Plaintiffs 3 for 3 in Johnson County Jury Verdicts
First Case – Gray vs. Martin McDaniel and Melissa McDaniel
Plaintiff, Ronald Gray, was at the home of Martin and Melissa McDaniel in Desoto, KS on August 29th, 2014 when he fell off the deck of the home. The fall was a result of a faulty railing. Martin and Melissa McDaniel denied liability, as they believed they had let the plaintiff know about the railing’s condition prior to the fall. This case was filed in August of 2016.
Gray underwent surgery, as his left wrist was reportedly fractured and his right elbow was injured from the fall.
Gray was found 15% at fault for the fall and the McDaniels were found to be 85% at fault. Damages were evaluated at $215,429.16 and the net recovery to Gray is $183,114.79.
Second Case – Leichty vs. Karasinska
David Leichty, the plaintiff in this case, took his dogs to Shawnee Mission Dog Park on October 6th, 2015. Leichty claimed Anna Karasinska Cook’s (the defendant’s) dog ran from some distance and attacked one of Leichty’s dogs. Leichty stated he tried to break up the fight and was injured while doing so.
Damages alleged in this case for Leichty include bite with puncture wounds to the inner thigh, permanent scarring, and anxiety and depression. Leichty’s dog suffered lesser injuries, with just some scratches and minor lacerations.
The plaintiff was found to be 49% at fault, while the defendant was found to be 51% at fault. Damages were evaluated at $350,000 and the net recovery to Leichty is $178,500.
Third Case – Jackson vs. Diebold
This case involves an automobile collision at the intersection of 107th and Metcalf on January 14th, 2015. The defendant, Julie Barrett Jackson, reportedly ran a red light and hit a vehicle when it was making a left turn. The vehicle then rebounded off of that vehicle and T-boned another vehicle, driven by Steven Diebold. The lawsuit was filed by Diebold, in January of 2017, in reference to injuries sustained from this collision.
Injuries sustained by the plaintiff include injuries of the cervical and lumbar regions of the neck and lower back.
Jackson was found to be 0% at fault for the crash, while Diebold was found to be 80% at fault and the third party non-defendant was found to be 20% at fault. Damages were evaluated to be $22,000, while the net recovery to the plaintiff is $17,600.