Verdicts & Settlements

The key to justice is simple — your lawyer must prepare a truthful, winning case from the available evidence. Then your lawyer must prevent the insurance company from losing evidence and deflecting blame.

We help a client understand the law and the facts, so they can make a decision to settle or go to trial. But the decision is the client's. Together with our clients, we have won high compensation with honor.

Automobile Injury

Fairgrounds Boy Killed by Pick-Up Backing Up: $2 Million Verdict

Although it appeared the pick-up driver was totally at fault for backing up and striking a 6 year old boy, we investigated the history of the fairgrounds, as well as fairgrounds regulations, and proved the fairground was unsafe. See our presentation of the feasible safety precautions that could have been put in place to prevent this tragedy. | Learn more about this case in the Traverse City Record Eagle.

"Homeless Woman" Killed by Left-Turn Driver: $635,000 Verdict

A careless driver turned left, and killed an allegedly "homeless" woman. Law enforcement did not ticket the driver for political reasons. We proved the local politics, and we proved the woman's family loved her. See our creative demonstration of the scene of the accident.

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Wrongful Death

Temporary Worker Crushed: $925,000 Settlement

A young musician working part-time in a factory was crushed by a stack of materials that tipped over. The employer stated he was uninsured, so the client’s widow asked us to investigate. We did intensive investigation, which revealed that the delivery company had stacked the material in an unsafe condition, and the owner’s insurance was still in effect, even though the insurance had been bought under another corporate name. We settled with the delivery company for a guarantee of $200,000. We next took an assignment of the employer’s old insurance policy, from the owner. We then filed a second suit against the insurance company to collect. The insurer settled for $725,000, adding to the guarantee of $200,000, for a total of $925,000 — all of which was paid.

Railroad Crossing Death: $7,500,000 Verdict – $9,000,000 Settlement

This was one of Tim Green's cases. Multiple victims died when their vehicle was struck by a train at a railroad crossing. This verdict stands as one of the best verdicts in Ohio railroad litigation. The key was an intensive investigation that produced compelling eyewitness testimony that the crossing warnings were defective.

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Bicycle & Motorcycle Accidents

Bicyclist Killed by Teenager on Dark Highway: $1,125,000 Settlement

A teenager who had smoked pot ran into the client, who was riding his bicycle on a dark highway. The defendant blamed our client for riding his bicycle in the dark. Our illumination expert and our reconstruction expert performed a “recreation” of the incident. Learn more about this case in the Traverse City Record Eagle.

Bicyclists Struck from Behind by Commercial Truck: $1,500,000-plus Settlement During Trial

Two experienced touring bicyclists were struck from behind by a commercial vehicle. The truck driver was not initially ticketed, but after we became involved, a ticket was eventually issued for careless driving. There were multiple commercial insurers, and we challenged insurance denials. We worked closely with the treating doctors to understand and explain the significance of the head and back injuries. After several days of trial, a settlement was reached with all of the insurance carriers.

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Snowmobile & ATV Accidents

ATVs Crash on Two-Track: $500,000 Verdict

Two ATVs collided head on, on a blind curve on a dirt road. The client suffered a badly broken wrist. The insurance company argued our client was an "out-of-towner."

Snowmobile Passenger Suffers Foot and Ankle Injuries: $200,000 Settlement

A speeding snowmobile slid around a corner and hit our client’s sled. The client’s foot and ankle were badly broken. The insurance company tried to deny insurance coverage, but was forced to cover the damages.

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Premises Liability

Fairgrounds Boy Killed by Pick-Up Backing Up: $2 Million Verdict

Although it appeared the pick-up driver was totally at fault for backing up and striking a 6 year old boy, we investigated the history of the fairgrounds, as well as fairgrounds regulations, and proved the fairground was unsafe. See our presentation of the feasible safety precautions that could have been put in place to prevent this tragedy. | Learn more about this case in the Traverse City Record Eagle.

