Steinger, Greene & Feiner Wins $1.58 Million Jury Verdict for Collision with a Garbage Truck

Port St. Lucie attorneys Alfred R. Bell, Jr. and David Mitchell, partners of Steinger, Greene & Feiner, tried the case over five days and won a $1.58 million verdict. 

On May 25, 2018, the plaintiff was backing out of his driveway when his vehicle collided with a Waste Pro garbage truck, unexpectedly driving the wrong way. 

Waste Pro had instructed its driver to drive its garbage truck through three posted Do Not Enter signs.

• The court ruled that Port St. Lucie police could not enforce traffic signs, including the "do not enter" signs where the crash occurred.

• Additionally, the court instructed the jury that the signs in question were not enforceable. 

• Waste Pro denied liability, arguing that the signs were erected improperly, that Waste Pro had been driving in this direction down this road for years before the crash, and that the client should have been aware of that. 

• Waste Pro further argued that the client was responsible for causing the crash due to negligently backing out of his driveway without ensuring no vehicles were approaching.

Attorneys Bell and Mitchell argued that:

• Every driver must be able to rely upon other drivers to follow posted traffic signs

• That the roadway was only wide enough for one-way traffic

• It was unreasonable for the Waste Pro driver to disregard the signs and drive against the expected traffic flow. 

Common sense prevailed! The jury found that the Waste Pro driver was negligent. 

Waste Pro contended that the crash did not cause our client any loss, injury, or damage. They argued that his assessment at the Emergency Room following the accident was due to a pre-existing condition that had been progressively worsening. However, Attorney Bell's team was able to demonstrate that the client sustained irreversible back and neck injuries that were unrelated to his previous condition and that the medical attention he received was a direct result of the crash. Furthermore, they established that the client would require long-term medical care and management as a consequence of the accident despite having undergone successful back surgery.

After everything they went through, the defendant offered a pre-trial settlement of only $30,000 and $40,000, respectively.

Ultimately, the jury concluded that Waste Pro of Florida, Inc. was 60% responsible for the crash, as they were driving the wrong way on a one-way street. That negligence was a legal cause of the client's injuries and damages. 

The verdict is a significant win for Steinger, Greene & Feiner and a testament to the firm's dedication to its clients.