Firm Results

Litigation Victories

• Ladler, "ATTEMPT AT BEING HOMETOWNED BACKFIRES (2007)" This case was rejected by two other firms. A drunk driver in Lakeland, Florida, crossed over to the wrong side of the road and hit our client. The son was sitting behind the father and was injured so badly that he had some grey matter seeping out of his head onto the back seat of the automobile. MRI clearly showed that part of brain was missing. He was airlifted to Lakeland Regional Hospital.Drunk driver defendant had a $10,000/$20,000 insurance policy that GEICO did not attempt to tender for six months. We know they had knowledge of the case because, after ramming into our clients, the defendant ricocheted off and hit an unrelated third-party vehicle. GEICO promptly tendered their policy limits for the property damage to the 3^rd-party's car. But our client, who is fighting for his life, does not see a dime. Insurance companies have a duty to timely investigate, evaluate, and make a decision regarding each case (3^rd party got $ within thirty days). So when we got to mediation six-months later, GEICO attempted to pay their policy limits. We said: "too little, too late" and explained that we would go after them under Florida's Bad Faith Statute. GEICO hired obstructive attorneys that attempted to use the fact that Lakeland is a "small town" insular community against us by constantly referring to "those Miami attorneys" in front of the jury. Defense tried to argue that the public school system had the resources to handle a brain damaged boy. NKP walked away with a $50 Million Dollar Verdict
• Mejia (2005) Unrelated third party slows down on I-95. Our client is behind this car and also slows down. Defendant, in a car-delivery truck, does not slow down at all and plows into our client. The truck, claiming to be an independent contractor, had a $1,000,000 policy that they tendered immediately. Most law firms would have stopped there. Client has Locked-In Syndrome. Two years of our investigation revealed that the trucker was really an employee of Manheim Auto Auctions, out of Orlando…which had a $70 Million Dollar insurance policy, which they vigorously – some would say illegally – tried to hide. Defendant tried to blame the accident on the first car that slowed down claiming that she must have stopped short…they thought they would be able to get away with this defense because the first car was driven by a Jamaican woman, who had already returned to Jamaica. NKP conducted its investigation and found the lady, who we were able to depose in Jamaica, and who confirmed that she didn't stop short at all. Judge repeatedly admonished defense counsel for bringing expert witnesses to testify about inappropriate matters – as the defendants were attempting to cause a mistrial (which the judge offered, and which we declined). Jury awarded $25,000,000.

Pre-Litigation Tales

• Motorcyclist and his wife driving down the road when the defendant car makes an illegal u-turn into our client. Ultimately, the wife's leg was amputated. We had an accident re-constructionist at the scene within two days to determine what happened. The re-constructionist was able to prove that our client was driving within the speed limit. The defendant's insurance claimed that the limits were $300,000 policy and we suspected there was more. RSP discovered that D had a very nice second home in Connecticut that was not protected by homestead and wrote a letter explaining that we would seek to levy against that home – since $300,000 was not going to be enough to settle this claim. They promptly tendered the extra $1,000,000 coverages.
• 80 year old Century Village resident gets off of one of their courtesy shuttles. She attempts to walk in front of the bus, when the driver, who was not paying attention, proceeded to run our client over. Ultimately her leg was amputated and the defense was centered on the statement, "I couldn't have seen her because my shuttle is too tall and your client was so small." At a deposition we were able to discern that these shuttles have mirrors designed so driver can see object low to the ground. We cut out that snippet and attached it to our demand for the full policy limits which were promptly tendered.

More Firm Results

• NK&P Obtains Judgment in Excess of $50 Million in Polk County, Florida
  After a young boy was suffered brain injury from a car crash, a Florida jury awarded the family $50 million and comprehensive medical and rehabilitative care, round-the-clock for the rest of the boy's life. The driver of the pick-up truck was drunk and NK&P lawyers successfully underscored the severity of the boy's injuries in the two-week-long trial. The case resulted in the largest personal injury verdict in Polk County at the time.
• NK&P Wins Largest Verdict in Florida History, $23.5 Million, for Automobile Crash Victim
  In a historic verdict, we won the largest verdict in Florida history for a high-profile automobile negligence case. The collective efforts of all three partners in Mejia & Manheim Auctions Government Services resulted in a $23.5 million jury award. The post verdict motions resulted in an additional $9 million added to the verdict from the judge for our client.

