Significant Case Results
Every case is different, and past results are not a guarantee of future success. The team at Bartlett & Grippe, LLC is very proud of the fact that since opening the firm in April of 2012 through January of 2020 they have secured settlements and verdicts on behalf of their clients totaling in excess of $35,000,000. In 2013 they had the distinction of having two of the Connecticut Law Tribune’s top twenty-five personal injury jury verdicts. One case dealt with a bar fight, and the other a slip in a depression in a parking lot. In January of 2020, Bartlett & Grippe was notified that they had one of the top verdicts and awards in New England for 2019 Buchanon v. J&A Equities, LLC.
Many significant settlements are required to be kept confidential pursuant to settlement agreements. Below is a sampling of the types of cases we have successfully handled for past clients, and where allowable the results we have obtained.
Buchanon v. J&A Equities
Practice Area: Personal Injury
Outcome: $1,200,000 plus confidential settlement
A guest of a tenant at a multifamily property suffered a significant spinal cord injury after falling down a poorly lit stairway. He was turned down by several firms because his initial hospital records stated that he was intoxicated and they felt that it was unlikely that there would be any available insurance on the property. After thoroughly investigating the matter, Attorney Bartlett found numerous safety violations in the stairway, he located four commercial insurance policies that provided coverage and was able to show, through the use of a toxicologist, that the plaintiff’s testimony that he had one to two beers prior to his fall was credible. In light of this, Attorney Bartlett was able to negotiate a settlement of $1,200,000 with three defendants in addition to a confidential settlement with the fourth defendant. One of the top 2019 verdicts and settlements in New England.
Workplace Fall results in substantial settlement
Practice Area: Slip and Fall Accident
Settlement: Confidential
The Plaintiff slipped and fell on a wet floor while she was at work. The Defendants were a company that was hired to manage the custodial services at the Plaintiff’s employer. The Defendant argued that they were not liabile and that the Plaintiff should have been aware that the floor was wet. The Plaintiff sustained a torn rotator cuff that resulted in surgery. Attorney Grippe was able to secure a very favorable settlement for the Plaintiff.
Motorcycle accident results in settlement of $275,000
Practice area: motorcycle/car accident
Outcome: $275,000
The Plaintiff was riding a motorcyle in New Haven when a vehicle turned in front of him causing the vehicles to collide. The Plaintiff sustained a fractured leg requring surgery. The Defendants disputed liability and argued that the Plaintiff was operating is motorcycle at an excessive rate of speed. Attorney Grippe was able to secure a settlement of $275,000 despite the defendants claims.
Exposure to Legionnaires Disease leads to substantial settlement
Practice Area: Personal Injury
Settlement: Confidential
The Plaintiff was exposed to legionella bacteria while staying in a hotel. As a result of the exposure the Plaintiff contracted Legionnaires disease requiring a long hospitalization. The Plaintiff brought a lawsuit against the owner of the hotel as well a the manager of the hotel alleging that the water system was not properly maintained. Attorney Grippe retained some of the top legionnaires experts in the country to assist with the prosecution of the case. The Defendants initially disputed that they were at fault but eventually offered to engage in a mediation and offered a substantil sum to resolve the lawsuit.
Donna M. v. Siemens
Practice Area: Personal Injury
Outcome:$200,000 settlement
The plaintiff was rear-ended in stop and go traffic on Interstate 91. After her first attorney told her that her case had very little value because there was almost no property damage and she had prior injuries to her back, she fired that attorney and hired Attorney Bartlett. Attorney Bartlett was able to show how her prior back injury made her more susceptible to a subsequent injury from a low-speed collision and was able to use this to negotiate a $200,000 settlement.
Colleen B. v. 1-3 Long Wharf Drive
Practice Area: Personal Injury
Outcome: $520,000 plaintiff’s verdict
Personal Injury – slip wins $520,000 verdict for woman who suffered an ankle sprain and injuries to her lower back which required surgery after stepping in a depression in a parking lot.
