At Andrews, Knowles & Princenthal, we resolve disputes using negotiation, mediation, and litigation. In personal injury cases we work to obtain the maximum possible compensation.
Significant cases which the firm has been successful include Personal Injury and Environmental Torts:
Personal Injury
Motor-Vehicle v. Cyclist Collision:
$900,000 Pre-Suit Settlement - August 2010
Our client was riding his bicycle to work when he was struck by a motorist who failed to yield the right-of-way. Our client fell, struck his head, and developed a subdural hematoma (a pool blood between his skull and the dura, which surrounds the brain). A neurosurgeon had to drain the hematomoa by drilling two small holes in our client's skull. We obtained a sworn statement from our client's neurosurgeon and submitted a settlement demand to the at-fault driver's insurance company. Our demand resulted in a $900,000 settlement.
Dangerous Premises / Explosion:
Confidential Settlement - May 2010
United States District Court, Middle District of Georgia (Valdosta);
Our client was a millwright from Alabama. The company he worked for was hired to renovate the inside of a chemical plant in South Georgia. The Defendant company knew that airborne dust inside its facility could explode if ignited. Defendant was responsible for cleaning and removing the dust prior to our client commencing work which would include the use of a blow torch. After Defendant certified that the area had been cleaned and authorized our client to proceed, our client began work using a blow torch. While our client was working with the blow torch, combustible dust rained down on top of him from the rafters above, causing an explosion. Our client suffered burns and a permanent injury to his back, resulting in spinal fusion surgery. Defendants initially denied responsibility and blamed our client. However, after we defeated the Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment, Defendants agreed to settle the case.
Motor Vehicle Collision (Commercial Truck);
$4,686,616.90 Jury Trial Verdict - March 2009
Collie M. Middlebrooks v. Kimberly Davis, John Spencer Royalston & Georgia Sandwich Co., Inc.:
State Court of DeKalb County;
Our client suffered serious injuries to his hip and wrist during a three-vehicle collision, ultimately requiring several surgeries, including a total hip replacement. We sued the drivers of the two other vehicles involved. One Defendant - Davis - was driving her own vehicle at the time of the wreck. The other Defendant - Royalston - was driving a truck owned by Defendant Georgia Sandwich Company and was in the course and scope of his employment at the time of the wreck. Through our investigation, we discovered that Defendant Royalston had a long history of moving violations, including numerous speeding citations and that Georgia Sandwich was aware of this history when the company hired Royalston and put him behind the wheel of their commercial truck. In addition, we learned that Royalston's supervisor at Georgia Sandwich had reported Royalston's dangerous driving tendencies to the owner of the company. Therefore, in addition to suing the two at-fault drivers, we sued Georgia Sandwich for negligently hiring and negligently retaining Royalston. The jury's verdict included $1,000,000 in punitive damages against Georgia Sandwich Company for recklessly setting Royalston loose on Georgia roadways.
Wrongful Death / Dangerous Product:
$1,200,000 Settlement Prior to Trial - January 2008
We represented the mother of a young woman who died when the SUV she was driving rolled-over following a tire blow-out. We sued the manufacturer of the SUV due to the defective design of the vehicle. Specifically, we alleged that the vehicle was prone to rolling over and that the roof was not sturdy enough. The issue of causation was hotly disputed. In addition, we faced serious concerns about the manufacturer's economic viability and potential bankruptcy at the time. Nevertheless, we were able to obtain a $1.2 million dollar settlement for our client.
Dangerous Premises / Lack of Security at Crime Ridden Shopping Center
Confidential Settlement During Trial - April 2007
Our client's son was assaulted at a DeKalb County shopping center owned and operated by Defendants. Our investigation revealed that the Defendants failed to provide any security at the shopping center though Defendants knew that crime was rampant at the shopping center and despite the fact that Defendants' commercial tenants had requested security in the past. Moreover, Defendants had previously been sued for failing to provide adequate security at the shopping center following the abduction and rape of a woman who worked at a supermarket located within the shopping center. After defeating multiple motions for summary judgment filed by Defendants, we proceeded to trial in the State Court of Fulton County, Georgia. Defendants agreed to a confidential settlement during jury selection.
Wrongful Death / Dangerous Premises:
Confidential Settlement Prior To Trial - February 2007
We represented the mother of a 4 year old boy who fell to his death from the balcony of an Atlanta hotel. We alleged that the hotel negligently failed to make the premises safe because the spaces between the bars surrounding the balcony were too wide, i.e., the spaces were wide enough for a small child to fit through. We were able to resolve this case prior to trial and, thereby, avoid what would have been an emotionally traumatic trial for our client.
Dangerous Premises / Malfunctioning Elevator;
$418,794.00 Jury Trial Verdict -April 2006
Superior Court of Fulton County, GA;
Donna G. Mitchell v. Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority and Schindler Elevator Co.:
Our client tripped while entering a misleveled elevator inside a MARTA station. Our client had undergone a knee replacement approximately 10 years prior to this incident. As a result of the fall at the MARTA station, our client had to have surgery to repair the knee which had previously been replaced. Our investigation revealed that the elevator in question misleveled on a regular basis due to a design flaw and that MARTA had been aware of the problem prior to our client's injury, but had failed to fix it. Defendants MARTA and Schindler Elevator Company denied liability and denied that our client's injury was caused by the fall in question. However, the jury disagreed with the Defendants and returned a verdict for our client against both Defendants in the amount of $418,794.00
