Seattle Jury Awards $13.1 Million to Ultramarathon Runner After Crippling Sidewalk Fall

Seattle, WA — In a significant legal decision, a King County jury has awarded $13.1 million in damages to a former ultramarathon runner who suffered a severe injury from a fall on a Seattle sidewalk back in 2021. This landmark case highlights the responsibilities of city management and property owners in maintaining public passageways. Lesley Mettler Auld, a 53-year-old professional fitness coach and seasoned ultramarathon athlete, encountered a life-changing moment when she fell on an algae-covered patch of sidewalk in Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood. The accident has left her with enduring physical challenges that have … Read more

$4.66 Million Verdict Upheld Against Former Charleston Battery Owner for Assault with Golf Cart Over Bar Tab Dispute

Sullivan’s Island, SC – A South Carolina judge has confirmed a multi-million dollar jury decision against Eric Bowman, a tech entrepreneur and the former owner of the Charleston Battery soccer team, stemming from a 2018 altercation where he was accused of using a golf cart to assault Wallace “B.J.” Crosby. The verdict, issued in June, demands from Bowman over $4.66 million in damages. The incident occurred outside Dunleavy’s Pub on Sullivan’s Island when Crosby, whose fiancee was working as a bartender at the establishment, confronted Bowman about an unpaid $124 bar tab. According to court … Read more

San Diego County Settles for $15 Million in Jail Death Lawsuit, Promises Reform After Tragic Loss of Pregnant Woman

San Diego, CA – San Diego County and its private healthcare contractor have settled for $15 million in a lawsuit following the death of Elisa Serna, a 24-year-old pregnant woman who died in custody at Las Colinas jail nearly five years ago. The settlement comes just weeks before the case was scheduled to be heard by a federal jury. Serna tragically lost her life after collapsing in her cell, a distressing event that was witnessed by a sheriff’s deputy and a medical worker who subsequently left her unattended. This forthcoming payment marks the largest wrongful-death … Read more

Court Increases Financial Penalty for White Nationalists to $2 Million Over Charlottesville Rally Violence

Charlottesville, Va. — A Virginia judge has mandated that prominent white nationalists, including some organizers of the 2017 Unite the Right rally, pay an additional $2 million in punitive damages. This decision escalates the financial repercussions stemming from their roles in the violent events that disrupted Charlottesville, resulting in widespread injury and the death of one woman. The order, issued by Charlottesville Circuit Court Judge Richard E. Moore, supplements an earlier ruling where the defendants were already found liable for planning and participating in the rally which turned calamitously violent. This new penalty brings their … Read more