Since 1979 our law firm has resolved more than 19,000 cases. The cases listed below are a few of the significant settlements that we have recovered for our clients.

$6,900,000 Product Liability and Auto Accident with Catastrophic Injury, Indian River County
Our client, a 63 year old grandmother, was driving her vehicle at night when suddenly and unexpectantly a sailboat mast penetrated through the windshield of her car. The mast which came through the windshield was stored on a boat trailer that was being towed by the owner of a 35 foot racing sailboat. Amazingly our client survived the accident however she sustained catastrophic injuries requiring multiple facial, brain, and eye surgeries. Our litigation team immediately filed lawsuit against the owner of the sailboat, the driver that was towing the sailboat, the manufacturer of the sailboat and the manufacturer of the trailer for the sailboat. After extensive litigation in Federal Court, we were able to prove that the design of the trailer and the positioning of the mast on the trailer were defective. Just prior to trial, the case was resolved for $6.9 million.

$2,960,000 Auto Accident Injury Requiring Neck Surgery, Broward County
Our client, a 47 year old emergency room physician, was involved in a head on collision while on a vacation in St Augustine, Florida. Immediately following the accident, our client was taken to the hospital and complained of neck pain. However, within one week he was able to return to work. Over four years following the accident, our client underwent neck surgery to repair a herniated disk injury that he sustained in his automobile accident. The driver that caused the accident was underinsured and therefore a lawsuit was filed against our client’s own automobile insurance company (Nationwide Insurance Co.). Prior to trial, Nationwide offered $300,000 to settle the lawsuit. After a seven day jury trial, the jury returned a verdict in the amount of $2,960,000.

$1,950,000 Fetal Distress, Indian River County
Our client, parents of a new born infant, will care for their severely impaired brain damaged child for the rest of the child's life. During the final stages of labor, the attending physician obstetrician failed to monitor vital signs of both mother and child. A Caesarian section when finally ordered was too late to prevent brain damage to the child. The case was settled following a court ordered mediation, but prior to the trial.

$1,750,000 Auto Accident Injury Requiring Neck Surgery, Polk County
Our client, a 47-year-old neurosurgeon was driving his automobile to work when he was rear ended by the defendant and pushed into the car in front of him. Our client returned to work following the accident and sought immediate treatment for neck pain that radiated down his arm. After three years of attempting to deal with the continued neck pain, our client elected to undergo a three level cervical diskectomy and fusion neck surgery. As a result of the neck injury and subsequent surgery, our client was forced to end his career as a neurosurgeon. A lawsuit was filed and within several months a settlement was reached.

$1,015,000 Automobile Strikes Pedestrian, Broward County
Our client, a 69 year old woman, brought her car into a gas station for servicing. The owner of the gas station left the car unattended an in drive with the parking brake engaged, resulting in the car running over our client. She sustained numerous fractured bones and a mangled left arm, rendering it useless. The defense contested that the actions of the defendant were not negligent. After the filing of a lawsuit and numerous depositions, the defendant settled for its $1,000,000 policy limits.

$1,000,000 Commercial Truck Accident – Wrongful Death Action, Lee County
Our client, a 52 year-old husband and father of 2 minor children, lost his life when a commercial truck caused his vehicle to leave the highway and rollover into a canal. On behalf of the surviving wife and 2 minor children, we filed a wrongful death action against the owner and driver of the commercial truck. Through working closely with our investigator and accident reconstruction experts, we were able to prove that the driver of the commercial truck was at fault for the accident. The case was resolved for the defendant’s policy limits of $1,000,000.

$900,000 Rental Car Collision, Broward County
In early 1999, an uninsured driver raced through a flashing red light directly into the left side of a vehicle in which our client, a young woman, was a passenger. Our client and two other victims were pronounced dead at the scene. Pursuant to Florida's dangerous instrumentality law, we filed suit against the rental car company that owned the car driven by uninsured driver. The rental car company argued that they should not be liable, because the uninsured driver that caused the accident was different than the driver who originally rented the car. In pre-trial mediation the case was settled for $900,000.

$675,000 Neck Injury Auto Accident, Broward County
What appeared to be a simple fender bender for this 28 year old female client was in fact more serious. For two weeks following the accident she needed no medical care. Ultimately, she developed neck pain and sought chiropractic care. Seven months later her injury necessitated neck surgery. The neck surgery was unsuccessful and two additional surgeries were required. The case was settled at a voluntary pre-suit mediation for $675,000.

$640,000 Severe Burns In Auto Accident, Desoto County
Our client, an 18 year old man, was driving across an intersection when he drove underneath a tractor/trailer truck. Upon impact, our client's vehicle caught on fire and he suffered severe burns to his body. We pursued our case against the owner of the truck. The case was settled at a court ordered mediation for $640,000.

$500,000 Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect, Palm Beach County
Our client, a 95 year old man, developed over 20 bedsores and suffered several falls as a resident in defendant's nursing home. This case was settled prior to trial.

$490,000 Wrongful Death, Broward County
Our clients are the surviving mother and father of a twenty-five year old son killed by an intoxicated driver. The drunk driver maintained a $10,000 auto insurance policy. The drunk driver's insurance company failed to pay the policy limits within the time specified by Dell & Schaefer. Subsequently, the policy limits of $10,000 were offered by the insurance company and rejected by our clients. The suit against the drunk driver's insurance company proceeded under a legal theory known as \Bad Faith.\ Prior to trial, at a court ordered mediation, the drunk driver's insurance company agreed to pay $490,000, despite the fact that their original expense was only $10,000.

