In the Headlines
► Beckman Lawson: Patrick Hess (Land Use and Zoning Law; Real Estate Law, 2013) represented the developers of Evergreen Village, a new three-story development in Fort Wayne. The 125-unit building will
► Cohen & Malad: Richard Shevitz (Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs, 2013) represented Bloomington and Monroe County in 2017 when the county filed a lawsuit against opioid manufacturers and distributors for their role in the addiction epidemic. The City of Martinsville, nearby in Indiana, filed a class action suit of its own in March 2018, contributing to the growing number of municipalities seeking legal recourse for opioid addictions. “In the past, the view of the medical profession toward opioids was the view that we all hold—they’re dangerous and they’re addictive,” Shevitz told the Indiana Daily Student, his alma mater’s student paper.
► Lewis Wagner: Robert R. Foos (Personal Injury
► Taft Stettinius & Hollister: Samuel Hodson (Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law;
Honorable Mention
► Faegre Baker Daniels: J.P. Hanlon (Criminal Defense: White-Collar, 2013) received a White House nomination to serve as the United States district judge for the southern district of Indiana. Hanlon is co-chair of his firm’s white-collar defense practice and has authored books and instructed classes on the subject.
► Haller & Colvin: Holly A. Brady (Employment
► ITN Feature
Injured Man Awarded $16.5 Million After Crash With Texting Driver
Kenneth J. Allen Law Group: Kenneth J. Allen (Personal Injury
Binkowski told the jury that the injuries he sustained from the crash prevented him from pursuing professional goals like joining the police force, conducting on the railroad, and remaining in the Army National Guard. He underwent 15 surgeries following the crash and, at the time of the trial, continued to suffer from neck pain and vision trouble, while also attending physical and cognitive therapy.
The Northwest Indiana Times reported that the driver who struck Binkowski didn’t have a justification for why he failed to stop at the intersection, based on taped testimony played at the trial. “I had lost my focus at that moment,” the driver said, claiming not to see the car ahead of him.
The jury deliberated for two hours before awarding Binkowski the $16.5 million, which included $9.5 million for his injuries, $500,000 from the driver, and $6.5 million from Grand Island Express, Inc., the trucking company that employed the driver. “The jury’s verdict sends a loud and clear message: Northwest Indiana has no tolerance for reckless and irresponsible truckers and trucking companies,” Allen said after the trial.