Trofatter, Kirk v. D & D Builders, LLC
Practice Area: Personal Injury
Outcome: $375,000 Settlement
Resident injured after falling through a faulty fire escape at a 60 unit apartment complex in East Haven. Mr. Kirk Trofatter broke his kneecap, upper leg, and left shoulder. The defense argued that Mr. Trofatter shouldn’t have been on the fire escape, but during the property owner’s deposition by Attorney Bartlett, the owner said he inspected the stairs weekly and knew the stairs were rusted. Bartlett also found there had been two previous injuries on other stairs located at this complex but the owners only repaired those specific stairs rather than all the defective stairs. The building owner’s insurance company refused to settle for higher than $150,000. Judge Jonathan Silbert, after hearing the owner knew of the defect and had similar incidents felt that the suit was worth $375,000, at which point both sides settled.
This case appeared in the Connecticut Law Tribune 02/09/18 Man Injured by Collapse of Rusted Steps Reaches $375K Settlement
Emmanual R. v. Oracle Lounge
Practice Area: Personal Injury
Outcome: $449,000 Plaintiff’s Verdict
$449,000 judgment for a bar patron who suffered a head injury when assaulted at a New Haven night club. Bartlett & Grippe, LLC has handled many cases related to alcohol-related injuries. They have taken cases of this type through the Appellate Court and were successful before the Supreme Court.
Seven-year-old child sexually abused 40 years ago awarded $3,188,803
Practice Area: Child Abuse
Outcome: Plaintiff’s Verdict of $2,750,000
Dawn Andalora v. Joseph Falanga
A Willimantic, CT jury awarded Dawn Andalora $2.75 million dollars for sexual abuse she alleges she suffered at the hands of her mother’s boyfriend between 1974 and 1981. Almost all medical records were unavailable. Ms. Andalora feels vindication that it wasn’t her fault.
11/05/2014 Judge Harry E Calmar issued an order awarding additional punitive damages of $438,803.95.
Woman’s Car Struck at Stop Light Receives $125,000 Settlement
Practice Area: Car / Auto Accident
Outcome: $125,000 Settlement
A woman was stopped at a stoplight when she was struck from behind by a distracted driver sustaining injuries to her head, shoulder, and back. Despite prior injuries to the same areas, Attorney Bartlett was able to negotiate a favorable settlement on behalf of the plaintiff.
CT Teen Killed in Car Crash
Practice Area: Wrongful Death
Outcome: Policy Limit Settlement
Two CT teens were killed in a car crash after driving down the road at a high rate of speed. The driver of the first vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree, killing the driver and passenger. After being told by numerous attorneys that they did not have a case because the second vehicle never struck the first, the family came to Attorney Bartlett. After initially receiving a denial from the second vehicle’s insurer because there was no contact between the vehicles, Attorney Bartlett was able to negotiate a settlement for the second vehicle’s full insurance policy limits.
Pedestrian Struck and Killed by Tractor Trailer on Highway. Estate Receives $234,000 Settlement
Practice Area: Wrongful Death
Outcome: $234,000 Settlement for Family
A young woman was walking across Interstate 91 when she was struck and killed by a passing tractor-trailer. Despite the defendant’s arguments that the plaintiff was highly intoxicated and under the influence of drugs at the time of the accident, and that the tractor-trailer driver was unable to avoid the collision due to other pedestrians on the roadway, Attorney Bartlett negotiated a favorable settlement for the victim’s family after pursuing claims against the tractor-trailer driver as well as the operator of the vehicle in which the plaintiff was previously a passenger.
Woman Rear-Ended in Stop and Go Traffic Obtains $70,000 Verdict
Practice Area: Car / Auto Accident
Outcome: $70,000 Plaintiff Verdict
A woman was struck from behind in stop and go traffic on the Merritt Parkway sustaining injuries to her neck and lower back. Due to the nature of the collision and the fact that the plaintiff had pre-existing injuries, the defendant insurer refused to provide the plaintiff with a reasonable offer. Following a two-day trial, the jury provided the plaintiff with the validation she deserved, awarding her $70,000.
