Verdicts + Settlements
In Graves, a jury returned a verdict of $2,000,000 for a client of The Duffy Firm following a 5-day trial, finding that Hahnemann Hospital and its staff committed malpractice during a surgical procedure when nerves in our client's throat were accidentally cut. This verdict was especially impressive considering no claim for lost wages or medical bills was made – the verdict was based entirely on “pain and suffering."
The Duffy Firm obtained a confidential $2,000,000 settlement against a quarry owner following the drowning of a child, arguing that the quarry failed to hire properly qualified lifeguards.
The Duffy Firm secured a confidential $1,985,000 settlement for a union ironworker who lost the tips of 2 fingers when the load being transported by a crane operator was not properly rigged, allowing the bundle to collapse onto the plaintiff’s hand.
In Eager, The Duffy Firm represented a woman who sustained a traumatic brain injury in a motor vehicle accident. The defense called it a “pure…simple…accident,” alleging a dangerous curve and no fault of their client. Our reconstruction experts established that the defendant was driving recklessly. We settled the case for $1,950,000 for our client’s injuries and future wage losses.
In Davia, The Duffy Firm obtained a $1,900,000 settlement for a contractor who suffered multiple injuries after a fall from scaffolding that had been improperly and unsafely built by another contractor on a construction site.
In Duffy, The Duffy Firm obtained a $1,900,000 verdict for John Duffy, an insurance salesman who suffered a broken hip following a motor vehicle collision with a police cruiser. The police officer contended he was in a high-speed pursuit of another vehicle, which did not pan out to be accurate based upon the police tapes.
In Kelley, The Duffy Firm obtained a $1,876,000 verdict in the United States District Court of New Jersey for a 58-year-old woman involved in a motor vehicle accident while traveling between meetings for work. The defense argued that she suffered nothing more than a temporary soft tissue injury on top of a prior history of back and neck pain that had been documented for over 10 years prior to the accident. While the client did not have surgery or broken bones, The Duffy Firm impressed upon the jury that her life had changed significantly following the accident, including an inability to return to her prior position (although she returned to light duty work) and restricted her ability to be involved in the lives of her grandchildren.
The Duffy Firm recovered $1,841,000 for a construction worker who suffered injuries when a forklift was driven over his foot. The defense contended that the plaintiff had a significant preexisting medical history and was responsible for the incident as he was not wearing high-visibility clothing.
A confidential settlement of $1,800,000 involved a traumatic brain injury victim who was forced off a road in Delaware by a tractor trailer operator. While the plaintiff returned to her pre-accident job and did not have any wage loss, The Duffy Firm was able to establish a significant impact on the plaintiff’s cognitive function through sophisticated diagnostic testing. Additionally, although the accident occurred in Delaware, the plaintiff lived in New Jersey, and the defendant was from Wisconsin, The Duffy Firm was able to institute and maintain this action in Philadelphia County.
In Cox, The Duffy Firm represented a woman who believed that a former attorney failed to fully pursue all of the relevant theories in her medical malpractice case, forcing her to settle a case for $1 million even though she had received a $2.5 million verdict. We obtained a $1,787,000 verdict on her behalf.
The Duffy Firm recovered $1,750,000 in a complicated wrongful death case involving a workplace accident and negligently maintained equipment. The defense argued that the equipment that exploded was maintained by the decedent’s employer and any failures associated with that equipment were not the responsibility of the decedent. The case settled following unsuccessful motions for summary judgment and a lengthy mediation.
In Wardrop, The Duffy Firm attained this settlement for the family of warehouse worker Bruce Wardrop, who was killed when the driver of a tractor trailer being unloaded by Mr. Wardrop moved the truck without warning. This caused the forklift being operated by Mr. Wardrop to overturn, causing his untimely death.
Andrew Weygand, an electrician, was electrocuted when he inadvertently touched an energized copper pipe on the third floor of a home where he was working as a contractor. The Duffy Firm was able to establish the pipe was not properly grounded in the basement of the home and secured a $1,650,000 settlement for his family.
A confidential settlement of $1,600,000 involved the death of an 81-year-old man, who was killed when a truck ran a red light, striking his vehicle. The Duffy Firm's post-accident vehicle testing revealed a fault in the brake line of the defense vehicle that would have prevented the vehicle from stopping in a timely manner at a traffic control device.
In Cole, a truck driver suffered a wrist injury when a steel roll-away door fell from its track and landed on The Duffy Firm's client's wrist, causing fractures in multiple places. This led to the driver's inability to continue driving trucks. A New Castle County, Delaware jury returned a verdict $1,600,000 for Mr. Cole against the Port of Wilmington.