Rapid Response for Catastrophic Accidents Only

News: Case Results

Novak Wins Summary Judgment in Construction Dispute

Ben Novak of the Lancaster office for FHMS Law recently won summary judgment for the firm’s client, a municipal water authority, in a construction dispute involving claims of unforeseen conditions and project delays. The plaintiff, a municipal utility contractor, installed a water main in the municipality, but claimed to have encountered unforeseen conditions, which allegedly… Read More ❯

Jury net verdict $700 in liability case with expert estimated medical expenses of $285,000

Restaurant franchise obtains $700 net verdict in difficult liability case where Plaintiff’s future care expert estimated Plaintiff’s future medical expenses could exceed $285,000. Attorneys Gregory Hirtzel & Benjamin Novak   Plaintiff sustained a non, or minimally, displaced fracture to her left elbow and soft tissue injuries when she fell in the lobby of the Defendant… Read More ❯

Eckell and Gallagher Secures Order for Summary Judgment

Lee Eckell and Megan Gallagher secured an Order for Summary Judgment on behalf of their client, a general contractor, in a case in which the Plaintiff, an employee of a subcontractor, injured himself on a work site with a chain saw. The motion for summary judgment argued that the subcontractor was required under the terms… Read More ❯

Jury Verdict of $8,670 With $31,000 Boarded in Disc Herniation Trial

Jury returns net verdict of $8,670 in case of clear liability where plaintiff was alleging cervical disc herniation and Boarded $31,000. Greg Hirtzel, with the assistance of Ben Novak, recently had a jury in West Chester, Pa., return a verdict in the gross amount of $10,200 reduced by the assessed comparative negligence of the wife… Read More ❯

Joseph McNulty

Preliminary Objections Granted in Liability Case

In the matter of Eisenhower v. Pottsgrove School District, et al., Plaintiff student alleged injuries to her surgically repaired foot when she jumped off the back of the school bus during a required school bus evacuation drill run by an independent third party bus company.  FHMS filed Preliminary Objections on behalf of the District arguing… Read More ❯

FHMS Initials

Joe Fowler & Matthew Vodzak Litigated Successful Appeal in Delaware Supreme Court

Joe Fowler and Matthew Vodzak recently won an appeal in the Delaware Supreme Court.  FHMS represented a construction subcontractor sued when a single-car accident occurred in a roadwork zone.  The teenage driver was seriously injured, and her passenger died in the accident.  After discovery but before expert reports were exchanged, FHMS entered into a settlement… Read More ❯

FHMS Initials

Spaulding, Fleming & Vodzak Obtained Dismissal

Andrew Spaulding, Alison Fleming, and Matthew Vodzak recently obtained dismissal of a subrogation action filed against FHMS’s clients, a commercial landlord and property manager. A tenant’s insurance company filed a subrogation action in Philadelphia state court action against FHMS’s clients for claims from a fire loss. FHMS successfully argued that the terms of the lease… Read More ❯

Allan Melotsky

Molotsky and Vodzak Obtained Summary Judgment

Allan Molotsky and Matthew Vodzak recently obtained summary judgment in Philadelphia in an insurance coverage action. FHMS represented an insurance company that insured a restaurant under a general liability policy. One of the restaurant’s employees killed a co-employee while at work. The deceased employee’s estate sued the restaurant, and the restaurant sought insurance coverage from… Read More ❯

Matthew Vodzak

Matthew Vodzak Litigated Successful Appeal

Matthew Vodzak litigated a successful appeal in the Superior Court of Pennsylvania in a slip-and-fall case. The plaintiff was at the home of FHMS’s client for a personal-training session. The plaintiff slipped and fell on an icy sidewalk, and fractured her leg. FHMS successfully obtained summary judgment in the trial court, and the plaintiff appealed…. Read More ❯

Justin Boehert

Justin Boehret Obtains Defense Verdict

Justin Boehret obtained a defense verdict in a jury trial in Bucks County.  Mr. Boehret, who practices in FHMS’s Allentown office, represented a driver in a contested intersectional accident.  The jury found our client free of any negligence.

