TAMPA, FL—Following two years of contentious litigation by the defense, a Florida Jury returned a verdict of more than $3.8 Million for a 24-year-old, Anthony Ellis.
On January 29, 2016, Mr. Ellis, just 21 at the time, was riding his motorcycle north on U.S. Highway 301 in Riverview, Florida. A driver of a car made a left turn in front of him, t-boning him and catapulting him and his motorcycle into a drainage ditch. Ellis sustained severe injuries that required surgical reconstruction to his left knee and dislocated and broken long bones of his left foot, as well as the removal of chunks of gravel from his right knee. Additionally, Ellis broke his right toe and right finger.
Attorneys Kenneth Amos and William Gula of Vernis & Bowling of the Gulf Coast P.A. represented the defendant. Suit was filed after the driver’s insurance company, GEICO, ignored offers to settle the claim within the driver’s insurance coverage for over a year. Now, GEICO will also be responsible to pay Ellis’ attorneys’ fees.
The plaintiff was represented by Swope, Rodante P.A. attorneys Stephanie Miles, Brandon Cathey and Casey Gartland. The Honorable Cheryl K. Thomas of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit in Hillsborough County presided over the case.
On Thursday, May 16, 2019, after a four-day trial and two hours of deliberation, a Florida jury returned a verdict in favor of Mr. Ellis totaling approximately $3.8 million — $3.5 million of which was non-economic damages.
