On September 2, 2022, after a week-long jury trial, Joe Neely, Ryan Hyde, and the team of Behr, McCarter, Potter, Neely & Hyde, P.C. secured a $29 million verdict in St. Francois County, Missouri. As featured in Missouri Lawyers Media, the lawsuit included counts of strict liability for product defect and failure to warn, negligence, and loss of consortium.
Eight years ago, Jason Wolk and Jeff Meyer were injured when trusses they purchased from Lumber Dealers, LLC broke beneath them during installation. The two men fell over 28 feet to a concrete pad. Jason suffered leg and ankle injuries requiring eight surgeries that ultimately resulted in amputation below the knee, and Jeff suffered a traumatic brain injury, multiple broken bones, compression fractures in his back, and ligament damage in his neck that required a disc fusion, among other injuries.
“For over 30 years, a very large portion of our practice has been handling insurance defense matters. But Jason and Jennifer Wolk and Jeff and Annette Meyer are longtime family friends from Ste. Genevieve. We wanted the very best for them,” said Tony Behr, Managing Partner of the firm.
Although the company denied any wrongdoing or responsibility, blaming Jason and Jeff for the collapse, the jury deliberated for just over an hour before returning verdicts in favor of plaintiffs. The jury awarded $24.5m in compensatory damages to Jason and Jeff as well as $4m in compensatory damages to Jennifer and Annette for loss of consortium. The jury assessed an additional $500,000 in punitive damages in favor of plaintiffs. The total verdict of $29m is a record for personal injury verdicts in the county.
“We are grateful to have had a jury that recognized and validated the pain and suffering these families experienced in the eight years since the collapse and will experience for the rest of their lives,” said Joe Neely.
The attorneys at Behr, McCarter, Potter, Neely & Hyde, P.C. are experienced litigators and have represented businesses, insurers, and individuals at the state and federal level throughout Missouri and Illinois. If you have questions or an inquiry, please do not hesitate to contact our offices for assistance at 314-862-3800 or jneely@bmplaw.com.