Tenant Who Fractures Her Ankle on Stairway Receives $150,000
Practice Area: Slip and Fall Accident
Outcome: $150,000 Plaintiff Settlement
An elderly woman tripped and fell on a poorly constructed stairway suffering a bimalleolar fracture to her ankle requiring surgery. Defense counsel argued that the plaintiff was aware of the alleged defect in the stairway due to the fact that she used the stairway on a daily basis for the several years in which she was a tenant at the property. The defense further argued that the stairway was so poorly constructed, that the defects in the stairway were open and obvious to the plaintiff. In spite of these arguments, Attorney Bartlett was able to obtain a $150,000 settlement for the plaintiff.
Man Struck by Freezer Door Recovers $60,000
Practice Area: Personal Injury
Outcome: $60,000 Recovery for Plaintiff
An elderly man was struck by a freezer door that was improperly attached during its delivery and installation, sustaining injuries to his shoulder and lower back. The defense disputed the extent of the plaintiff’s injuries and pointed to the plaintiff’s history of multiple work-related injuries as the source of his current complaints.
Bicyclist Struck by Car Receives $74,000
Practice Area: Personal Injury
Outcome: $74,000 Settlement
A bicyclist was struck by a vehicle emerging from a gas station, sustaining injuries to his lower back. Despite a significant history of prior injuries and defense witnesses who testified that the vehicle was moving at less than 5 miles per hour and the defendant was not knocked to the ground, Attorney Bartlett was able to negotiate a $74,000 settlement on behalf of the plaintiff. Attorney Bartlett was the third attorney representing the plaintiff, as the plaintiff fired his first two attorneys after they recommended the plaintiff accept the insurance company’s offer of $15,000.
Slip and Fall Yields $190,000 Settlement
Practice Area: Slip and Fall Accident
Outcome: $190,000 plaintiff settlement
A man who slipped and fell at an area hotel sustaining injuries to his head and neck and a mild traumatic brain injury with resulting cognitive deficits settled his claims for $190,000. The hotel and property management company alleged that the fall occurred during an ongoing storm and further disputed the nature and extent of the plaintiff’s injuries. Through the utilization of weather and medical experts, Attorney Bartlett was able to reach a settlement of the plaintiff’s claims following mediation.
$1,000,000 Judgment for Plaintiff in Boy Scout Sexual Abuse Case
Practice Area: Child Abuse
Outcome:$1,000,000 settlement
John Roe #1 v. Boy Scouts of America, et al. – $1,000,000 judgment obtained against a Boy Scout scoutmaster on behalf of a young boy who suffered sexual abuse at scouting events and at a local Boy Scout camp. Bartlett & Grippe, LLC is nationally recognized for its work related to Boy Scout sexual abuse cases. Many personal injury case settlements are confidential and can’t be shown under our results.
Workplace fall results in $105,000 settlement
Practice Area: Slip and Fall Accident
Outcome: $105,000 plaintiff settlement
A woman suffers a knee-cap fracture from a workplace fall. The plaintiff was working as a parts washer when she was caused to slip and fall on a wet floor at her workplace. The defendant cleaning company argued that they had posted signs warning of the wet floor and that the plaintiff fell on the water she had spilled while washing parts. Through depositions of the defendant’s employees, Attorney Bartlett was able to develop significant inconsistencies in the defendants’ claimed version of events, which lead to a $105,000 settlement after mediation.
Homeless man struck and killed by passing vehicle
Practice Area: Wrongful Death
Outcome: Settlement – policy limit
A homeless man was walking across the Berlin Turnpike when he was struck and killed by a passing vehicle. Despite the fact that the police report exonerated the driver of the vehicle, who was a prominent medical professional, and found the homeless man responsible for the accident, through the use of our own accident reconstruction we were able to negotiate a settlement for the full policy limits of the driver’s automobile insurance.
Failure to Diagnose Detached Retina results in Confidential Settlement
Practice Area: Medical Malpractice
Outcome: confidential settlement
Plaintiff presented to a neuro-ophthalmologist after experiencing a partial loss of vision in his right eye. He was examined and discharged after being told that his loss of vision was permanent and that no corrective action could be taken. Several months later, the plaintiff began experiencing a distortion of his field of vision and was referred to a second neuro-ophthalmologist who diagnosed the plaintiff with a detached retina and performed an emergency surgical repair. Despite the restoration of the plaintiff’s full field of vision, the plaintiff suffered from permanent loss of acuity, pain, and fatigue in his right eye as a result of the more invasive procedure necessitated by the delay in diagnosis. Following mediation, the parties were able to reach a confidential settlement.
