of the accident, she sustained injuries to her neck and back and suffered a detached bladder. She initially received for the neck and back injury only. However, several days after the accident, she developed difficulty urinating. She was ultimately diagnosed with a vaginal prolapse in November of 2016 and underwent surgery to correct the problem. Medical Specials: $61,251.50 ($23,033.58 after reductions). Lost Wages: None. Last Settlement Demand: $40,000.00. Last Settlement Offer: $4,500.00. Length of Trial: two days. Plaintiff’s Expert: Renee Caputo, M.D. (urogynecologist). Defendant’s Expert: None. Counsel for Plaintiff: Ryan H. Lauer and Megan R. Hayden. Counsel for Defendant: Laura E. Plank. Magistrate Myron Thompson. Case Caption: Kimberly Kougher v. Bryce K. Evans, et al., Case No. 17 CV 7503 (2019).
Defense Verdict. Medical Malpractice.
37-year-old David Nicolli underwent sinus surgery on Dec. 22, 2017 with Defendant Boris Karanfilov, M.D. A week later, Nicolli returned to Dr. Karanfilov for routine postoperative care. Later the same day, Nicolli was taken to the emergency room due to severe headaches. That night he lost consciousness and had to be intubated. He was found to have suffered a dissection of his left vertebral artery. He remained unconscious and intubated until his death a week later. The administrator of Nicolli’s estate sued Dr. Karanfilov and his professional corporation, alleging that Dr. Karanfilov fell below the standard of care in failing to send Nicolli directly to the emergency room for evaluation of his headache. According to the administrator of Nicolli’s estate, Nicolli would have survived if he had received emergency care earlier in the day. Dr. Karanfilov denied that he fell below the standard of care and denied that he caused Nicolli’s death. Medical Specials: $175,493.60. Lost Earning Capacity: $2M. Last Settlement Demand: $2M policy limit. Last Settlement Offer: None. Length of Trial: six days. Plaintiff’s Experts: John Bogdasarian, M.D. (otolaryngologist), Eugene Saltzberg, M.D. (emergency medicine specialist), Avery Evans, M.D. (neuroradiologist), David Boyd, Ph.D. (economist). Defendants’ Experts: Eric Bourekas, M.D. (neuroradiologist), Brett Scott, M.D. (neurosurgeon), Pierre Lavertu, M.D. (otolaryngologist), Howard Levine, M.D. (otolaryngologist), John DelGaudio, M.D. (otolaryngologist), Bauer Sumpio, M.D. (vascular surgeon). Counsel for Plaintiff: William S. Jacobson. Counsel for Defendants: David H. Krause and Adriann S. McGee. Judge David Young. Case Caption: Anthony J. Nicolli, et al. v. Boris Karanfilov, M.D., et al., Case No. 17 CV 6993 (2019).
Monica L. Waller, Esq.
Lane Alton & Horst mwaller@lanealton.com
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