SLIP AND FALL/PREMISES

• Victim Receives $832,000 in Javelin Competition Accident
  When NK&P was hired by a 68-year old man who was speared through the face by a javelin while serving as an official in a competition, they embarked on a fact-finding mission. The defense argued the man was in the way; NK&P trial lawyer David Kleinberg presented the real story to a Palm Beach County jury, and subsequently won the case. The defendants were ordered to pay the victim $832,000 for his facial fractures and ensuing sinus problems.
• 12-Year Old Injured on Boat Ride Paid $1.2 Million+ by Insurance Agency
  A young girl was injured on a church boat outing, but the boat owner had no insurance coverage. Since the girl's parents refused to sue the boat owner or the church, the family's only hope to recover any compensation for the injured child was the insurance company. Despite a clause that excluded boat accidents from coverage, and the initial denial of the claim by the insurer, David Kleinberg dissected the insurance policy in a three-inch thick analysis. His argument was so compelling that the insurance company conceded and set up an annuity that pays the girl more than $1.2 million for college and thereafter.
• NK&P Wins Slip and Fall Case Awarding Over $300,000 in Compensation
  A 60-year old Peruvian woman went to visit a friend in a nursing home but suffered a shoulder injury when she fell. The nursing home contractor failed to place a "wet floor& warning. She incurred more than $70,000 in medical bills and had two surgical procedures. When NK&P exposed the story, the contractor paid the client $310,000 on the eve of the trial.
• $200,000 Awarded to Slip and Fall Accident at Gas Station
  When a middle aged woman got out of her car to fill up at a gas station, she stepped into an area where the black asphalt meets with poured concrete. A portion of the asphalt had broken away and a small hole was left. The client suffered a fractured ankle which needed surgery. The gas station refused to accept blame. After a week of trial, the woman was awarded $200,000 by the gas station.

MEDICAL MALPRACTICE

• In 2006, a settlement of $250,000.00 against Aventura Hospital was recovered for the family of a 62-year-old man who died as a result of an untreated appendix rupture.
• In 2006, a settlement of $125,000.00 against Mercy Hospital was recovered for the family of a 65-year-old man who died as a result of an unattended mucus plug.

DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS

• NK&P Wins Highest Jury Verdict in U.S. Against a Golf Course
  As the counsel in Riles vs. Bonaventure Golf Course, et al, NK&P trial lawyer Alan Neufeld obtained the highest jury verdict ever recorded in the U.S. against a golf course, for a lawsuit involving defective design. The victim was blinded in one eye by an errant golf ball, which hit him while he was working as a general contractor on a nearby house. The jury rendered a verdict against the country club for over $2.9 million, later upheld by the 4th District Court of Appeals in the amount of $3.3 million, including interest.

BRAIN INJURY

• Airline Engineer Awarded $776,000 by Rental Car Company for Subtle Brain Injury in Car Accident
  NK&P trial partner David Kleinberg was called upon by an experienced local trial attorney to handle a case involving an airline engineer claiming a subtle brain injury. The client had been involved in a rear-end collision and received minimal treatment, incurring over $6,000 in medical expenses. Within two weeks, NK&P tried the case claiming liability causation/impact and damages. Despite the car rental company's highly contested defense, the jury was persuaded by Kleinberg and awarded the victim $776,000 in damages.

RSD/CRPS

• In 2002, a jury verdict of $880,000.00 was recovered for a 50-year-old woman who was struck by a vehicle and suffered traumatic Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD), also known as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS).

MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENTS

• NK&P Settles Motorcycle Accident for $2.25 Million in 40 Days
  On New Years Eve, a husband and wife were riding on a motorcycle in Fort Lauderdale, Florida when they were struck by a vehicle. The wife sustained an above-the-knee amputation. The next day, NK&P trial lawyer Robert Pinkiert met the victims in the hospital and immediately launched an investigation using extensive computerized techniques, in-house experts, and negotiation tactics. Our efforts forced three separate insurance companies to tender their full policy limits within 40 days.

Experienced Trial Law Firm With over 80 years of combined experience, Neufeld, Kleinberg & Pinkiert, PA is committed and determined to serving justice and treating our clients with the evenhanded respect that they deserve.