Los Angeles, CA, January 15, 2024 — National insurance defense and litigation firm Tyson & Mendes LLP announced today a significant trial victory in a contentious motor vehicle case, resulting in a drastically reduced plaintiff award of just $4,000—a fraction of the $2.04 million sought at trial (Mathieu Salomon v. Andres Vasquez-Parada, All About Landscaping, Inc., et al., Los Angeles County Superior Court, Case No. 20STCV41821).
The case arose from a 2018 collision at the intersection of Barrington Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard in West Los Angeles. The plaintiff alleged that the defendant driver, while performing work for All About Landscape, Inc., negligently caused a crash, resulting in traumatic injuries. Tyson & Mendes partner David Frankenberger and senior counsel Keren Wasserman successfully argued the plaintiff was primarily responsible for the incident, relying on the firm’s proven strategies for avoiding Nuclear Verdicts®.
During trial, the plaintiff claimed extensive injuries, including cervical and lumbar spine damage, and sought more than $2 million in medical expenses, pain and suffering, and future damages. The Tyson & Mendes trial team employed a trial strategy emphasizing reasonableness and personal responsibility, acknowledging the defendant’s minor role in the incident while highlighting the plaintiff’s own significant liability. This approach resonated with the jury, which assigned 80% liability to the plaintiff and only 20% to the defendants.
The jury awarded just $20,000 in total damages, reduced to $4,000 after liability apportionment. The verdict underscored the effectiveness of the Tyson & Mendes strategies, including giving a number —$58,000, well below the plaintiff’s ask. Ultimately, the jury awarded even less than the defense’s suggested figure.
“We were able to demonstrate the reasonableness of our case while effectively dismantling the plaintiff’s inflated claims,” said David Frankenberger, Fresno Branch Managing Partner. “Keren did an outstanding job co-trying this case, and her contributions were pivotal to this result.”
This result reflects Tyson & Mendes’ continued commitment to delivering exceptional trial outcomes and defending against inflated claims.
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 21 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.