Highest Reported LaSalle County Wrongful Death Verdict or Settlement
cystoscopy proceeded; pltf went into cardiac arrest, suffering anoxic encepha- lopathy with permanent spastic quadriparesis, double vision and dysarthria (slurred speech). He is confined to a wheelchair ($597,000 medl., $3,000,000 lifetime LT as telephone technician). Duffield, Podzamsky, and Batambuze con - tended the cause of the anoxia was respiratory arrest, cardiac arrhythmia was not indicated, and deft Blair was the sole proximate cause of the event. Blair argued pltf’s problem was cardiac, namely, ventricular tachycardia. Toward the end of pltf’s case, after viewing a video of a day in his life, one of the jurors suf- fered a seizure. Deft Duffield leaped into the jury box to administer emergency aid while 911 was called. When the trial resumed, counsel for Batambuze and Blair moved for mistrial; this being denied by the Court, they settled their cases ($1,000,000 policy each). Podzamsky and Duffield then moved for directed ver - dict (denied) and for mistrial (also denied). Duffield’s Firemen’s Fund policy had a $1,000,000 limit (offered pre-trial and withdrawn). Attorney David C. Burtker of Cunningham, Meyer & Vedrine entered his appearance on their behalf but did not participate in the trial and, shortly before it ended, pltf and Firemen’s agreed to a high/low of $1,000,000/$750,000. Podzamsky’s and Duffield’s PIC-Wis - consin policy limits were each $1,000,000. This is the largest La Salle County verdict reported by Jury Verdict Reporter. The previous high was $10,876,668 in 1984 (see Illinois Jury Verdict Reporter 84 N/1). The defense has indicated it will file post-trial motions.
Ginzkey & Molchin, LLC is a boutique personal injury law firm in Bloom - ington. Although occasionally handling cases in Cook County and the collar counties, the firm’s focus is in Central Illinois. Ginzkey & Molchin, LLC is not a high volume law firm and for that reason prides itself on close personal attention being given to all of its clients.
34 JURY VERDICT REPORTER • 2024 ANNUAL TRIAL LAWYER EXCELLENCE AWARDS
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