SpyratosDavis LLC

SpyratosDavis LLC Attorney Josh R. Ladwig recently obtained an outstanding outcome following a jury trial in Kane County, in which the jury returned a verdict in favor of the defense finding the Defendant "not guilty."

The trial lasted three days including jury selection and extra precautions due to COVID-19 protocols. After multiple continued trial dates due to the ongoing pandemic, the jury verdict in favor of the Defendant was a breath of fresh air for SpyratosDavis LLC's client.

The case arose out of a rear-end accident in heavy traffic on Randall Road in South Elgin, Kane County, Illinois. Plaintiff claimed he was struck from behind with a significant force while stopped at a traffic light. Although the Defendant did not deny making contact with the rear of Plaintiff's vehicle, the evidence presented by the defense indicated that the contact was at a low speed, and that the impact itself was minimal.

Plaintiff claimed that a degenerative cyst on his lumbar spine was aggravated by the impact, and required periodic pain injections until he ultimately underwent a low back surgery more than four ears after the accident. Mr. Ladwig presented witnesses including the Plaintiff's primary care physician, the neurosurgeon who performed plaintiff's lumbar surgery, and a retained expert neurosurgeon who reviewed all the Plaintiff's records and diagnostic imaging. The witnesses" testimony discredited Plaintiff's claimed injuries and questioned whether Plaintiff was injured at all in the accident.

During closing arguments, plaintiff asked the jury for an award of $150,000 in damages, with approximately $114,000 of the damages representing plaintiff's bills for medical treatment, including surgery. Mr. Ladwig highlighted key evidence and testimony, including photographs of Plaintiff's vehicle showing little to no damage, which suggested that Plaintiff was not injured in the accident whatsoever. After about an hour of deliberation, the jury returned a verdict in favor of Defendant and against Plaintiff resulting in no money being awarded to Plaintiff.

SpyratosDavis LLC Attorney Achieves Favorable Defense Verdict in Auto Case Involving Significant Medical Damages Claim

SpyratosDavis LLC Attorney Brittany Pendry obtained an excellent outcome following a jury trial in DuPage County. The case involved a rear-end motor vehicle accident that occurred in stop-and-go traffic near an intersection controlled by a traffic light. Plaintiff claimed that the impact was severe and occurred at a high rate of speed causing injuries to her cervical spine, lumbar spine, along with a right shoulder labral tear and right bicep tendinitis that were surgically repaired after the accident.

Attorney Pendry used testimony and compelling photographs of the vehicles to establish that the impact was minor. The defense further established that Plaintiff had a prior history of right shoulder pain, and underwent conservative medical treatment for same approximately 18 months prior to the accident.

Through the testimony of their medical expert, the defense argued that the accident only caused Plaintiff, if anything, temporary soft tissue injuries to her spine, and that such an injury would have resolved within a few months of the accident. Notably, the defense’s medical expert testified that Plaintiff’s testimony regarding the positioning of her arm at the time of the accident was inconsistent with and not connected to the chronic, degenerative, and pre-existing right shoulder condition for which she underwent surgery. The expert further concluded upon review of Plaintiff’s diagnostic imaging and pre and post-accident medical records, that Plaintiff did not sustain any right shoulder injury from the accident.

After a three day jury trial, Plaintiff asked the jury for a verdict of $500,000, including $90,000 of medical bills incurred for her right shoulder surgery. The jury awarded Plaintiff only $14,000 in total damages, consistent with defense counsel’s recommendations.

SpyratosDavis LLC Achieves Favorable Verdict in Rear-End Accident Case Involving Significant Medical Damages Claim

SpyratosDavis LLC Attorneys Christopher Lunardini and Andrea Kmak obtained an excellent outcome following a jury trial in Kendall County. The case involved an auto accident that occurred in the drive-thru of a fast food restaurant. Plaintiff claimed that the impact was severe and occurred at a higher speed, while defendant argued that the accident occurred at low speed. Plaintiff claimed that the impact caused significant injuries to his cervical spine, including the onset of new radicular pain in his arm. Plaintiff alleged that the accident caused him to undergo a spinal fusion surgery in his neck two months after the accident. The defense established that plaintiff had a four-year history of degenerative disc disease in his cervical spine.

The defense contended, through the testimony of witnesses and a medical expert, that the impact was minor and caused almost no damage to either vehicle. Defense counsels also argued that the accident only caused plaintiff a temporary neck sprain injury, if any, and that such an injury would have resolved within a few months of the accident. The defense also stated that plaintiff’s injury, at best, required only physical therapy and conservative treatment.

During the closing argument, plaintiff’s counsel asked the jury to award plaintiff approximately $600,000 in damages, with approximately $150,000 of the damages representing plaintiff’s bills for medical treatment and the cervical spine fusion surgery. After deliberation, the jury only awarded plaintiff $53,000 in total damages, consistent with defense counsels’ recommendations.