In a liability dispute case heard in Jackson County, the plaintiff claimed he was sideswiped by the defendant’s truck driver on Interstate 94. The plaintiff alleged this collision caused his vehicle to roll over and crash. Conversely, 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.
The case was tried by SECURA Insurance. During trial preparation, defense counsel 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, defense counsel 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.
Undeterred, defense counsel 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, defense counsel had successfully influenced the jury to reconsider the value of the case. According to defense counsel, the final juror remarked, “Well, I guess $25,000 is a lot of money.”
Defense counsel provided case information.
Type of action: Auto/trucking
Injuries alleged: Surgical back and neck
Name of case: Brown v. Vedos Trucking
Court/Case no./Date: Jackson County Circuit Court; 04/12/2024
Tried before: Jury
Name of judge: Hon. Thomas Wilson
Demand: $1,000,000-$3,000,000
Highest offer: $250,000
Case evaluation: $350,000
Verdict amount: $0
Special damages: $30,000 in medical
Most helpful expert: Charles Funk, PhD., expert crash engineer
Insurance carrier: SECURA
Attorney for defendant: John
Whitman , Ann Arbor
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