Jury Awards $9 Million to Silver Golub & Teitell Clients

April 8, 2024

Silver Golub & Teitell won a $9 million dollar jury award in Waterbury Superior Court, an amount that will rise to around $14.4 million with interest, for clients James and Diana Griswold. Before jury selection began, the defendants and their insurers decided this was a “no-pay” case.

The plaintiffs brought the claims in 2016 after Mr. Griswold was injured during a cardiac imaging procedure when an imaging table collapsed. Following his injuries, Mr. Griswold required several surgeries he otherwise would not have needed and suffered complications in those procedures that significantly affected his life. For the past eight years the defendants defended the case by contending that the event did not happen as described by Mr. Griswold, that they did nothing wrong that contributed to any of Mr. Griswold’s injuries, and that Mr. Griswold was exaggerating the severity of his injuries and the impact of the event. The jury disagreed, awarding plaintiffs $9 million in their verdict on April 5.

The jury awarded $3 million in economic damages and $4 million for pain and suffering to Mr. Griswold. It awarded $2 million to Ms. Griswold for loss of consortium. The plaintiffs had filed offers of compromise several years ago, so defendants will also be liable for interest on the full verdict amounts dating back to when they filed the complaint in 2016.

Silver Golub & Teitell partners Joaquin Madry and Nicole Coates tried the case over three weeks in Waterbury Superior Court, with experts presented by both the plaintiffs and defendants. In the end, the jury agreed that the defendants were negligent and that their negligence caused serious injuries to Mr. and Mrs. Griswold. “We're pleased that the jury rejected the attacks on Mr. and Mrs. Griswold during the trial and recognized the defendants’ responsibility for causing Mr. Griswold’s terrible injuries,” Mr. Madry said. “This is yet another example of a jury sorting through a lot of misdirection and finding a just result.”

Ms. Coates added, “We are so proud to represent Mr. and Mrs. Griswold. Of course, we wish they never had to endure the stress of this trial, but we’re gratified that the jury carefully considered the evidence, understood all the issues, and recognized the seriousness of Mr. Griswold’s injuries. The verdict reflects this and stands as a powerful repudiation of the defendants’ attacks on the Griswolds.”