Slip and Fall on Ice at Mall: $509,000 Settlement

The snowplow contractor piled the snow in a mall parking lot, and periodically the ice would melt and drain across a walkway, then freeze. The client slipped and fractured her leg; then a Good Samaritan also slipped, hitting her head and suffering a closed head injury. The store owner and the plowing contractor were both liable.

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Product Liability

Defective Rifle Injures Hunter's Right Eye: $635,000 Verdict

A rifle was designed with excess head space for high caliber ammo. The gun blew open and partially blinded a hunter's right eye. See images from the computer simulation we created to help win this case.

Defective Personal Watercraft: $3.4 Million Verdict

The front hood of a personal watercraft flew off — striking the client in the face — causing fractures and a brain injury. Learn more about this case in the Traverse City Record Eagle.

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Workplace Accidents

Defective Factory Design Kills Worker: $975,000 Settlement

Usually a worker cannot sue if she is injured on workplace premises. In this case, we proved a contractor wrongly designed a new area of the factory. A worker fell through a floor grate and drowned in a vat.

Construction Equipment Flips in Soft Soil: $450,000 Settlement

A construction worker was paralyzed from the waist down when the machine he was in tipped over. The contractor who installed the driveway used poor soil for “fill” and did not properly compact the soil. We sued both the general contractor and the driveway contractor. The key to this case was the expert analysis of the soils, soil density tests, and expert analysis of the steering characteristics of the machine.

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Land Use

Proposed Mall on the Bay

In 1985, a group of developers proposed a large retail mall in the parking lot that now houses the Sara Hardy Farmer’s Market. The City of Traverse City was prepared to give the property to the developers as a way to revitalize a struggling downtown. The four-story mall spanning from Cass Street to Union Street would have changed the entire character of Traverse City’s waterfront. Grant Parsons worked with other local advocates to challenge the development, successfully arguing that the disposition of parkland required a vote of the people. In 1986, voters rejected the Bayview Mall, preserving the Boardman and lakefront views we value today.

Acme Township Development

Learn more about this case in the Traverse City Record Eagle: "Big Box Chain Settles Lawsuit" | "Events in the Meijer, Acme Township Saga"

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Civil Rights & Police Misconduct

Sexual Assault in Daycare: $1,000,000 Verdict / Settlement

A man abused his own children, so they were placed in a “safe house.” Social workers later assigned the man to work at a children’s daycare, where he raped and abused numerous children. We sued the daycare and the State of Michigan, and achieved a combined $1 million verdict and settlement. The key to this lawsuit was dogged determination — we filed a federal suit, a state appeal, and eventually, at trial, we proved that the daycare and state failed to screen caregivers. We went to the top of the state administration to learn the truth, and we changed the way daycare workers are screened.

Drowning Rescue Interference by Police: $1 Million Verdict / Settlement

A young man was pushed or jumped off a bridge in Manistee. Two local scuba divers arrived at the scene, but were ordered not to go in the water. We proved the Sheriff had a “turf war” with rescue divers. This case lasted 9 years. We filed 3 successful appeals of adverse rulings. We retained the best experts (US Coast Guard Director of Safety; US Dive Rescue training director). Learn more about this case in the Traverse City Record Eagle.

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Whistleblower & Employment

Whistleblower: $1,00,000 Judgment after Verdict

"Whistleblower" laws protect those who report wrongdoing. A county employee "blew the whistle" when the County Administrator switched millage funds from the intended purpose to the General Fund.

"Type 2" Whistleblower: $1,100,000 verdict

"Whistleblower" laws also protect those who don't report originally, but later cooperate with investigations and lawsuits. Two secretaries testified on behalf of a supervisor who was wrongly fired. As a result, they were harassed and emotionally abused on-the-job. Though the secretaries only earned about $25,000 per year, a jury awarded them damages for lost wages and emotional upset. Learn more about this case in the Traverse City Record Eagle.

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