Arango v. Mazda

PWO was retained to represent Plaintiff Arango, the victim of sexual harassment at Mazda U.S.A.’s Southern Florida plant. PWO successfully argued that Mazda had created a culture of mistreating women by failing to set a policy which strictly forbid it. The jury awarded the Plaintiff $4,000,000 – the largest sexual harassment verdict in Florida history. Prior to trial, Mazda’s highest settlement offer was $10,000.

Cook County, Illinois

PWO represented a young female plaintiff that suffered a catastrophic injury on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle while driving the “S” curve of Lake Shore Drive. PWO successfully argued that the City of Chicago used the wrong signs to designate the dangerous curve, and that the design of the motorcycle made it excessively dangerous while navigating the curve. As a result, PWO’s client received multi-million dollar awards from the City of Chicago and Harley-Davidson Motorcycles.

Bales v. Szostak

PWO was retained to defend Barbara Szostak, the driver of a vehicle who struck pedestrian Bernie Bales as he was crossing the roadway. The impact resulted in Plaintiff Bales’ death. The jury returned its verdict for Defendant Szostak.

Cook County, Illinois

PWO handled an aviation claim / airplane crash for a client whose family member was a passenger aboard an American Airlines flight which crashed in Roselawn, Indiana. PWO secured a multi-million dollar settlement for its client.

Conforti v. Fucaloro

PWO was retained to defend Mandi Fucaloro, the driver of a vehicle who struck a Plaintiff pedestrian and caused a displaced, traverse fracture of his right leg which necessitated an open reduction with internal fixation. The Plaintiff was casted 3 separate times over several months and underwent extensive rehabilitative therapy. PWO successfully argued that, because the accident occurred at night and the 41 year–old male Plaintiff was wearing jeans and a dark shirt, his contributory negligence exceeded that of the Defendant who was traveling in reverse, the wrong direction down a one-way street, looking for a parking spot. The jury returned a verdict for the Defendant.

Meeks v. Koite

PWO represented Don Koite, a driver who rear-ended plaintiff Joyce Meeks on Sauk Trail Road. The impact caused the Plaintiff to suffer a herniated disc at L4-L5 which in turn necessitated a lumbar discectomy. Although negligence was admitted the causation of the injury was contested – despite undisputed testimony from a board-certified neurosurgeon to the contrary. The jury deliberated less than 10 minutes before reaching a verdict in favor of the defendant.

Brown v. Kelly

PWO was retained to represent a defendant owner and the minor child who took her vehicle without her permission. The Defendant minor lost control of the vehicle while trying to avoid a dog on a dirt roadway, thereby striking a child pedestrian and killing him. The matter was defended primarily on damages, as the deceased Plaintiff’s parents had previously exhibited little interest in the deceased child’s wellbeing. The jury found in favor of the Plaintiff in the amount of $15,000 – the smallest wrongful death verdict recorded in Florida. The jury further assessed 15% of the liability against the dog.

Northern v. Lamm

PWO was retained to defend Mr. Lamm in a declaratory judgment stemming from an admiralty matter. Plaintiff Northern Trust claimed that Defendant Lamm materially breached his insurance contract by sailing into Cuban waters, and by allegedly engaging in other illegal acts. The court held that there was no breach of the navigation limit and that the illegal acts provision of the policy was ambiguous and therefore not enforceable. PWO also pursued Lamm’s counter-claim and received a $340,000 verdict (the value of the vessel plus costs, interest and attorney fees).

Barbarek v. Kosta

PWO was retained to represented Plaintiff, an interstate trucker who injured his neck and back in a rear-end collision on the Ohio Turnpike. PWO accepted the case from another attorney after the carrier made a “final settlement offer” of $100,000. The matter was settled by PWO for $250,000.

Mason v. Washington

PWO was retained to defend a bad faith claim against an Illinois insurer accused of wrongfully failing to settle a personal injury matter. The Plaintiff had been a passenger ejected from the insured defendant’s vehicle resulting in permanent brain damage.

