In a recent three-day jury trial held in the United States District Court, Northern District of Indiana (Hammond, Indiana, Lake County), Reminger Co., LPA (Northwest Indiana office) obtained a defense verdict on behalf of their client, a fully integrated steelmaking facility, in a personal injury claim.
DRI member and managing partner of Reminger’s Northwest Indiana office Danny Merril Newman, Jr., was lead trial counsel for the defendant. The Plaintiff claimed permanent injuries after falling in a stairwell in one of the buildings at the defendant’s steel mill. The Plaintiff was a vendor, thus an invitee, and he claimed the steel mill created a hazard that was unreasonably dangerous on the stairs.
One of Plaintiff’s treating orthopedic surgeons testified that the Plaintiff needed two surgeries with physical therapy post-incident and, considering that the Plaintiff alleged to have continued pain and suffering after said course of treatment, was then a candidate for a total knee replacement.
The Plaintiff had not worked since the date of his fall in 2010, and sought prior lost wages, incurred medical expenses, and black-boarded past, present, and future pain and suffering for the rest of his life, with a top end range of total damages of approximately $1,000,000.00. The jury returned a unanimous defense verdict (8–0).
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