Jeri O’Hara Wins Defense Verdict

Jeri and Steve O’Hara won a jury verdict for their client in Circuit Court in Duval County, Florida, on March 13, 2013. The plaintiff was a 31 year old woman who claimed permanent injuries to her neck and back, including multiple focal disc protrusions in her thoracic spine. The client was sued under Florida’s dangerous instrumentality doctrine which makes the owner of a vehicle liable for the driver’s negligence. In this case, the driver rear-ended the plaintiff’s vehicle. Our client admitted liability for the accident, but disputed the severity of the impact and denied that the plaintiff sustained a permanent injury, which was required under Florida law in order to recover non-economic losses. The jury awarded the hospital emergency room bill of $1,365 but nothing more, and found that the plaintiff did not sustain a permanent injury. We will be moving for entry of a judgment requiring the plaintiff to pay most of our lawsuit costs and attorneys’ fees.