Ann Arbor, Michigan – Garan Lucow Miller P.C. is pleased to announce that our Shareholder and Managing Attorney John Whitman successfully secured a defense verdict for Vedos Trucking who was insured through SECURA Insurance.
In this automobile/trucking case, the plaintiff claimed that he was sideswiped by the defendant truck driver on I-94. He rolled over and crashed. The plaintiff alleged that he had back and neck injuries requiring surgery because of this accident. But the defendant truck driver maintained that the plaintiff drove into the back of his truck, asserting that he was not at fault for the accident.
During the trial preparation, John reviewed the case details and formulated a strategic approach to jury selection and arguments. The plaintiff’s counsel tried to anchor the jury’s perception of damages in the range of $1 million to $3 million during voir dire. At the start of his questioning, John directly addressed this anchoring by asking the jury how many believed the case was worth $1 million to $3 million. At first, every juror raised their hand, suggesting a strong initial bias towards the plaintiff’s suggested range.
Neutralizing Plaintiff’s Numbers:
Undeterred, John diligently worked to neutralize the plaintiff’s inflated numbers. Through methodical questioning and presenting logical arguments, he gradually shifted the jurors’ perceptions. By the end of his voir dire, John had successfully influenced the jury to reconsider the value of the case, with the final juror remarking, “Well, I guess $25,000 is a lot of money.”
Outcome:
Thanks to John’s effective voir dire and defense strategy, he secured a no cause for action defense verdict for the client, zero dollars awarded for damages. This case exemplifies how a well-prepared and strategic approach to jury selection and argumentation can significantly influence the outcome of a trial, even when initial juror perceptions are heavily skewed.
About Garan Lucow Miller P.C.
With over 50 attorneys located throughout the Great Lakes Region, Garan Lucow Miller provides quality representation on a personalized basis by maintaining an attorney presence throughout the region. Our attorneys are exceptionally knowledgeable, experienced, and diverse, bringing different perspectives, experiences, backgrounds, talents, and interests to the practice of law.
As we have developed and added more highly qualified attorneys to our firm, Garan Lucow Miller has expanded into more areas of practice. From our original focus on defense, in virtually every area of tort litigation in Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois, Garan Lucow Miller has grown into a full-service law firm.
Since 1948, we have been meeting our clients’ needs from No-Fault and Automobile Negligence, Admiralty Law, Business Transactions, Commercial Litigation, Municipal Law, Premises Liability, Real Estate Transactions to Zoning, and several other practice areas.