Mollie Benedict and Chris Lam
IADC members Chris Lam (Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP) and Mollie Benedict (Tucker Ellis LLP), along with colleagues Tamara Boles and Aggie Lee, recently obtained a unanimous defense verdict in Riverside County, California after a two-week jury trial in a wrongful death case. The team spent 22 days in Menifee, California and the jury needed just 1.5 hours to determine that the defendant company’s employee was not negligent when the side mirror of his service van struck a woman running in the roadway before sunrise. Plaintiffs’ counsel asked the jury to award $25.7 million in damages to the decedent’s three children. The trial included expert witnesses in accident reconstruction and nighttime visibility and conspicuity, police officers who investigated the accident and did a forensic examination of the driver’s cell phones, an expert economist, and other fact witnesses including the employee driver and the two friends who were running with the decedent and wearing a headlamp and illuminated vest at the time of the accident. Below is a photo of the victorious team and a key piece of demonstrative evidence. Peter Choate, a newer IADC member, also provided invaluable pre-trial assistance with briefing related to motions in limine and jury instructions and objections.
This is another successful example of #ThinkIADCFirst as Chris, who is national counsel for the client company, asked Mollie to serve as California co-counsel and they marshalled the resources of their respective firms to deliver this result for the happy client.