San Antonio, TX, May 13, 2025 — National insurance defense firm Tyson & Mendes, LLP announced today another significant trial victory in a personal injury case involving a vehicle collision. Using the firm’s proven Method, San Antonio Partner Stephen Haynes and associate Jaclyn Ponish persuaded the jury to reject the plaintiff’s original demand for $3.6 million and deliver a drastically reduced verdict of less than $70,000.

The case stemmed from a low-speed parking lot collision, where there was a dispute regarding both the location of the accident and the forces involved in the collision. The plaintiff, a 22-year-old female, sustained injuries to her neck, lower back, and shoulder, which resulted in lumbar spine surgery.  The plaintiff submitted a life care plan projecting future treatment purportedly worth $1.3 million. There was also a passenger in the plaintiff vehicle that sustained minor soft tissue injuries.

Although the defense faced a very skilled plaintiff team who emphasized her age, $431,000 in medical bills, and a recommendation for additional surgeries, the Tyson & Mendes team remained grounded in the facts and the firm’s method for controlling damages to empower the jury to deliver justice.

“We placed a lot of emphasis on common sense,” said Haynes. “This was an impact of less than 10 miles per hour with negligible potential for serious injuries.” By focusing on the firm’s Core Four strategies, the defense accepted responsibility early and provided a fair and reasonable number to the jury.

The jury’s verdict marked a major victory for the defense in a venue known for plaintiff-friendly outcomes.

For more information and to view career opportunities, visit www.tysonmendes.com.

About Tyson & Mendes LLP

Tyson & Mendes LLP is a nationwide, AV-rated litigation and trial firm specializing in insurance defense and protecting its clients from Nuclear Verdicts®. Founded in 2002 by Robert Tyson and Patrick Mendes, the firm has experienced tremendous growth, with offices across the United States. Tyson & Mendes is known for its expertise in defending corporations, insurance companies, and their clients against Nuclear Verdicts®.

Serving 22 states nationwide, Tyson & Mendes is one of the fastest-growing civil defense firms in the U.S. and is proud to offer one of the fastest and clearest paths to partnership for its attorneys of any mid-sized law firm in the U.S. The firm is honored to be recognized as a 2024 Best Law Firm by Best Lawyers, named a 2024 Best Company to Work For: Law Firms edition by U.S. News & World Report, awarded the 2023 Liberty Mutual Insurance External Law Firm Partner of the Year Award, awarded the No. 1 “Ceiling Smasher” in Law360’s 2022 Glass Ceiling Report for female equity partnership, and shortlisted for Financial Times’ 2022 Innovative Lawyers North America Award.

For more information, visit www.tysonmendes.com.

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