Motor Vehicle Accident Victim Represented By Attorney John A. Collins, III Awarded $1,053,356 by Arbitrator in Recent Verdict

5/25/2010

Kathy Jacobs, formerly of Terryville, Connecticut was awarded $1,053,356.39 by an arbitrator in a verdict released in late March, 2010. Jacobs, represented by Attorneys John A. Collins, III and Michael V. Sage of New London’s Suisman Shapiro law firm, was injured on Route 2A in Montville, Connecticut on December 28, 2007.

Jacobs had been proceeding westbound on Route 2A when she noticed that a vehicle driven by Michael Lansinger had crashed into the center median barrier on Route 2A eastbound. Ms. Jacobs pulled her vehicle off the roadway and attempted to assist Lansinger. In the process of assisting Lansinger, she and Lansinger were struck by a vehicle driven by Andrew Milunus, resulting in severe leg injuries to Jacobs and the death of Lansinger. Jacobs underwent extensive rehabilitation, including physical and occupation therapy, to treat her injuries.

Collins, commenting on the decision, expressed “appreciation that our arbitrator gave careful consideration to the complex legal issues raised by this case.” In particular, claims were made by Jacobs against Milunus, and also against Lansinger under Connecticut’s “rescue doctrine”. Attorney Collins noted that “the rescue doctrine is an infrequently used legal concept under Connecticut law which was appropriately applied in this case based upon the unusual fact pattern”.

Jacobs sustained serious and demonstrative injuries resulting in an award of $153,356.39 in economic damages and $900,000 in non-economic damages.