$32,756,156

DATE OF VERDICT
2007-12-12

COURT AND COUNTY
Supreme Suffolk

AGE AND OCCUPATION OF PLAINTIFF
60 Retired Long Island Railroad Conductor

DESCRIPTION OF CASE
On March 13, 2004, Plaintiff, a Vietnam Veteran, was a "good samaritan" helping accident victims at the scene of an unrelated motor vehicle collision in Port Jefferson, New York. The road was later blocked off by emergency personel including members of the local police and fire department. Defendant was driving her car while impaired by marijuana and prescription pain killers. She drove through a police barricade and struck the plaintiff, propeling him 30 feet in the air. Plaintiff crashed to the ground and sustained severe life threatening trauma to his head. He was rushed to the nearest hospital.

INJURIES/DAMAGES
Plaintiff fractured his skull and hip. He underwent an emergency craniotomy to evacuate the hemorrhage in his brain and an open reduction internal fixation to repair his hip fracture. Plaintiff sustained severe brain damage and has been confined to a nursing home since the accident.

VERDICT/SETTLEMENT AMOUNT
$32,756,156

NOTE
The jury verdict, which was covered extensively by the media, is the largest reported non-medical malpractice verdict in Long Island history. The case was tried by Stephen J. Murphy and Daniel P. O'Toole.