$132.5 Million Awarded in NY Rollover Retrial

by Emily Mapp Brannon ebrannon@hsinjurylaw.com

Emily is a Virginia injury attorney who handles car accidents, medical malpractice, FELA, wrongful death, etc.

2/1/2011
Emily Mapp Brannon
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$132.5 Million Awarded in New York (NY) Rollover Retrial

According to Lawyersusa.com, a third trial for the rollover accident that killed 22 year-old New York (NY) Mets prospect Brian Cole was won against Ford for $132.5 million. It has been nine years since the accident, and mistrials were declared twice before, once for juror misconduct and once for a hung jury.

The lead counsel for the plaintiffs put forth the theory that the 2001 Explorer driven by Cole at the time of the accident was defective: it rolled over too easily when he swerved to avoid another car. Ford tried to claim that Cole was speeding when the crash occurred-a claim that was disputed by the company's own accident reconstruction expert.

Had Cole survived, he was expected to be an all-star player like Alber Pujoles, Torii Hunter, and Jose Reyes, with an earning capacity of $120 million.

The accident occurred when Cole, and outfielder, left spring training in March 2001 and headed to New York to start his first season with the Mets. On Highway 8 west of Pensacola, Florida (FL), Cole swerved to avoid another vehicle that pulled into his lane. His SUV rolled over three and half times and he died within minutes. His family sued Ford for wrongful death.

Our sincerest condolences to Mr. Cole's family. Although this was a victory in the courtroom, the grief they feel over his loss will likely remain with them forever. If you are attempting to merge into another lane, always approach at a safe speed, put on your signal, and wait for traffic to open up. You may be able to prevent a tragic loss like the one the Cole family suffered.

IW

Category: Wrongful Death

Labels: accident Attorney car case claim compensation Crash driver Ford injury legal Mapp Brannon New York NY rollover victim wrongful death

About the Editors: Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton is a Virginia injury law firm whose attorneys focus on personal injury and accident law and have experience handling wrongful death cases. We have offices in Virginia Beach and Hampton, VA, but we're ready to come to you anywhere in Virginia if your family member or loved one was killed as a result of someone else's carelessness.

Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been named to the National Million Dollar Advocates Form since 2009 and listed among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. Shapiro and Lewis have also been named Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law since 2010. Fewer than 5 percent of lawyers are chosen for this professional honor. In addition, ours was the first injury law firm in Virginia to join Primerus, a select group of highly ethical and respected law firms.

Our VA personal injury firm has the highest rating of AV from Martindale-Hubbell, a national lawyer ranking organization, which means we have a reputation for preeminent legal skill.

While not every injury case meets our criteria, we offer free initial confidential case consultations, so call us toll free at (800) 752-0042. If you cannot get through due to high call volume, please leave a voicemail so we can return your call.

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$132.5 Million Awarded in New York (NY) Rollover Retrial

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