Examples of Results
Off-Duty Police Officer Run Over by Car. Our attorneys obtained a $6 million settlement for a young, off-duty police officer who was run over by a car. A treatment center failed to protect her from alcohol on its premises, in violation of its own policies and procedures. This led to a drunk-driving motor vehicle accident where she sustained major injuries. After two years of litigation, the treatment center settled for its insurance policy limits shortly before trial.
Criminal Attack in Apartment Building Leaves Victim Blind. John Machtinger obtained at $1 million policy limits settlement for his client who was attacked and blinded in her garage space by a former tenant of her apartment building. Despite the attacker having moved out and having entered her garage space from a public alleyway, Mr. Machtinger was able to establish sufficient liability on the part of the building owner to achieve this settlement.
Defective Chair Results in Severely Broken Hip. Mr. Machtinger obtained a $600,000 settlement for an older man who suffered a severe hip fracture after falling from his chair at an event. There were no eyewitnesses, and his client had no memory of the fall due to the severity of his injury. Mr. Machtinger was able to establish that the most likely cause of the fall was an unattached seat cushion.
Pregnant Woman Run Over by Tow Truck. We obtained a $2 million settlement (present value) with a total expected lifetime payout of over $10 million for a two year old girl whose mother was a pedestrian hit by the truck when she was five months pregnant with her. The mother was treated and released at the local emergency room, and the fetal monitor revealed no immediate signs of injury to the fetus, but when the infant was born, she suffered from a brain injury that left her with global developmental delays, partial blindness, and other serious injuries. Both liability and causation were hotly disputed by the defense, but the policy limits settlement was reached just short of trial.
Boy Loses Fingers on Escalator. Our attorneys represented an eight year old boy who lost three fingers on an escalator at a clothing store. The defense claimed a lack of supervision of the boy, and denied liability for the injury. We obtained $2 million settlement (present value) with a total expected lifetime payout of close to $5 million. The settlement was reached shortly before trial, and after many months of litigation. It has allowed the little boy to move from his poorly performing public school to a private academy, where he is now on the college track and will have the ability to overcome his injury as much as possible.
Father Killed by Truck. We represented the teenage children of a local engineer who was killed when a truck driver pulled into his lane from the side of the road without looking. We were retained by the children just hours before a settlement meeting was to take place with the truck driver’s insurance company. Mr. Black appeared at the settlement meeting and rejected the $400,000 settlement offer made by the insurance company. The case later settled for almost $2 million present value, with a structured settlement providing payments over the plaintiffs’ lifetimes of close to $4 million.
Young Mother Struck and Killed in Crosswalk by Elderly SUV Driver. Our attorneys represented the 6 year old son and 2 year old daughter of a young immigrant woman who was struck and killed in a crosswalk by an elderly woman driving an SUV. Even though the driver had limited insurance available, the case settled for well over a million dollars, with the defendant contributing money above her insurance policy limits.
Motorcyclist Almost Killed by Former Judge Convicted of Felony Drunk Driving. We represented a motorcyclist who was seriously injured when a former Superior Court judge, later convicted of felony DUI in the accident, turned left into the motorcyclist’s path. The case settled for a confidential amount in excess of $1 million.
Wrong Prescription by Pharmacy Causes Stroke. We represented an elderly man who was given an antacid instead of his blood thinning medication by a large chain drugstore. Because he relied on the wrong prescription to protect him from stroke, he suffered a serious stroke. Our attorneys obtained almost $1 million in settlement for the man.
