Case Results

Results matter.  The Hamilton Firm has a proven track record of successful verdicts and settlements, and we are proud of the results we have obtained for our clients in past cases.  However, every case is different.  Recent settlements and verdicts listed below were dictated by the specific factual and legal circumstances of each case.  The following is not intended to be an indication that the same results could be obtained for other clients in  other cases.

$17,500,000 Settlement in Federal Class Action Case

John Chandler served as local counsel in a federal class action case in which a $17.5 million dollar settlement was obtained.

  • $3,500,000 Verdict in Texting While Driving Case

    On September 7, 2012, in Hamilton County Circuit Court (Tennessee), a jury returned a verdict of $3,500,000 for Marcus Black, who sustained a severe head injury when his motorcycle struck the rear of the vehicle ahead of him on one of the bridges in Chattanooga.  The chain reaction was triggered by a texting driver in the traffic ahead of Mr. Black.

  • $5,366,855.99 Products Liability Verdict in Georgia for Below the Elbow Amputation

    On September 15, 2013, the plaintiff, a machine operator and material handler at Unique Fabricating South in LaFayette, Georgia, suffered an amputation of his dominant left hand and part of his forearm, while operating a Bruno FH150 Press. Unique Fabricating manufactures parts for the automotive industry. The Bruno press was used to create pieces of acoustical material and die cut foam rubber, and was configured to cut a number of small pieces each time the press operated, like a large repetitive cookie cut

  • $1,500,000 Settlement Obtained in Truck Wreck Case

    $1.5 million settlement on truck wreck case. Patrick Cruise lead counsel.

  • $1,500,000 Traumatic Brain Injury Case Resolved Before Trial

    In a tragic case, our client was working on a roof at a restaurant when he stepped on a blue tarp.  Unknown to our client, the tarp covered an opening between two buildings. Our client fell to the ground and sustained a traumatic brain injury. The owner of the building sought to blame our client, and asserted comparative fault. The case was resolved before trial for $1.5 million. John Chandler represented the Plaintiff.

  • $1,400,000 Georgia Workers Comp Case

    A young machine operator and material handler at a North Georgia manufacturing plant suffered a below the elbow amputation to his left arm in an industrial accident involving a press in 2013. The case was accepted as catastrophic. After projecting future medical needs, and obtaining CMS approval for a Medicare Set-Aside, which included prosthetic maintenance and replacement, the case settled for a present cash value total of $1,428,526.00

  • $1,100,000 Settlement Reached in Traumatic Brain Injury Case Against RSB Logistics After Georgia Crash

    Michael Nordone v. RSB Logistics, No: 4:08-cv-2-HLM, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia.  Battling against strong headwinds, including an unfavorable report and opinions from the investigating state trooper, a client who could not remember what happened, and very inconsistent statements from the only eyewitness, a favorable settlement of $1,100,000 was reached after mediation in June 2009.

  • $1,050,000 Settlement in Alabama for Cable TV Lineman

    A cable TV lineman was severely injured when the utility pole he was working on fell while he was strapped on working about 25 feet above the ground.  The pole was owned and supposedly maintained by the local electric utility cooperative.

  • $978,488.93 Tennessee Tractor Trailer Wreck

    On May 23, 2017, Lisa Steketee was driving her tractor trailer east on I-24 in Marion County, Tennessee. Defendant Sellers was also operating a tractor trailer, for Driving Force, traveling behind the Plaintiff’s vehicle, when he suddenly crashed into the back of Ms. Steketee’s tractor trailer. Patrick A. Cruise served as co-counsel for the Plaintiff, along with Brad Bradshaw of Missouri, Sketekee v. Floyd Sellers and Driving Force Logistics.

  • $925,000 Settlement Obtained

    Bryan State Court, Georgia. Hubert E. Hamilton lead counsel for the plaintiff

  • $850,000 Settlement Obtained for Truck Crash Victim

    Patrick Cruise was associated by Tennessee counsel to litigate a trucking case in Georgia for a Tennessee resident who was injured as the result of a truck crash in Georgia. Patrick was able to obtain $850,000.00 in compensation for the injured client.

  • $792,500 Georgia Jury Awards for Motorcycle Driver with Severely Fractured Ankle

    A Walker County jury awarded damages totaling $792,500, on March 11, 2010, for a 39 year-old self-employed roofer/sheet metal fabricator injured in a bad wreck two years before. On a Sunday afternoon the plaintiff had taken his Harley motorcycle out for a ride over to his mother’s house. As he cruised along a rural roadway near Chickamauga, Georgia at a safe speed, a Buick Skylark, driven by an 88 year-old man, suddenly turned left directly in front of him.

