GRSM Parachutes into $15M Jury Trial and Achieves Complete Defense Verdict

The plaintiffs sought to hold GRSM’s clients liable for damages resulting from a rear-end collision on a highway near Fort Collins, Colorado. While the defendants acknowledged negligence, the central issue at trial was the extent and cause of the plaintiff’s alleged injuries. The plaintiffs alleged the accident caused spinal damage, a traumatic brain injury, and numerous other medical conditions, leaving the plaintiff incapacitated and unable to work. The plaintiffs presented testimony from various retained experts suggesting the accident was the cause of permanent disabling injuries requiring significant future care.

GRSM was brought into the case four weeks before trial to co-counsel the case. The GRSM team quickly built out a trial strategy that focused on the engineering dynamics of the accident, medical causation, and the plaintiff’s long-term chronic health issues, which had been largely ignored by the plaintiffs’ retained experts.

The plaintiffs requested $15.8 million in the closing argument. The jury deliberated for approximately two and a half hours before returning a defense verdict, finding the alleged injuries were not caused by the accident. Following the defense verdict, the plaintiffs agreed to forego an appeal, and the defendants voluntarily waived recovery of certain post-trial costs.

GRSM attorney John Palmeri played an important role in trial strategy, jury selection, and closing arguments. GRSM attorney Jack Mann, who routinely monitors trials to preserve legal and appellate issues, assisted with briefing and jury instructions.

GRSM’s national Trial Practice is equipped to strategically enter high-stakes litigation at critical stages, including shortly before trial. Our attorneys are frequently called upon to parachute in, even on the eve of trial, and deliver effective, trial-ready representation in complex cases across the country.