In August 2011, attorney Matt Haynes won a $550,000 jury verdict for his 90-year-old client who had been run over by a valet driver at the Isle of Capri Casino as she was exiting her vehicle. The Casino sought a new trial on the grounds that the video footage of the accident had been improperly admitted and used during the trial and that improper closing argument had inflamed the jury.
In December 2011, after the trial court denied the Casino’s motion for new trial, the Casino appealed the decision to the Fourth District Court of Appeal. Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath’s appellate attorney successfully moved for an expedited appeal based on the age and infirm health of our client. As the jury had awarded our client money specifically for required attendant care, a lengthy appellate process would have left our client without that care in the interim. After hearing oral arguments in early May 2012, the Fourth District issued a per curiam affirmance the following week leaving the Casino no choice but to end their delay tactics and pay the judgment.