Joseph Fowler

Fowler and Campbell Obtain Defense Verdict in Philadelphia Trial

Joe Fowler and Jacqui Campbell obtained a defense verdict after 8 days of trial in Griffin v. Advanced Disposal Services in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas before Judge Messiah Jackson on October 30, 2019.  The case was tried over 8 days.  Plaintiff’s demand at the start of trial was $5 million.  At the end… Read More ❯

Michael F. Socha

Mike Socha Obtains Lancaster County Defense Verdict

A six day trial in Lancaster County arising from an alleged slip and fall ended with a verdict in favor of Mike Socha’s client, a snow removal contractor who Plaintiff alleged improperly performed snow removal services.   As a result of the alleged fall, Plaintiff claimed to have suffered a concussion and traumatic brain injury… Read More ❯

FHMS Initials

Fowler and Campbell Obtain Defense Verdict in $18.5 Million Demand Case in Philadelphia County

Joe Fowler and Jacqueline Campbell obtained a defense verdict in a three-week trial in Philadelphia County. The Plaintiff sustained significant and permanent injuries after a tractor that he hot-wired ran over his foot. He alleged a crush injury to his foot, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, and an injury to his neck that required a cervical… Read More ❯

Eckell Successfully Defends Automobile Negligence Case Involving TBI

Lee Eckell successfully defended a national supermarket wholesaler at trial in an automobile negligence case. Plaintiff, a married forty-six year old union electrician with four children, had not returned to work after being rear-ended by Eckell’s client. He asserted a multi-million dollar economic loss claim along with permanent injuries to the neck, vestibular system and… Read More ❯

Quinn McCusker

McCusker Obtains Defense Verdict

Quinn McCusker of Fowler Hirtzel McNulty & Spaulding’s New Jersey office received a no cause/defense verdict for his client after a jury trial in Essex County, New Jersey. The plaintiff fell on interior stairs in an apartment building owned by our client. The 55 year old union insulator suffered a closed fracture of the right… Read More ❯

Coverage Department Success

Frances Lettieri argued a case to the Superior Court in which our client, a large insurance carrier wrote a general liability policy to a daycare. The daycare and its principals entered into a series of agreements related to a lease, which it allegedly breached. The daycare’s landlord brought suit to enforce these agreements. FHMS filed a… Read More ❯

Lee Eckell Resolution

Lee Eckell extricated his developer from a case in which a construction worker fell three stories and suffered severe injuries. When a subcontractor’s carrier repeatedly ignored a proper indemnification request, suit was brought against them. The carrier eventually accepted the tender without a reservation of rights and repaid the self-insured developer for legal fees and expenses…. Read More ❯

William L. Thrall, III

Bill Thrall Resolution

Bill Thrall used aggressive expert analysis to temper a Traumatic Brain Injury claim. The case originally had a seven figure demand.  The early reports led to the case getting to mediation quickly, where a fair resolution was reached without the need for extensive discovery.

Joseph R. Fowler

Fowler & Taranto Resolution

Joe Fowler and Damian Taranto used a 2 day mediation to settle a multi-million dollar case arising from a workplace accident. The case involved a power surge conveyor, life changing injuries ,multiple defendants and significant legal and factual disputes. The first day of mediation was with defendants only, in order to establish a hierarchy of liability…. Read More ❯

William L. Thrall, III

Bill Thrall Secures Defense Verdict

Bill Thrall received a defense verdict in a jury trial in Chester County. The case involved an alleged rear end hit to the plaintiff’s car by the defendant dump truck. The defendant driver denied that an impact occurred, or that if a minimal touch did happen, it was because plaintiff’s vehicle drifted into his truck…. Read More ❯

Gregory S. Hirtzel

Greg Hirtzel Obtains Defense Verdict

Greg Hirtzel obtained a defense verdict in a Lancaster County jury trial. Plaintiff, a motorcyclist, alleged that the defendant driver made a negligent left turn, causing an accident. Plaintiff suffered catastrophic injuries, including permanent brain injuries and significant hand, wrist and arm disability. The case was defended on negligence and causation, as the defense maintained… Read More ❯

FHMS Initials

Event Data Recorder Technology Admissibility in Pennsylvania Discussed

The Graham Company recently sent a case summary prepared by FHMS attorney’s Joe Fowler and Faye Hellman regarding the admissibility of event data recorder technology in Pennsylvania. Read Full Article

Joseph R. Fowler

U.S. Airways Seeks Transfer of Injury Suit to Federal Court

From the Pennsylvania Record February 27, 2014 By JON CAMPISI An attorney for U.S. Airways has petitioned a federal judge to take up a personal injury case that was initiated in state court by a woman who says she sustained severe knee and other injuries after tripping over a misplaced floor mat at Philadelphia International… Read More ❯