Defamation suit against competitor over false claims, $2.5M settlement
Action: Defamation Injuries alleged: Damage to reputation and character; loss of value and business in the industry Case name: Withheld Court/case no.: Withheld Jury and/or judge: Withheld Amount: $2.5 million Date: May 17, 2023 Attorneys: Barrett R. Brewer of Brewer Law Firm, Mount Pleasant, and Edward L. Phipps of Phipps Firm, Charleston (for the plaintiffs) […]
Overturned golf cart causes injuries $1.2M settlement
Action: Personal injury Injuries alleged: Fractured vertebrae, broken ribs, broken collarbone Case name: Case not filed, pre-trial settlement Court/case no.: Not applicable Jury and/or judge: Not applicable Amount: $1.2 million Date: May 12, 2023 Attorney: Ran Stoney III of the Joye Law Firm, North Charleston (for the plaintiff) The plaintiff was a passenger in a […]
Insurer liable for breach, bad faith after roof collapse
Action: Breach of contract, bad faith Injuries alleged: Property damage Case name: One to One Ministries, Inc. v. Penn-America Insurance Company Court/case no.: Orangeburg County Circuit Court/No. 2020-CP-38-01274 Jury and/or judge: Jury/Judge Maite Murphy Amount: $3.3 million Date: March 23, 2023 Attorneys: Justin Lucey of Lucey Law in Mount Pleasant (for the plaintiff) One to […]
Head-on collision result of dump truck’s failed brakes
Action: Premises liability Injuries alleged: Broken left hip, left arm and right leg Amount: $1,225,000 Date: April 18, 2023 Attorneys: Kenneth Berger and Brad Lanford of the Law Office of Kenneth Berger, Columbia (for the plaintiff) On Aug. 29, 2022, Ard’s Trucking Service employee Eddie Barber crossed the centerline in a loaded dump truck and […]
Driver T-boned at intersection has hip, pelvic fractures
Action: Motor vehicle accident Injuries alleged: Multiple hip and pelvic fractures Amount: $1,080,000 Date: August 2022 Attorneys: David Yarborough and Alexandra Heaton of Yarborough Applegate Law Firm in Charleston (for the plaintiff) The plaintiff was traveling on Highway 521 in Williamsburg County on Feb. 7, 2022, when the defendant, traveling on Highway 52, ran […]
Ousted retail business tenant loses at bench trial
Defense verdict Action: Breach of contract Injuries alleged: Failure to cure Case name: Joaquin Ramirez v. Sar International, Inc. Court/case no.: Forsyth County Superior Court/No. 19-CVS-7296 Jury and/or judge: Judge Susan Bray Amount: $0 Date: Feb. 14, 2023 Attorney: Elliot Fus of Blanco Tackabery in Winston-Salem (for the defense) In 2017, Joaquin Ramirez entered into […]
Driver struck by tractor trailer suffers spine, brain injury
$500,000 verdict Action: Motor vehicle negligence Injuries alleged: Worsening of herniated discs in the spine and mild traumatic brain injury Case name: Patricia Julian Britton v. Eric Degar Roberts and Intermodal Bridge Transport, Inc. Court/case no.: York County Court/No. 2020-CP-46-03066 Jury and/or judge: Judge William McKinnon Highest offer: $250,000 Amount: $500,000 Date: March 6, 2023 [&hel[...]
Jury returns $29.1M verdict in mesothelioma suit
Action: Negligence and tort Amount: $29.1 million Injuries alleged: Mesothelioma by asbestos in talc Case name: Plant v. Avon Products Inc., et al Court/case no.: Richland County Common Pleas/No. 2022-CP-40-01265 Jury and/or judge: Jury/Judge Jean H. Toal Date of verdict: March 3, 2023 High-low agreement: No Special damages: $871,356, past medical bills; $3,268,336, life care plan; […]
Following accident, bar accused of overserving group; $1.15M settlement ensues
Action: Motor vehicle negligence, dram shop Amount: $1.15 million Injuries alleged: Traumatic brain injury with subdural hematoma, skull fracture, broken jaw, broken ribs, lumbar spine fracture, pelvic fracture, broken tibia with hardware placement Case name: Withheld Court/case no.: Withheld Jury and/or judge: N/A (settled) Date of settlement: Oct. 24, 2022 Special damages: $344,282.26 Most helpf[...]
Motorist who was drinking collides with other driver; $3.1M settlement results
Action: Motor vehicle negligence, dram shop Amount: $3.1 million Injuries alleged: Injuries included open fracture of right femur, open fracture of right humerus, fractures of right fibula, fractures of right tibia, fracture of right patella, fracture of radial head of right ulna, multiple lacerations including 20-cm scalp laceration Case name: Halcomb, et al. v. Crafty […]
$5.4M settlement reached after motorcycle passenger killed in collision
Action: Motor vehicle negligence Amount: $5.403 million Injuries alleged: Death Case name: Withheld Court/case no.: Withheld Jury and/or judge: N/A (mediated by Kip Darwin) Date of settlement: Feb. 9, 2023 Demand: $5.403 million Highest offer: $5.403 million Attorneys for plaintiff: Cooper Wilson and Mullins McLeod, of McLeod Law Group, Charleston; Shaun Kent of Kent Law […]
Case involving tractor-trailer wreck mediated for $1.45M
Action: Motor vehicle negligence Amount: $1.45 million Injuries alleged: Husband, torn rotator cuff; wife, thumb/hand injury Case name: Withheld Court/case no.: Withheld Jury and/or judge: N/A (mediated) Date of settlement: Dec. 16, 2022 Attorney for plaintiff: Charles William Hinnant III of Ted A. Greve & Associates Attorney(s) for defense: Withheld Were liability and/or damages contested:�[...]
Business Law
- Economy forces attorneys to get down to business
- Business Court judges trawl for customers
- Va. company's Web site did not subject business to personal jurisdiction in S.C., appeals panel rules
- Former running back from S.C. wins courtroom victory in contract dispute
- Contract – Government Contract – Qui Tam – False Claims Act
- Tort – Business Tort – Va. Computer Crimes Act – Trade Secrets
- Consumer Protection – FCRA – Auto Loan – Bank Accounting Errors
- Licenses & Permits – Beer & Wine Permit – Restrictive Covenant – Suitable Location
- Licenses & Permits – Veterinarian – Vaccine Maintenance
- State regulators look at car dealer accused of lying to customers
- Textile firm, railroad settle Graniteville train wreck lawsuit
- Subprime mortgage meltdown hits securities law
Commentary
- High court justices cross the line of propriety
- High court’s term was rough on big business
- The flip side of generative AI in law and how to address it
- The fight for equal educational opportunity continues
- Letter From The Editor – Working from Home
- NLRB joins FTC in taking aim at non-competes
- Supreme Court leaves key internet protection untouched
- US Supreme Court bites back at parody’s use of the First Amendment
- My goal: Provide the information that you need now
- Case study: North Carolina courts provide guidance on scope, limitations of attorney-client privilege
- A Different Ode to Pro Bono Work
- N.C. Bar Association embraces homophobia