Schneider v. Norton

PWO was retained to defend James Norton, the driver of the vehicle that rear-ended Plaintiff’s vehicle, pushing her through a tollgate and four car lengths beyond the tollbooth. Plaintiff suffered traumatic-induced expressive aphasia and memory loss as a result of her head shattering the windshield and the subsequent loss of consciousness. The Defendant (who refused to participate in his own defense) was defaulted on the issue of negligence, was barred from presenting any testimony as a sanction for his failure to cooperate, and then failed to appear for his own trial. Nevertheless, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the Defendant.

Miller v. Omni Insurance Group

PWO was retained to defend Omni Insurance Company in a bad faith case stemming from a $750,000 verdict against one of Omni’s insureds. After extensive motion work and the pursuit of a counter-claim for fraud and collusion against Plaintiff counsel, the matter was settled for $20,000 – the amount of the original policy limits in the underlying case.

Weiner v. Hall and Hernandez

PWO was retained to defend Chris Hernandez, the driver of a vehicle who struck Co-Defendant Clark Hall, resulting in the death of Plaintiff Cletus Keltner. The jury returned its verdict in favor of Defendant Hernandez.

Lopez and Hernandez v. Helmsberger

PWO was retained to represent Plaintiffs in a matter stemming from an automobile collision. Plaintiff and Defendant each claimed that the other failed to yield the right-of-way at a traffic signal. Plaintiff Hernandez suffered a fractured clavicle and Plaintiff Lopez suffered soft tissue injuries. Verdict returned in favor of Plaintiff Hernandez for $61,100 and Plaintiff Lopez for $41,300, and allocated only 15% fault to Lopez – despite the fact that she testified that she proceeded into the intersection and could remember nothing further

O’Campo v. State Farm Insurance

PWO was retained to represent Plaintiff O’Campo in his bad faith claim against State Farm. Although State Farm tendered its policy limits, the tender included Broward Hospital on the draft, a non-negotiable lienholder whose inclusion resulted in no net recovery for the claimant. State Farm ultimately settled the bad faith claim for three times the policy limits.

Friewer v. Kim

PWO represented defendant Ji Kim, the driver of a vehicle that rear-ended plaintiff Margaret Friewer resulting in chondromalcia of the patella and necessitating knee surgery. Although the negligence was admitted, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the defendant

McHenry County

PWO was retained to represent the Defendant sellers of a 137 year-old farmhouse accused of failing to disclose serious material defects in the house and on the property. The jury not only found for the Defendants in the case against them, but found in favor of the Defendants on their counterclaim as Plaintiffs in a complaint alleging that the purchaser failed to re-pay a loan stemming from the transaction.

Sergovia v. Ruiz

PWO was retained to defend one of two Defendant drivers causing a multi-car collision and permanent cervical disc injuries to Plaintiff Sergovia. The Plaintiff sought in excess of $70,000 in future medical expenses alone. The jury awarded a total of less than $10,000 to the Plaintiff.

Foushi v. Robinson, et. al.

PWO was retained to defend Stanley Robinson, the driver of a vehicle who struck pedestrian Anthony Foushi, resulting in multiple fractures that required surgical intervention with fixation and resulted in permanent drop-foot, among other injuries. The jury returned its verdict for Defendant Robinson.

Cogllianese v. Lipke

PWO was retained to defend Victor Lipke, the sole Defendant in a matter stemming from an automobile accident. Mr. Lipke rear-ended Plaintiff resulting in a torn meniscus and illiotibial band syndrome, and required surgery that necessitated 50% loss of the meniscus and permanent injuries to Plaintiff’s knee. Prior to trial counsel’s appearance, the Court deemed that $26,500 of the Plaintiff’s $34,600 in medical bills were reasonable and necessary and caused by the accident pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 216. The court then instructed the jurors that the reasonableness, necessity, and the relation of the $26,500 of medical bills to the accident must be taken by the jury as true, and that the issue should not be further considered during deliberations. Further, the court directed a verdict against the Defendant on the issue of negligence, leaving the jury to determine what amount of damages should be awarded. After 75 minutes of deliberation, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the Defendant.

