Representative Cases
This disclaimer is provided in accordance with the rules of The Florida Bar. You will be viewing information pertaining to prior cases that have been handled by DLD Lawyers. This information has not been reviewed or approved by The Florida Bar.
All cases are different. The facts of each will differ from these cases. Not all cases handled by DLD Lawyers have been provided. The result obtained in one case is not necessarily representative of the result obtained by the lawyer. Every case is different and each case must be evaluated and handled on its own merit.
Defense Verdict in Aviation Liability Case
The defendant, a global textile manufacturer whose property is located adjacent to a regional airport in Augusta, Georgia, was sued for the wrongful death of five passengers of a private jet that crashed into a utility pole on its property. The first of the five plaintiffs who proceeded to trial sought $18 million in damages. Through the use of very high-tech animation technology, we demonstrated to the 12-member jury three scenarios: one was the subject crash, the second was how the events would have unfolded had the pilot operated the aircraft appropriately, and the last one was a combination of the other two scenarios overlaid with one another. The animations were powerful, and persuasively demonstrated our defense that the sole cause of the accident was pilot error. After a few hours of deliberations, the jury returned a complete defense verdict.
$90 Million Claim Dismissed
Insurance coverage suit in which Plaintiff alleged that our client, in bad faith, failed to pay several first party losses under marine policies. Plaintiff demanded over $90 million in damages. After a five-week bench trial in federal court, the court found that Plaintiff was entitled to nothing, and in fact had committed fraud in submitting his claims.
Punitive Damage Claim Against CPA Defeated
Accounting malpractice action involving allegations of professional negligence and breach of fiduciary duty against our client, the defendant CPA firm. Plaintiff sought compensatory damages in excess of $600,000, plus punitive damages. We defeated plaintiff’s claim for punitive damages, and after several good faith attempts failed to amicably resolve the case, we proceeded to trial where after a five-day jury trial, we obtained a directed verdict in our client’s favor.
$10 Million Claim Dismissed
We represented an Orlando-based accounting firm in an action brought by a trustee in bankruptcy arising out of the collapse of a large offshore investment fund. Plaintiff alleged that our clients, the defendant accountants, negligently prepared a compilation that was detrimentally relied upon by the officers and directors of the offshore fund resulting in the deepening insolvency of the fund. Plaintiff sought damages of over $10 million and after a two-day bench trial, the court found a lack of any reliance on the compilation prepared by the accountants and dismissed the case with prejudice.
Class-Action Fraud Claim of Officers & Directors Dismissed
A large and complex securities fraud class action brought on behalf of stock purchasers of Saf-T-Lok (a public company engaged in the manufacture and sale of gun locks). Plaintiffs claimed to have suffered several million dollars in investment losses as a result of alleged negligence fraud of the officers and directors of Saf-T-Lok and its accounting firm, whom we represented. We successfully moved to dismiss the consolidated class action complaint and shortly thereafter the case was settled on behalf of our client for a nominal amount.
Defense Verdict in Legal Malpractice Claim
A large and complex legal malpractice case in which our clients, the attorneys, were alleged to have committed legal malpractice in an underlying action filed against plaintiffs by a bank over a ski resort condominium development in Colorado. Plaintiffs sought over $2 million in damages and after a lengthy jury trial, we obtained a defense verdict on behalf of our clients.
Accounting Malpractice Case Dismissed at Trial
Accounting malpractice case where plaintiff alleged that our client, the accounting firm, was guilty of committing malpractice by negligently overstating the value of plaintiff’s company in financial statements. Plaintiff claimed that it suffered damages of approximately $2 million. After we successfully moved to exclude plaintiff’s fact and expert witnesses, plaintiff was forced to dismiss the case on the day before trial.
Plaintiff Drops Accounting Malpractice Case at Arbitration
An accounting malpractice case involving the computation of tax basis with claimed damages in excess of $3 million. After extensive litigation, our request to have the case decided by an AA Arbitration Panel was granted, and after two days of trial, and specific findings made by the arbitration panel, plaintiff dropped its case.
Defense Verdict After Three-Week Trial
Legal malpractice case that we tried in Federal District Court in the Southern District of Florida. Plaintiff was a doctor/franchisee of Hilton Corporation who purchased a Hilton franchise and built a hotel in the northern part of Florida’s east coast. Plaintiff ultimately lost that hotel and sued Hilton under the franchise agreement claiming fraud and misrepresentation. The lawyers lost the case against Hilton on summary judgment, and Dr. Patel brought the legal malpractice action against its law firm (based in Chicago and Dallas) alleging that it had not properly prosecuted the action. The damages sought were in excess of $25 million and after three weeks of trial, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty on the legal malpractice claim.
Defense Verdict in Favor of Insurance Agent
This case was tried in Miami-Dade County Circuit Court and involved an E&O claim against the insurance agency for failing to maintain certain coverage. After two weeks of trial, the jury returned a favorable verdict of not guilty.
Directed Verdict in Favor of Insurance Agent
We defended the insurance agency in this action brought by the carrier for failing to follow underwriting guidelines in the issuance of an insurance policy containing uninsured motorist coverage. The carrier was forced to pay over $2 million to its insured who was seriously injured in a motor vehicle accident with an alleged uninsured motorist. In our trial, the court directed a verdict in favor of our client, which was sustained on appeal.
Favorable Results for CPA After Two-Week Trial
Accounting malpractice case involving allegations that the accountant that we represented gave improper tax advice to plaintiff causing him not to sell his marina. After two weeks of trial, the jury deadlocked and when the court, over our objection, forced the jury to continue deliberations, returned a finding of 50/50 spilt on liability. This verdict was overturned on appeal and before retrial the case settled for a nominal amount.