  • $784,767.65 Tennessee Jury Finds Nationwide Insurance Guilty of Bad Faith for Refusing to Pay Christmas Fire Loss Awards Damages

    Jury Verdict of $784,676.65 was returned in a fire loss case against Nationwide Insurance Company in the Circuit Court of Hamilton County, Tennessee in a six day trial concluded on November 9, 2011, O’Neal v. Nationwide. The fire originated in a Christmas tree that Mrs. O’Neal had just put up the night before the fire in December 2009.

  • $595,000 California Trucking Company to Settle Tennessee Wrongful Death Case

    Annette Palmer, age 45, died tragically in a wreck on I-81 in Sullivan County, Tennessee on January 18, 2013.  It was after midnight and she was a back seat passenger in a Ford Focus driven by her adult daughter.  It was cold and snowy and weather conditions were deteriorating as they traveled north.  Suddenly the car spun out of control due to black ice on the road and came to a stop in the middle of the northbound traffic lanes.

  • $550,000 Settlement for Father and Son Injured in Georgia Wreck

    A father and his young son were injured in a wreck in Walker County, Georgia in 2017, when another vehicle pulled out in front of them, causing serious injury to the child. The family was represented by Patrick Cruise, and recently settled for a total of $550,000.

  • $500,000.00 Settlement for Plaintiff in a Truck v. Truck Case

    Patrick A. Cruise was associated by out of state counsel to litigate a case involving a collision between two trucks in a parking lot in Tennessee. The Plaintiff sustained soft tissue injuries. The case settled a few months before trial for $500,000.00. Carroll v. Eagle Tranz, Inc., and Varinder Pal Singh, (E.D.Tenn. 2022).

  • $500,000 Delivery Driver Struck by Babb Lumber Yard Truck – Georgia Case Settled

    Mediation on October 16, 2013 resulted in a $500,000 settlement in Thomas L. Cates & Erika R. Cates v. Babb Lumber Company, Inc. et al, Superior Court of Catoosa County, Civil Action No. 2012-SU-CV-1692.  On October 12, 2010  the Plaintiff, Tommy Cates, a fuel truck driver for Parman Energy made a routine delivery to Babb Lumber in Ringgold.

  • $380,000 Chattanooga Truck Wreck Case Resolved Before Trial

    The Plaintiff was rear ended while on the interstate in Chattanooga by a box truck from Texas. At first, the Plaintiff hired a local television lawyer. After 9 months, the television lawyer told her she should settle her case for less than $15,000. The Plaintiff fired the lawyer and then hired Patrick Cruise. Patrick filed suit in Federal Court and shortly before trial, the case was settled for $380,000.00.

  • $350,000 Cargo Falling From Rear of Tractor Trailer Case Settled

    The Plaintiff, a truck driver, picked up a load of parts in Tennessee and drove his tractor trailer to the manufacturing facility in Georgia where they would be unloaded.  In preparation for backing up to the loading dock, he stopped and opened the rear doors to the trailer.  As he did so, a large and heavy bundle of shrink wrapped boxes fell out on top of him.

  • $300,000 Settlement For Man Knocked Down and Dragged by Tow Truck Pulling SUV

    On January 22, 2014, in the evening, the plaintiff was at New Calhoun Auto Auction in Calhoun, Georgia to look at cars offered for sale. While inspecting a Tahoe that was parked but hooked up to a tow truck, he was seriously injured. Just as he was opening the driver’s side door, the vehicle suddenly moved forwards, knocking him down and dragging him along the ground.

  • $300,000 Tennessee Backhoe Case Settled

    An experienced heavy equipment operator was using a backhoe to dump a dogwood tree in Chattanooga when the hydraulics failed, causing the machine to roll uncontrolled down a hill and into a light standard.  The operator was ejected from the machine, and sustained serious injuries.  Plaintiff filed suit against the rental company for failure to maintain the backhoe, which resulted in hydraulic failure.

  • $300,000 Settlement for Severe Ankle Injury

    The Plaintiff, a retired school teacher, was driving home on a residential road in Hamilton County, Tennessee, when another driver inexplicably turned left in front of her. As a result of the crash, the plaintiff sustained a closed ankle fracture dislocation, which necessitated open reduction internal fixation surgery. The case was settled prior to trial for $300,000.00. Patrick A. Cruise represented the Plaintiff.

  • $250,000.00 Jury Verdict Against Wal-Mart

    The jury returned a verdict of $250,000.00 in favor of a very nice lady who slipped on some sugar as a Wal-Mart in Cleveland, TN. The Plaintiff ended up having to have an arthroscopic surgery on her knee, and incurred $22,429.18 in medical expenses. Wal-Mart was found to be 75% at fault for the incident, with the Plaintiff being 25% at fault, which reduced her recovery by 25%. Wal-Mart satisfied the verdict after trial.

