Case Results
Premises Liability
$500,000+
The Case
Keating Wagner's client was injured while touring an apartment when he fell into a crawlspace that had been dug out by one of the defendants. His injuries shattered his ankle and necessitated two orthopedic surgeries. At trial, Mike Keating and Melissa Hailey were able to show that due to the defendants' had a duty to make the premises safe.
The Result
A Denver District Court jury found all defendants jointly and severally liable. It awarded the plaintiff $116,000 in economic damages, $250,000 in noneconomic damages, and $200,000 in permanent impairment.
One of the Largest Personal Injury Verdicts in Colorado History
$39.5M
The Case
In 2007, the firm represented Andrew Blood, an Xcel Energy employee who was severely paralyzed in 2004 while at work for the telecommunications company. Blood fell 25 feet after the utility poll he had been working on broke. The fall paralyzed Blood and left him unable to work, and Blood's wife had to quit her job to take care of her husband. The firm represented Blood and his family in their suit against Qwest Communications, which owned the utility pole. The firm was able to show that Qwest had failed to inspect or maintain the pole since it had been installed in 1958.
The Result
A Denver jury awarded Blood $39.5 million in compensatory and punitive damages, which is among the largest personal injury verdicts in the state's history. Qwest appealed the award and the Colorado Supreme Court upheld the verdict.
Wrongful Death Suit
$3.8M
The Case
The O’Melia family, including the parents of 12-year-old Drennan O’Melia, sued Southglenn Country Club over Drennan's death at the facility’s pool. At trial, shareholders Mike Keating and Deirdre Ostrowski were able to show that due to the lifeguards' lack of training and the lack of attention to safety by the Country Club and the pool’s manager, Drennan drowned.
The Result
An Arapahoe County jury awarded $3.8 million to Drennan’s parents after concluding that the Country Club and its employees failed to conduct the operations at the pool in a safe manner and failed to provide adequately trained and supervised lifeguards at the pool.
Wrongful death suit
$3.2M
The Case
The case centered around a 2012 accident that killed a father as his daughter was driving at highway speeds on I-70 near Limon, Colorado, when their vehicle suffered a tire tread separation on a rear tire. The family was driving a 2000 Ford Ranger pickup with two recently purchased tires on the front wheels. The tire dealership that installed the new tires neglected to recommend that the family also replace the rear tires, which were 14 years old.
The Result
Shareholder Christina Habas, along with co-counsel, were able to secure a $3.2 million settlement from the defendants in the case.
Products Liability Trial
$3.5M
The Case
Timothy Beene, a firefighter, had his legs crushed and broken when a Ford Expedition seemingly placed in 'park' rolled downhill and pinned the unsuspecting 50-year-old between the Expedition and his own truck. Timothy was changing out of his fire gear and sitting on his tailgate. Permanently impaired and disfigured, Timothy had completed 7 of the 11 surgeries he will undergo, including a knee replacement and ankle fusion, when we successfully tried his case.
The Result
A jury verdict of $3,565,000.
Insurance Dispute
$900,000
The Case
Our client was injured in a horrific head-on crash that involved 4 people in two cars, including a drunk driver who was subsequently imprisoned. American Family Insurance refused to reach a settlement within the minimum limits on the grounds that one of the occupants, who never sought medical treatment but was negotiating a property damage claim, did not participate in the division of the proceeds.
The Result
Our client received a six-figure settlement in a bad faith insurance case that stemmed from a drunk driving collision.
Wrongful Death Suit
$9M
The Case
On December 17, 2009, at approximately 8:58 p.m., Allstate Sweeping, LLC was operating a street sweeper on E-470 as it passed over Parker Road. The sweeper protruded half way out into the far left lane of travel while travelling 3 – 5 m.p.h. The sweeper lacked a number of required traffic control and safety devices designed to make the sweeper visible to approaching traffic. The initial investigation by the Colorado State Patrol concluded that all of the fault for the collision was on Mr. Johnson. At trial, on behalf of the Johnson family, the firm successfully argued that Allstate had the majority of responsibility for the death, because there were inadequate warnings for oncoming drivers.
The Result
Colette Johnson, the wife of 39-year-old information technology professional Mark Johnson, and their five surviving children prevailed in a suit against Allstate Sweeping, LLC. The jury awarded the family $9 million in damages in Douglas County District Court.