From VerdictSearch National

Family of man killed by drunken off-duty cop awarded $40M

A jury awarded $40.2 million to the family of a man who was killed in a crash with a drunken off-duty cop. Derrick Rush was rear-ended by James L. Kendrick, the police officer who had been drinking at Club Volcano before getting behind the wheel of his own car. Plaintiffs' counsel said Kendrick and a friend consumed most of a bottle of whiskey in Club Volcano's parking lot before going inside and staying for three hours. Counsel argued that the club served him even though he was visibly intoxicated. The club didn't appear at trial. At trial, Kendrick admitted that he had been above the legal limit for alcohol and that his actions caused the collision. The jury awarded $3.25 million against Kendrick and $37 million against Volcano Enterprises.

Rush v. Kendrick
Alabama

Police officer hurt en route to robbery awarded $31 million

A jury awarded $31 million to a police officer who sustained line-of-duty injuries in a motor-vehicle accident. The mammoth award's recipient was Niurka Andino, who claimed that she sustained career-ending injuries of her back, head and knees in a broadside accident while she and another police officer were responding to a robbery on Aug. 18, 2004. Andino sued the other motorist, alleging that the driver failed to yield to a police vehicle that was proceeding through a red traffic signal during an emergency situation. The other motorist contended that the police vehicle was not responding to an emergency and that its siren and emergency lights had not been activated. The jury sided with Andino.

VIEW THE FULL CASE Andino v. Mills
New York

School board settles over alleged abuse

The Lee County School Board agreed to pay $200,000 to the parents of an autistic boy who they claimed was physically and emotionally abused by his kindergarten teacher. The parents alleged that Gulf Elementary School's Catherine Hile would twist their son's wrists and bend his fingers backward until pain was induced. She also pinched, pushed, pulled and struck him, they claimed. They alleged that Hile cursed and verbally demeaned him. They claimed that the school board failed to adequately screen potential teachers. Hile denied any wrongdoing. Defense counsel argued that based on allegations made by teaching assistants, Hile was removed from the classroom pending an investigation. Counsel claimed none of the allegations were ever substantiated by the board's investigation.

VIEW THE FULL CASE C.B. v. Hile
Florida

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Largest Jury Verdicts of the Year:

(2013 only; based on cases reported to VerdictSearch)

VERDICT	CASE	VENUE	DATE
$816,768,018	State of New Hampshire v. Hess Corp.	New Hampshire	April 9
$524,000,000	Meyer v. Health Plan of Nevada Inc.	Nevada	April 17
$400,049,039	In Re Urethane Antitrust Litigation	Kansas	Feb. 20
$240,000,000	EEOC v. Hill Country Farms Inc.	Iowa	May 1
$142,478,092	Carduco Inc. v. Mercedes-Benz USA LLC	Texas	Feb. 15
$130,000,000	Reilly v. St. Charles Hospital	New York	April 16
$96,000,000	Syntrix Biosystems Inc. v. Illumina Inc.	Washington	March 14
$90,000,000	Davis v. Prince George's County Board of Education	Maryland	April 12
$70,000,000	XpertUniverse Inc. v. Cisco Systems Inc.	Delaware	March 22
$63,000,000	Reckis v. Johnson &anmp; Johnson	Massachusetts	Feb. 13