  • $250,000 Collision with School Bus on Wrong Side of Road

    On January 29, 2013, the plaintiff rounded a sharp curve on a narrow road in Hamilton County, and encountered a large yellow school bus encroaching into her lane as it entered the curve from the opposite direction.  She slammed on her brakes and slid into the bus, injuring both knees, including a comminuted left patellar fracture, as well as her neck and back.

  • $250,000 Georgia Premises Liability Case Settled

    Imagine checking into a Wingate Hotel in while travelling for business, taking a relaxing bath, and then when getting out, falling backwards into the tub when the grab bar you are using to pull yourself up breaks loose from the wall.  The result was a serious back injury to the plaintiff.  The lawsuit was filed in Cobb State Court, against the former owners of the Kennesaw, Georgia hotel and Wingate, Bright v. Sandstone Hospitality LLC.

  • $240,000 Settlement for Worker with Valley Fever

    In 2011, the employee spent months working in California, and was exposed to coccidioides, also known as Valley Fever.   Around Thanksgiving, he became very sick.  It took months for the medical professionals to determine the diagnosis, and when they finally did, the workers’ compensation insurance company refused to acknowledge that the condition was related to the employee’s work in California.

  • $150,000 Settlement in Zipline Injury Case

    On July 6, 2018, Dwayne, his wife and daughter were on vacation in East Tennessee and decided to go ziplining at Legacy Mountain Zip Line. On the second course of the zip line, Dwayne’s primary braking mechanism failed. He ended up colliding with a steel pole covered with a small pad at the end of the zip line. Dwayne suffered from serious injuries, including broken ribs, as a result of the impact.

  • Confidential Settlement I-24 Crash Case in Georgia Against Hill-Rom

    County, Georgia, near the I-59 “split”. Scott was trailing a vehicle about 100 yards ahead, when suddenly another vehicle appeared from darkness, coming right at him, traveling on the wrong side of the road. It side swiped the vehicle ahead, and then crashed head-on into Scott’s tractor. Scott sustained serious injuries, including spinal injuries eventually requiring surgery.

  • Confidential Settlement Sanctions Order Entered Against Waffle House Defendants for Destruction of Videotape in Products Liability Case

    In Parajuli v. Choo-Choo Waffles LLC, Case No. 16-C-05989-4, Gwinnett State Court, the Plaintiffs alleged that in 2015, the Defendants served their minor child hot chocolate in a Waffle House restaurant in Cleveland, Tennessee, and that as the child attempted to sip the drink, the lid came off and extremely hot liquid spilled down her chest, causing her to suffer severe burns.

  • Confidential Settlement Settlement in Tractor Trailer Case

    On May 31, 2018, Mrs. Raines was driving her vehicle in Catoosa County, Georgia, attempting to exit the Wal-Mart parking lot.  At the same time, a driver for New Bern Transport was attempting to turn left into the parking lot to make a delivery.   Despite Mrs. Raines backing up repeatedly to give the truck driver more space, the trailer on the defendants tractor collided with Mrs. Raines' vehicle.

  • Confidential Settlement Product Liability Case Against Flex Seal Resolved

    On April 15, 2019, Johnny Jones was outside of his house spraying a large flowerpot with Flex Seal. After a short period of time, there was a loud pop and a sudden flash of fire and flame, which burned his face, arms and hair. He was using the product in a well-ventilated area, with no source of flame or ignition nearby. The Hamilton Firm filed a product liability lawsuit on his behalf the manufacturer and distributor of Flex Seal.

  • Confidential Settlement Settlement Reached in Georgia Crash Caused by Tractor Trailer Hauling Live Chickens

    On November 16, 2014, David Woodward was driving his 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier, southbound along Highway 151, in rural Walker County, Georgia. It was dark, wet, and rainy night around 8:30 p.m. The speed limit was 55 mph, but Woodward was driving about 12-15 miles per hour under the speed limit. He saw headlights in the distance approaching him from the opposite direction.

  • Confidential Settlement Collision With Goodwill Industries Tractor Trailer In Nashville Injures Musician

    On August 24, 2015, plaintiff, a self-employed musician, was driving her 2003 Toyota Camry traveling west on Berry Road in Nashville, Tennessee. Suddenly, a tractor-trailer pulled out in front of her from a driveway at the Goodwill Store, attempting to make a right turn onto Berry Road. The plaintiff crashed into the tractor-trailer.

