The tragic case of Amos Entrekin, a 76-year-old man who suffered severe brain damage in an accident with a Comcast work van in 2021, ended with a jury awarding his family nearly $19 million. This landmark verdict raises questions about how such figures are determined and the prevalence of such high payouts.
The Entrekin verdict represents a complex interplay of the various types of damages that can be awarded and the legal strategies many Atlanta car accident lawyers use to achieve successful outcomes for their clients. While the award is noticeably high in the Entrekin case, the methods used to determine the verdict amount are common in many lawsuits.
How a Deadly Georgia Accident Ended with $19 Million Verdict
In the summer of 2021, Amos Entrekin’s life was irrevocably changed when a Comcast work van collided with his vehicle in Douglasville, GA. The accident left Entrekin with serious brain damage, robbing him of his ability to walk, speak, or care for himself. After two years of suffering, Entrekin passed away. His family decided to hold Comcast accountable for their loved one’s ordeal, leading to a lawsuit that culminated in a $19,000,000 jury verdict.
The jury awarded the Entrekin family a total of $18,977,696.87. This figure included more than $477,500 for medical expenses, $7 million for the value of Entrekin’s life, and $11.5 million for his suffering. We can better understand this award by breaking down these components.
Understanding the Economic Damages Awarded
The medical expenses section of the award is relatively simple to understand, as it covers all the costs incurred by Entrekin for his medical care following the accident. This includes the expenses for hospitalization, doctor’s fees, medication, therapy, and any other medical-related expenses.
On the other hand, the $7,000,000 allocated for the value of Entrekin’s life is a bit more complex. It reflects a combination of both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages are those that can be measured in monetary terms, such as lost wages and the loss of potential earnings until his estimated retirement age, as well as any additional costs incurred as a result of the accident.
On the other hand, non-economic damages are not directly quantifiable in monetary terms. Still, they are related to the pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life experienced by the victim.
How Most of the $19 Million Verdict was Calculated
Most of the verdict, over $11,000,000, was awarded to the Entrekin family for the victim’s “pain and suffering.” These non-economic damages are subjective and judged on the individual’s experience. While they can be difficult to calculate, it is less challenging in such a case. The mental anguish and pain suffered by the family and victim are fairly obvious and deserve to be compensated. But the question is how did the jury reach such a high number.
While various methods are used to calculate these damages, one technique commonly used is the multiplier method. This method involves multiplying the economic damages, such as medical expenses and lost wages, by a specific number that depends on the severity of the injury.
In the Entrekin case, the multiplier method was used to calculate the pain and suffering damages awarded to his family. Based on his medical expenses and the value of his life, which totaled $7.4775 million, the multiplier was applied to reach the awarded amount of $11.5 million. The multiplier used in this case was approximately 1.5, indicating that the jury likely considered the severity of Entrekin’s injury high when making their calculation. For context, multipliers can range from 1 to 5.
Are Verdicts Like the Entrekin Case Common in Car Accident Lawsuits?
The outcome of the Entrekin case, with its significant payout, was an exception rather than the norm. In most cases, the amount of compensation awarded depends on numerous factors, such as the severity of the injury, the extent of negligence involved, and the laws and regulations of the jurisdiction in which the case is being heard.
However, when a case involves a large corporation like Comcast, the payout tends to be higher because of its financial capacity to pay and the desire to make a strong statement about corporate responsibility. This is because such corporations have a reputation to maintain and are often viewed as able to afford large payouts to settle legal disputes. Furthermore, juries tend to be much less sympathetic to large corporations than families.
Legal Representation was Crucial in the Entrekin Case
The legal representation of the Entrekin family proved to be instrumental in securing the massive $19,000,000 verdict. The attorneys representing the Entrekin family skillfully and effectively presented evidence of Comcast’s negligence and the extent of Entrekin’s suffering, which ultimately led to this significant award. While uncommon, this outcome highlights the critical role that legal representation plays in car accident lawsuits.