TAM Shareholder Paul Collins and associate Lauren Getsie obtain complete defense verdict for trucking client.

TAM Shareholder Paul Collins and associate Lauren Getsie obtained a complete defense verdict for their trucking client in a five-day jury trial in the District Court for the City and County of Denver.

Paul and Lauren represented a common carrier in the suit claiming significant personal injuries as a result of a collision between the client’s tractor-trailer and a motorcycle operated by the plaintiff. The plaintiff asserted negligence claims against Paul’s client concerning the hiring, training, and supervision of the tractor driver, as well as claims for violations of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Act, including 49 CFR 376.12, 390.5, and 391.

Prior to trial, the defense team successfully argued Rule 702 challenges to the plaintiff’s liability experts, which eliminated most of their testimony on the FMCSR and liability. During trial, the defense team was successful in obtaining directed verdict on several of the claims, leaving only an independent negligence claim for the jury to decide. The jury returned the defense verdict in a matter of hours.

The case is Jendro v. Mariscal-Dominguez et al., District Court, City and County of Denver, State of Colorado, Case No. 2011CV8543.