Arnold & Itkin is proud to announce a successful jury verdict against
BOPCO, LP in a Louisiana maritime case. Our client was a crab fisherman
from Des Allemands. The accident occurred in the intersection of two canals
and involved a BOPCO vessel operator. The fisherman was t-boned by the
crew boat, suffering serious back injuries for which he eventually required surgery.
Prior to the trial, BOPCO, LP offered no settlement, eventually changing
their stance and offering $190,000 while the jury was deliberating. They
based their argument on the idea that our client was at fault for driving
too fast, failing to maintain a proper look out, and driving on the wrong
side of the canal. They also argued that he didn't really need back
surgery, as his injuries weren't that severe. On top of this, they
tried to argue that his lost wages were minimal, since he didn't report
significant earnings to the government and that his medical bills were
exaggerated. In their final attempt to protect themselves, they tried
to take advantage of the Limitation of Liability Act in order to cap any
damages at $45,000.
Arnold & Itkin Attorney Cory Itkin was able to successfully argue against
all of these attacks, securing the results our client deserved. The jury
awarded $1,106,762 to our client for total damages. This amount was reduced
by 25% to account for contributory negligence. The total judgment was
for $830,071, far more than the initial settlement that BOPCO, LP tried
to offer our injured client.