Hummelberg v. Poters

PWO defended Lori Porters, the driver of a vehicle that rear-ended Plaintiff Robert Hummelberg when he was stopped at a red light causing various injuries. Upon the defendant’s admission of negligence, the court refused to allow tender of a verdict form in favor of the Defendant. The jury returned a verdict in favor of the Plaintiff accordingly, but for $0.00.

Black v. Torres

PWO was retained to defend Gabriel Torres, a driver who ran a red light and broadsided the Plaintiff’s vehicle at an estimated speed of 34 mph, pushing him sideways into a third vehicle 30’ across the intersection. As a result of the impact, Plaintiff suffered herniated discs at C6-C7 and C5-C6 with nerve root impingement causing permanent numbness from left shoulder through the left fingers. Surgical intervention failed to resolve the injuries. The jury returned a verdict in favor of the Defendant.

Hussan v. Kahn

PWO was retained to defend Mohammed Kahn, a driver who struck a police car broadside at an intersection that was in pursuit of a fleeing suspect with lights and sirens activated. The impact aggravated Officer Husar’s prior double-discectomy, caused new herniations at L4-L5 and L5-S1, and resulted in permanent drop foot, effectively ending the Plaintiff’s career as a police officer. The jury returned a verdict in favor of the Defendant.

Kruth v. King

PWO represented the defendant driver who ran a stop sign and struck the plaintiff resulting in a fractured ulna, fractured ribs, and fibromyalgia. The $13,000 verdict was less than half of the pre-trial offer.

Johnson v. Topps

PWO was retained to defend L.T. Topps, the driver of a passenger car who made an illegal U-Turn. As a result of the maneuver, the Defendant's vehicle was struck broadside by another vehicle. The Defendant's passenger, Plaintiff Unoma Johnson, suffered a fractured left clavicle and associated blunt trauma injuries as a result of the severe impact. In addition to her medical bills, the Plaintiff suffered 2 1/2 weeks of lost wages from Terrace Paper Company due to immobility necessitated by her shoulder sling and clavicle strap. Although the Defendant was determined to be 100% liable for the accident and injuries, the jury returned a verdict of only $2,250.00.

Gorman v. Gaston

As announced by The Cook County Jury Verdict Reporter, the law firm of Parrillo, Weiss & O’Halloran has again led all Illinois law firms with the highest number of cases tried in the past year with 106 verdicts during the 12 month reporting period.

Among the insurance defenses cases recently tried is that of Gorman v. Gaston.

In Gorman, PWO was retained to represent Defendant Toya Gaston, the driver of a vehicle which rear-ended Plaintiff Gerry Gorman. As a result of the vehicle-totaling impact, the Plaintiff was thrown about her car resulting in numerous injuries to her abdomen, ribs, spinal column and face (where she struck the dashboard.) Plaintiff took an ambulance to the emergency room, where she was treated and released, subsequently treated with her family doctor, and engaged in a course of physical therapy. Prior to trial, summary judgment was entered in favor of the Plaintiff on the issue of liability. Plaintiff’s medical specials totaled $7,621.94. Nevertheless, it took less than an hour for the jury to return a verdict for the Defendant.

Highest number of cases tried in the past year.

Once again Parrillo, Weiss & O’Halloran has led every Illinois law firm with the highest number of cases tried in the past year. With more than 129 verdicts reported in Cook County alone, PWO more than doubled the efforts of the second and third place finishers (68 and 65 verdicts respectively). Individual PWO attorneys were led by Przemek Lubecki and Molly Karr, each of whom recorded double figures in the victory column.