Kozloff Stoudt Attorneys

$2M

Estate Litigation

Our litigation department chairman, Pete Schuchman, recently secured a verdict in favor of our client in Berks County Orphan’s Court. After two years of litigation and a very emotional trial, the Court determined that our client was the intended beneficiary of numerous retirement and investment accounts established by her domestic partner, who had died suddenly without having made his will. The Court awarded her ownership over accounts having a total value in excess of $2,000,000. Our client will now enjoy the financial security for which she and her long-time love worked and saved.

$112,879

Sexual Harassment

In Raker v. Bar-BQ Pit, Inc. 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 167792 (E. D. Pa. November 25, 2013) (Stengel, J.), the Plaintiff employee, represented by Jeffrey Elliott, worked as a full-time server for the defendant restaurant for 9 months. She was subjected to a hostile work environment throughout her employment due to the constant sexual harassment of the restaurant’s owner whose conduct included unwelcomed touching and kissing, inappropriate comments, and invitations for sexual encounters. Plaintiff repeatedly reported these behaviors to the managers of the restaurant and nothing was done to stop the behavior. Plaintiff’s work hours were gradually reduced in retaliation. The court found that the Plaintiff established a prima facie case of employment discrimination based on her gender, retaliation, a sexually hostile work environment and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The award included lost wages, emotional distress, attorneys’ fees and costs.

$2.5M

Product Liability

Our 36 year old client’s hand and arm were pulled into a defective product’s spinning mechanism while she was at work. The machine was defective due to a too large gap between spinners and housing, and the direction of the spinners. Client suffered a crush injury rendering her left hand useless and developed Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, leading to total disability from working. Obtained a settlement of $2,500,000.00 plus a major reduction of the Worker’s Compensation lien.

$1.1M

Wrongful Death

Mr. B. was killed in a motor vehicle collision on State Route 183 in Schuylkill County. He was struck head on by a vehicle, trapped alive and conscious, and died of thermal trauma when his vehicle caught fire. The proceeds of all available insurance were recovered for Mr. B.’s long-time girlfriend and family of $1.1M.

$1.4M

Auto Accident

Mrs. M., a local executive, suffered severe foot and ankle injuries when another driver fell asleep and crossed into her lane of travel, causing a head on collision. Her injuries required surgery and she was left with limitation of motion, scarring and a permanently swollen heal. We obtained from an expert an opinion that her future work life expectancy was shortened by her injury and that she will need special shoes for the remainder of her life. We obtained the limits of the striking driver’s insurance and obtained in settlement from her own insurance company an additional $1,250,000.00 bringing her total recovery to $1,350,000.00.

$1.5M

Wrongful Death

Our client, a thirty-six year old married factory worker on his way to work, was struck by an express delivery truck whose driver fell asleep at the wheel. Death was instantaneous. His estate received a settlement of $1,500,000 in the wrongful death claim against the trucking company and its driver.