Defense Verdict: Seminole County, Florida (Trucking Negligence)

West Palm Beach Partners Mark H. Ruff, Jr., and Joshua Jurnovoy, and Miami Partner Jaime Baca, recently obtained a defense verdict on behalf of Publix Super Markets in Seminole County, Florida.

This case involved a low-speed collision in the loading dock area behind a Publix store. The Plaintiff filed suit against Publix, alleging that the accident was caused by its truck driver, and that the Plaintiff suffered spinal injuries leading to a two-level cervical fusion and $200,000 in medical expenses as a result.

We contended that the Plaintiff was at fault for the accident, and that given that the collision occurred at a slow speed and caused very minor property damage to the vehicles, the accident was not the cause of the Plaintiff’s injuries.

Trial lasted five days, with Plaintiff’s counsel asking the jury for $2.7 million at closing. The jury found that Publix and its truck driver were not at fault, and returned a complete defense verdict.