Archives: Verdicts

Conal Doyle obtained a $750,000 settlement on behalf of a 35 year old woman who was denied a prosthetic limb by a national insurance company. The plaintiff was denied a microprocessor knee (“c-leg” by Ottobock) because the insurance company maintained it was “experimental and/or investigational.” After filing suit, Mr. Doyle forced the insurance company to approve and pay for the C-leg and obtained an additional $750,000 settlement before discovery commenced.

Conal Doyle was lead trial counsel in this personal injury automobile accident case. The plaintiff was a Spanish speaking 50 year old woman who underwent disc replacement surgery in her cervical spine. The defense, State Farm insurance company, challenged both causation and damages and asked the jury to return a verdict that did not include compensation for the plaintiff’s spine surgery. The jury compensated the plaintiff for the spinal surgery, and the total recovery after costs of suit was over $700,000. The judgment was paid by State Farm shortly after the verdict, without appeal. The highest settlement offer was $250,000.

Conal Doyle obtained a settlement in this Florida case on behalf of a family of five whose house was severely damaged in an electrical fire. The suit alleged that the insurance company unreasonably failed to tender the value of the insurance policy and acted in bad faith. The recovery was more than three times the asserted value of the policy limits. The settlement was achieved within a month of filing suit before the start of discovery.

Conal Doyle obtained a $525,000 settlement on behalf of an amputee whose health insurance company denied his claim for a myoelectric prosthetic arm (i-limb). The large health insurance company denied the arm-arguing that the claimant should wear a ‘body powered’ prosthesis, essentially a manual arm slung over one shoulder with a “hook” at the end. The plaintiff, a young actor, student, and father of two young girls, persisted, arguing that he needed a myoelectric arm to obtain acting jobs and to safely interact with his children. After suit was filed, and before discovery began, a settlement was reached where the defendant approved the claim for the i-limb (paying out more than $125,000), and settled the damages claim for an additional $525,000. Due to his national reputation in the field, Mr. Doyle obtained this recovery without taking a single deposition.

Conal Doyle obtained a $475,000 settlement on behalf of an amputee whose health insurance company denied her claim for a myoelectric prosthetic arm (i-limb). The large health insurance company denied the arm-arguing that the arm was not “medically necessary.” The plaintiff, a 58 year old school teacher, persisted, arguing that she needed a myoelectric arm for the dexterity it provided in writing on the blackboard and otherwise carrying out her duties as a schoolteacher. After suit was filed, and before discovery began, a settlement was reached where the defendant approved the claim for the i-limb (paying out more than $100,000), and settled the damages claim for an additional $475,000. Due to his national reputation in the field, Mr. Doyle obtained this recovery without taking a single deposition.

Conal Doyle obtained a settlement with the City of Susanville, California, after one of its police officers battered his client with pepper spray while he was asleep in the front seat of his car after a car accident. The settlement was significant considering the Plaintiff did not suffer any economic loss or permanent physical injury.

Conal Doyle was retained to act as lead trial counsel just prior to trial, after the international law firm Paul Hastings litigated the case pro bono for approximately three years. The plaintiff was a woman who fled her home country of Uganda after suffering atrocities at the hands of the Ugandan military. She sought asylum from the United States, and was promptly imprisoned by the federal government and sent to the Elizabeth Detention Center, in New Jersey, a federal facility run by a private corrections company (CCA).

While in detention, she was raped by Michael Baisden, a CCA employee with a violent criminal past, who had been permitted to supervise female detainees at the correctional facility. Baisden was convicted of rape and served three years in prison as a result of his assault of the Plaintiff. Nevertheless, CCA denied liability, alleging that the sexual encounter was “consensual” despite the fact that New Jersey law provides that a detainee can never provide consent to sex with a guard due to the obvious power imbalance between the parties. CCA entered into a confidential settlement with the Plaintiff after Mr. Doyle entered an appearance in the case and conducted expert depositions.

Conal Doyle obtained a confidential settlement after suit was filed for a 45 year old father of three who sustained second and third degree burns on his back during routine arthroscopic knee surgery. The Hospital overheated a water bottle placed underneath Mr. Leong during surgery, yet Stanford still denied liability, and ultimately sought a confidential settlement prior to trial.

Conal Doyle obtained a confidential settlement on behalf of Moses Mederos, a 33 year old executive who was trapped in an avalanche on the face of the “headwall” run at Squaw Valley USA, one of the most popular and commonly traversed ski runs in the United States. Mr. Mederos suffered a severe shoulder injury, requiring surgery and extensive rehabilitation. Squaw Valley denied liability for the accident and a confidential settlement was obtained after a lawsuit was filed.

Conal Doyle obtained a confidential settlement on behalf of Cheri Cullen, an above the knee amputee, who is a 44 year old mother of two. Blue Cross authorized and paid for a microprocessor knee for Ms. Cullen in 2003, yet denied coverage for that same device in 2009, alleging that it is “experimental and investigational.” Blue Cross has maintained this position despite the fact the C-leg has been well accepted and recognized as a standard prosthetic device for almost ten years. All above the amputee soldiers returning from war are offered a C-leg from Walter Reed Medical Center, the C-leg is FDA approved, and recognized as standard prosthetic technology by countless other insurance companies. Blue Cross’ denial of prosthetic benefits is explained solely by the fact that the C-leg is considerably more expensive than the alternative prosthetic option.