Jacksonville, FL (July 16, 2024) – National insurance defense and civil litigation firm Tyson & Mendes LLP has obtained summary judgment for its client in a complex multi-car pile-up case.

The case stemmed from a severe multi-car pile-up involving around 18 vehicles. The firm’s client avoided the crash, but was sued anyway. According to Betsy Burgess, Senior Counsel in Tyson & Mendes’ Jacksonville office, and lead attorney on the case, “Our client managed to safely maneuver his car to the side of the road, and he was wrongfully sued under the contention that his avoidance of the crash might have contributed to the subsequent collisions.” The plaintiff made a policy limit demand.

Burgess argued the facts and the law while advancing the firm’s themes of common sense, reasonableness, and responsibility, focusing on her client’s actions and describing why he did not have any other reasonable alternatives. At the time of the accident, the client chose to move to the side of the road—his other options were to stop abruptly or strike the pile-up, both of which could have led to serious injury or death. “The judge agreed that a reasonable jury could not find our client liable for negligence,” Burgess said.

As a result of the win and the plaintiff’s failure to timely accept a settlement offer, the firm is now able to pursue recovery of attorney’s fees and costs. That matter is now pending before the same court that issued the summary judgment, and will represent an additional victory for the client.

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 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®. Robert Tyson and Patrick Mendes founded the firm in 2002 to defend corporations, insurance companies, and their clients in civil litigation matters. The firm has experienced tremendous growth in the past two decades, with offices across the U.S. serving clients in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Keep Reading

Tyson & Mendes Welcomes Krista M. Stoumbos as Partner in Sacramento and Northern California Offices Tyson & Mendes Achieves Defense Trial Victory with Verdict at Just 1% of Plaintiff’s $2 Million Demand Tyson & Mendes Promotes Cayce Lynch to National Managing Partner Tyson & Mendes Welcomes David Heemann as Partner in Seattle Office Tyson & Mendes Secures Full Defense Verdict in $16 Million Bicycle Accident Lawsuit Tyson & Mendes Opens New Office in Atlanta, GA Tyson & Mendes Welcomes Hector Jimenez as Partner in San Diego Office Tyson & Mendes Secures Over $1.5M Savings in Trucking Lawsuit Tyson & Mendes Secures Mansfield Certification for 2023-2024, Affirming Its Commitment to Leadership Diversity