Disputed liability car accident results in $115,000 Plaintiff’s Verdict
Practice Area: Car / Auto Accident
Outcome: Jury Verdict for the Plaintiff $115,000
Cintya Sandi-Torres v. Rong Lou, et al – The plaintiff suffered injuries to her neck and lower back following a motor vehicle accident wherein her vehicle was struck by another vehicle making a left-hand turn in front of her. Although the defendant’s disputed liability and argued that the plaintiff’s injuries were worth only a few thousand dollars, the jury found the defendant 100% liable and awarded the plaintiff $115,000
CT Auto Injury Verdict for the Plaintiff
Practice Area: Car / Auto Accident
Outcome: Plaintiffs verdict of $55,000
A woman who suffered neck and back injuries in an auto accident refused a settlement offer of $4,000 per the advice of Attorney Bartlett. After a two day trial, she was awarded $55,000.
Tenant v. Landlord in a Fire Liability Case
Practice Area: Landlord / Tenant
Outcome: Confidential Settlement
Negotiated confidential settlement of a complex fire liability case on behalf of 52 tenants of an apartment complex who were displaced and whose personal possessions were destroyed in a massive fire. Our investigation of the building construction and who was at fault led to a satisfactory settlement for all our clients that were left homeless.
Frank B. v. Geico Insurance Company
Practice Area: Motorcycle Accident
Outcome: $300,000 Settlement
Motorcycle accident results in a $300,000 policy limit settlement. A motorcycle rider who suffered a broken leg after being forced off the road by an oncoming car who fled the scene and was never identified.
Liane R. v. Johnson Memorial Hospital
Practice Area: Medical Malpractice
Outcome: $375,000 Settlement
$375,000 settlement on behalf of a woman who alleged that emergency room physicians at Johnson Memorial Hospital failed to diagnose a brain hemorrhage following a fall. The patient suffered from injuries that left her with continuing physical and cognitive limitations.
Patient v. Nursing Home
Practice Area: Wrongful Death
Outcome: Confidential Settlement
Wrongful Death – confidential settlement on behalf of the estate of a patient who suffered a subdural hematoma as a result of a slip and fall accident at a nursing home. The patient’s family alleged that, despite numerous prior falls, the nursing home failed to take adequate precautions to prevent the patient’s fall.
Tyler F. v. Demkowicz Management, LLC
Practice Area: Personal Injury
Outcome: $360,000 plaintiff’s verdict
Bar fight injury wins $360,000 judgment for a bar patron who suffered a broken jaw when assaulted by a former security guard at the night club who was terminated just days before the fight.
Wood v. Club, LLC
Practice Area: Personal Injury
Outcome: $300,000 plaintiff’s verdict
$300,000 personal injury verdict for bar patron who was struck on the head with a glass bottle sustaining lacerations to his ear and injuries to his neck and jaw. Jury finds the bar was held liable.
Wood v. Club, LLC
Practice Area: Appeals
Outcome: $300,000 plaintiff’s verdict affirmed
Defendant appealed the case to the CT Appellate Court -Attorney Frank Bartlett successfully defends the appeal of $300,000 plaintiff’s verdict. Connecticut Appellate Court affirms the judgment, rejecting all of the defendants’ claims.
Wood v. Club, LLC
Practice Area: Appeals
Outcome: $300,000 plaintiff’s verdict affirmed
Defendant appeals to the Supreme Court -Shortly after oral arguments before the Supreme Court, the Supreme Court dismisses the defendant’s appeal stating that certification to appeal was “improvidently granted”. Watch the video of the trial on the home page.
Estate of Walter R. v. Peggy A.
Practice Area: Elder Law
Outcome: Plaintiff’s Verdict of $165,000
Elder abuse – $165,000 verdict against a caregiver who had misappropriated bank accounts and other property of an elderly client.