Taking a personal injury case to court is expensive and stressful, especially against a large corporation with vast resources.   That’s why many lawyers avoid it, recommending instead that you accept a settlement.  But sometimes, settling means exactly what it implies. You’re getting less than what you deserve.

Not every case is right for the courtroom, but many times going to trial is the only path to justice.

Unlike many Kansas City personal injury firms, we don’t attempt to settle every case out of court.  We go to trial.  And we’ve achieved unprecedented success in the courtroom:

  • Many jury verdicts in excess of $1 million.
  • Some of the largest jury verdicts each year in the state of Missouri.
  • The largest verdict ever obtained for an injured railroad employee in Kansas City, Missouri.
  • The largest jury verdict ever obtained for an injured railroad employee in the state of Iowa.

Here are some of the results we have achieved for our clients, both in jury verdicts and in out-of-court settlements:

3.5b LAGO v. BNSF RAILROAD COMPANY
A machine operator suffered career-ending injuries when he jumped out of the path of an oncoming train after a flagman incorrectly released track authority.
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3.5b HAMM v. BURLINGTON NORTHERN SANTA FE RAILWAY
RECORD VERDICT: Mr. Hamm’s back was injured in a fall from a ballast regulator. The jury’s verdict was the highest ever awarded in a FELA case in Jackson County, Missouri.
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3.5b GIZA v. BNSF RAILWAY COMPANY
Mr. Giza was injured when the car on which he was riding derailed, causing him to sustain a serious knee injury, ending his railroad career. The jury’s verdict is believed to be the highest ever awarded in a FELA case in the state of Iowa.
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3.5b TURNBULL v. BOLIVAR READY MIX AND MATERIALS
Mr. Turnbull suffered whiplash injuries and developed Complex Regional Pain Syndrome that ended his railroad career after being rear-ended by a dump truck. After a week-long trial, the insurance company offered settle the case while the jury was deliberating.
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3.5b GATEWOOD v. BNSF RAILWAY COMPANY
RECORD VERDICT: A 10 year old girl died because BNSF delayed installation of crossing gates and lights. The jury’s verdict is the highest recorded in Andrew Country, Missouri.
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3.5b [INDIVIDUAL] v. [UTILITY COMPANY]*These settlements contain a confidentiality clause that prevents us from naming the defendant.
Our client was severly burned in a home fire caused by unsafely installed and unsafely provided utilities. The defendants paid a total of $7 million in confidential settlements.
3.5b PHARISS v. CROWN EQUIPMENT CORPORATION
Mr. Phariss suffered severe head and spine injuries while operating a forklift that was not safely designed after his employer reversed the steering during a labor dispute.
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3.5b PICKETT v. THE KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN RAILWAY COMPANY
Mr. Pickett injured his back when overgrown vegetation on KCS tracks caused him to trip, ending his railroad career.
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3.5b [INDIVIDUAL] v. [UTILITY COMPANY]*These settlements contain a confidentiality clause that prevents us from naming the defendant.
In a confidential settlement, the utility company paid a $2.8 million settlement to our client in compensation for injuries caused by electrical shock.
3.5b [LOCOMOTIVE MECHANIC] v. [RAILROAD COMPANY]*These settlements contain a confidentiality clause that prevents us from naming the defendant.
Our client received settlements totaling $1.3 million for injuries he received working in a locomotive shop due to railroad’s unsafe work practices.
3.5b JOHNSON v. THE KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN RAILWAY COMPANY
Mr. Johnson was riding on the side of a rail car on an industrial track when a steam pipe protruding too close to the tracks struck and fractured his hip, ending his career.
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3.5b [LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEER] v. [RAILROAD COMPANY]*These settlements contain a confidentiality clause that prevents us from naming the defendant.
Our client was injured while being transported by a company van when the company driver caused a collision. Our client’s back injuries ended his career.
3.5b ARREGUIN v. ROSEHILL GARDENS
Ms. Arreguin was rear-ended by a landscaping truck and suffered shoulder, neck and wrist injuries. Ms. Arreguin lost her job after missing work during her medical treatment.
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3.5b [MOTORIST] v. [SHIPPING COMPANY]*These settlements contain a confidentiality clause that prevents us from naming the defendant.
Our client suffered head, back, chest, abdominal and pelvic injuries when his vehicle was struck during a multi-car collision caused by the driver of a package delivery truck.
3.5b [SWITCHMAN] v. [RAILROAD COMPANY]*These settlements contain a confidentiality clause that prevents us from naming the defendant.
Our client developed Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome as a result of injuries to his wrist, arm and elbow caused by a malfunctioning pin puller.
3.5b [TRAINMAN] v. [RAILROAD COMPANY]*These settlements contain a confidentiality clause that prevents us from naming the defendant.
Our client sustained career-ending back injuries after tripping in oversized ballast and vegetation in the walkway beside the tracks.
3.5b [LOCOMOTIVE CONDUCTOR] v. [RAILROAD COMPANY]*These settlements contain a confidentiality clause that prevents us from naming the defendant.
Our client was riding on a rail car when two trains collided. His ankle was crushed between two cars and he was disabled from his railroad career as a result of the injury.
3.5b THOMPSON v. UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY
Mr. Thompson’s railroad career was cut short when he sustained severe back injuries while being transported in a company van that collided with another vehicle.
3.5b [MOTORIST] v. [SHIPPING COMPANY]*These settlements contain a confidentiality clause that prevents us from naming the defendant.
Our client was injured in a collision caused by a package delivery truck. He suffered permanent and severe hand and foot injuries.
3.5b SISK v. [CONFIDENTIAL DEFENDANT]*These settlements contain a confidentiality clause that prevents us from naming the defendant.
Mr. Sisk was injured in a car accident caused by a motorist who made an illegal u-turn on a median crossover of a highway. Our client had emergency spinal surgery but was able to return to his job a few months later. We were able to obtain a confidential settlement for him soon after we filed a lawsuit on his behalf.
Click Here for the Verdict Report
While we're proud of our achievements, we know our focus must always be on what we're doing now and in the future. Past results afford no guarantee of future results. That's why we never stop working to make sure our clients are getting the best service we can provide. Not all cases are as dramatic as these, and not every case can result in these types of verdicts and settlements. That doesn't mean they are any less important. Every case is different and must be judged on its own merits.

The content of this website is intended solely for general information and does not constitute formal advice. The use of this website does not create an attorney-client relationship. Nothing in the content of this website can act as a promise of future results.

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