$325,000 Motorcycle Accident, Broward County
The defendant made a left turn out of a shopping center directly in the path of our client's motorcycle. Our client did not have time to stop and she crashed into the defendant's car. As a result of the accident, our client sustained a fracture to her right ankle, sprained right hand, abrasions to the right elbow, and an injury to her right knee. The case was resolved prior to trial for $325,000.

$300,000 Accident Accelerates Alzheimer's Disease, Dade County
Our client, a 64 year old woman, was walking across the street with her husband, when she was struck by an 87 year old motorist. The woman hit her head on the pavement and in the months subsequent to the accident she began to show signs of confusion. The treating neurologist and neuro psychologist believe that the head trauma may have accelerated her Alzheimer's disease. Settled prior to suit for the policy limits of $300,000.

$300,000 Automobile Accident, Passenger in Taxi, Hillsboro County
Our client, a 55 year old woman, was a passenger in a taxi that rear ended another car at a high rate of speed. Our client suffered a laceration to her scalp and cervical herniated discs. Our client underwent a successful cervical fusion and missed approximately 3 months from work resulting in a $7,000 wage loss. Case settled for policy limits of $300,000.

$250,000 Automobile accident, Red light Collision, Dade County
Our client, a 77 year-old widow, was involved in an auto accident, which was the direct result of the defendant running a red light. Our client sustained a subdural hematoma to the right side of the brain and injured her legs, right arm and right shoulder. A procedure to drain the hematoma was successful and she is now back to normal activities. This case settled at Mediation for $250,000.00.

$200,000 Ceiling Collapse, Broward County
While brushing her teeth in a hotel bathroom, our 42 year-old female client was injured when the ceiling unexpectedly collapsed on her head. This woman sustained a severe neck injury, which required two surgeries. After a detailed investigation, we were able to prove that the ceiling was defective due to a build up of rainwater on the roof. The case was settled at a court ordered mediation for $200,000.

$200,000 Auto Accident, Charlotte County
The plaintiff, a 30 year old customer service representative, was rear ended by the defendant. The plaintiff suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee and a fractured wrist. The plaintiff had arthroscopic surgery on his knee and wrist. The plaintiff incurred $38,000 in medical bills and a $2,500 wage loss. Case settled at mediation for $200,000.

$175,000 Motorcycle Accident, Orange County
Couple was on a motorcycle going up a mountain road in North Carolina. At the same time, an SUV was backing up around a curve in the road forcing the motorcycle off the road. As a result, the wife suffered a herniated disc in her back and incontinence; the husband suffered a knee injury which resulted in arthroscopic surgery. The case was settled after mediation.

$150,000 Auto Accident, Collier County
The plaintiff, a 25 year old electrician, was broadsided by the defended, causing his SUV to flip on its side. The plaintiff suffered a cervical fracture and wore a hard cervical collar for 8 weeks. The plaintiff recovered without the need for surgery. The plaintiff incurred 20,000 in medical bills and suffered $9,000 wage loss. Case settled without the need to file a lawsuit for policy limits of $150,000.

$132,000 Automobile Runs Over Foot, Lee County
Our 27 year old client was in her driveway when a neighbor pulled up in her car. After an argument, the neighbor back up her car and while turning the wheel, ran over our client’s foot. Our client broke a bone in her foot which required surgery. The case was settled at mediation.

$115,000 Automobile Accident, Broward County
Our client, a 44 year old man, was driving his truck in Broward County when another vehicle ran a red light and side swiped our client’s vehicle. Our client was treated at a local hospital and began treating with a chiropractor where his chief complaint was of lower back pain radiculating to his lower extremities. He was given a MRI which showed he had a herniated disc in his lumbar region. He was referred to a spinal surgeon who eventually performed a minimally invasive surgical procedure which greatly alleviated his pain and discomfort. We were able to resolve this case without the need to file a lawsuit.

$80,000 Slip and Fall Accident, Lee County
The plaintiff, a 62 year old retired woman, slipped and fell on a fabric sample at a local fabric store. The plaintiff fractured two bones in her foot and had difficulty walking for two months. The defendant denied liability and a lawsuit was filed. The case was resolved prior to trial.

$0 Confidential Settlement: 15 Passenger Van Rollover Results in Death to 18 Year-Old Boy, Orange County
Our client, an 18 year-old boy, lost his life when he was traveling as a passenger in a Chrysler 15 passenger van that lost control on the highway and rolled over. A wrongful death lawsuit was brought on behalf of the decedent’s mother and father against the manufacturer of the van claiming a manufacturing defect and defective design regarding the stability and handling characteristics of the van. At the time of the accident, the van was occupied by several members of a youth church group. The case was resolved for a significant confidential settlement amount.

$0 Confidential Settlement: 15 Passenger Van Results in Death of 21 Year Old Woman, Miami-Dade County
Our client, a 21 year old soccer team player and recent college graduate, lost her life when a 15 passenger Chrysler van lost control and rolled over. Through close work with accident reconstructionists and vehicle engineers, we were able to present evidence that the van had both a manufacturing and design defect. In addition, we relied on recent data that had been complied by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration. The decedent was survived by her mother and father. Shortly after the filing of a wrongful death lawsuit against Chrysler Motor Company, the case was resolved.