Million Dollar Breakdown: A Case That Turned on Trust And Ended in $1.5M
with Daniel Watts
Morgan & Morgan attorney Daniel Watts breaks down a four-vehicle collision case involving a Massachusetts grandmother who sustained a serious spinal injury while driving her adopted granddaughter to camp in Putnam County, New York. After initially accepting fault and paying property damage claims, the defense, Progressive Insurance, reversed its position once litigation began, disputing liability and emphasizing the plaintiff’s pre-existing medical history and minimal vehicle damage. The trial team responded by building a case centered on credibility, presenting consistent testimony from the plaintiff, her family, an independent eyewitness, and expert witnesses, and introducing key legal concepts, such as the eggshell plaintiff doctrine, during jury selection. Through medical evidence, expert analysis, and strategic cross-examination that exposed flaws in the defense’s medical opinions, the team secured a unanimous verdict of approximately $1.5 million after six hours of deliberation, with the jury awarding nearly the full value of the life care plan in a historically conservative venue.
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