  • Confidential Settlement Wrongful Death Settlement Reached in Tragic Tennessee Truck Wreck

    Ricky Lee McCurry, a truck driver, from North Carolina, was killed in a tragic wreck in Cocke County, Tennessee September 16, 2014.  A local towing company had a big load of pallets from a previous wreck that needed to be transported to Knoxville.  Early in the morning, in the dark before sunrise, two Hartford Towing employees were using a tow truck to pull a low boy trailer loaded with blue pallets.

  • Confidential Settlement Motorist Escaping Wreck on Foot in Chattanooga Hit by Tractor Trailer

    On November 25, 2013 at night, Devontay Thomas was traveling through Chattanooga, eastbound on I-24, when his Honda Civic was suddenly struck in the rear by an unknown vehicle that then fled the scene of the crash. The Civic spun out of control and hit another passenger vehicle, then eventually came to a stop in the middle lane of the interstate.

  • Confidential Settlement Settlement Reached for Bobtailing Master Driver Trainer Hit By Another Tractor Trailer in Georgia

    On August 27, 2013, the plaintiff, a “master driver trainer” for a Chattanooga trucking company, was bobtailing in Dalton, Georgia, with a co-worker in the passenger seat, northbound on Yeager Drive, approaching the intersection with GA Connector 3. The intersection was controlled by a traffic light. As the light changed to green, the plaintiff pulled out, intending to turn left.

  • Confidential Settlement Settlement Reached in Tennessee Wrongful Death Case, Where Canadian Truck Driver Had Stopped to Urinate on the Side of the Interstate Causing Tragic Rear End Collision

    On July 17, 2014, Matt Marcone, age 49 and father of three, was killed in a tragic crash on I-75 in McMinn County Tennessee.  Self-employed, he was returning home to Florida from Ohio in his Honda Odyssey, when he ran into the rear of a tractor trailer, collapsing the rear underride or “ICC” bar, and killing him instantly.  Witness accounts were conflicting, but the investigating officer assumed Marcone was distracted and hit the trailer at a high rate of speed.

  • Confidential Settlement Confidential Settlement Against One Beacon

    In McDonald v. OneBeacon America Insurance Company (No. 4:14cv118)(N.D. Ga.), Mrs. McDonald’s husband died while driving his tractor trailer.  Mrs. McDonald made a claim against OneBeacon for occupational death benefits under a policy of insurance obtained by her husband prior to his death.  One Beacon denied the claim, citing to a number of policy provisions and exclusions.

  • Confidential Settlement Arch Chemical Fire Case Settled

    On June 12, 2011, a fire broke out in the chlorine rework process area of the HTH building at the Arch Chemical plant in Charleston, Tennessee.  Arch Chemicals manufactures chlorine products for swimming pools, working in close association with Olin Corporation, which is located on the same property.  Very quickly heat, chlorine gas and smoke filled the building and were soon boiling out of the roof vents several floor above.

  • Confidential Settlement Premises Liability Case Settled

    Sarah Pierce vs. Lookout Property Management, Inc. and Battlewood Apartments, Ltd. Superior Court of Catoosa County; Civil Action No. 2012-SU-CV-1044, was settled in August 2013 under a confidentiality agreement prohibiting disclosure of the amount paid.

  • Confidential Settlement Occupational Disability Claim Resolved

    Holder v. Great American Ins. Co., No. 1:11-cv-00276 (U.S. Dist. Court, Eastern District of Tenn.):  The Plaintiff became disabled as the result of a serious occupational injury in 2005.  He was paid benefits for two years, at which time, his benefits stopped.  The Occupational Disability Policy required the plaintiff to remain disabled after two years, and be approved for Social Security Disability.

  • Confidential Settlement Industrial Premises Tort Case Settled

    Barrow v. Velsicol Chemical, LLC, 2:10-CV-02540, United States District Court (W.D. Tenn.): The plaintiff sustained a back injury while attempting to load his tanker with hydrochloric acid (HCL) at the defendant’s facility in Memphis, Tennessee.  On July 15, 2009, as the plaintiff was standing on the HCL loading ramp, the metal grating on the ramp platform suddenly gave way, causing injury to the plaintiff’s lower back.

  • Confidential Settlement Brain Injury Due to Boiler Explosion Case Settled

    Marc Beck v. FM Global, et al, Case No. 11VS184780C, Fulton State Court, Atlanta, Georgia, was settled in December 2011 for a confidential amount. A boiler service technician sustained severe head, brain and facial injuries in a boiler explosion at a poultry plant in Gainesville, Georgia on January 14, 2008, The plaintiff was an employee of a boiler service company who was sent to switch fuel supply for the boiler from gas over to fuel oil.