$33.2 Million Motor Vehicle Accident Jury Verdict

Attorneys Patrick A. Salvi and Patrick A. Salvi II of Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C., announced they obtained a $33.2 million verdict last night on behalf of a 22-year-old young man, who was injured in a car accident. The trial was heard before the Honorable Christopher Starck who entered judgment on the jury’s verdict in Lake County, Illinois on March 05 2009. According to the Jury Verdict Reporter (Law Bulletin Publishing Company), the father and son Salvi legal team—in their first jury trial together – exceeded the previous Lake County verdict record by nearly $10 million.

On November 19, 2006, William Klairmont, then 18-years-old, was driving intoxicated on Route 43 in Lake Bluff, when he lost control of the vehicle he was driving—crashing into a utility box. The accident paralyzed the vehicle’s passenger, Plaintiff, then 19-years-old, from the chest down. Tests later showed that Klairmont had a blood-alcohol level of 0.146, well above the legal driving limit of 0.08 for adults. The ‘black box’ in Klairmont’s car indicated that seconds before the accident, the vehicle was traveling at 120-miles-per-hour. The trial was only on damages because Klairmont admitted fault. The Plaintiff was not accused of doing anything wrong. During the trial, jurors heard testimony about the Plaintiff’s past and future medical needs, the difficulties of his day-to-day life, and his employability.

“Fortunately for our client, the vehicle Mr. Klairmont was driving was borrowed by his father’s employer from a second family corporation. Insurance-wise, this should allow our client the opportunity to collect much, if not all, of the verdict,” said Patrick A. Salvi, Sr. and Jim Nyeste, another member of the plaintiff’s legal team.

In February, the Plaintiff settled with Lauralee Pfeifer of Lake Forest, for her $2.5 million homeowner’s insurance policy limit. Mrs. Pfeifer owned the home at which William Klairmont became intoxicated.

“The outcome in this case is the recognition by a Lake County jury that our client has suffered a tremendous loss. The jury did the right thing,” said Patrick A. Salvi II. “This verdict will take care of our client’s medical needs for the rest of his life so that he can live as full a life as possible in the face of physical disabilities.”