Collins Einhorn attorney Chelsea Pasquali recently obtained a verdict of “no cause of action” on behalf of her clients, the defendants in a third-party, automotive-liability action. The case arose from a 2014 automobile accident. The plaintiff claimed that the driver was negligent and caused the accident. He also argued that the car’s owner—the driver’s father—was liable under Michigan’s owner-liability statute. The plaintiff cited extensive injuries, including herniated disks and mental issues. As a result of these injuries, the plaintiff said, he was unable to work or lead his normal life.
Judge Muriel Hughes of the Wayne County Circuit Court presided over the jury trial. It lasted two days. But after just ten minutes of deliberation, the jury unanimously concluded that the defendant-driver wasn’t negligent. So Chelsea’s clients were not liable.