In 1998, hundreds of Ohio families represented by Brown & Szaller were awarded compensation for injuries caused by others.
Here are but a few.
- Two cousins, ages 7 and 11, died when they were swept into an open storm sewer located on the front lawn of a junior high school. A very heavy rainstorm caused the storm sewer to become hidden by flood water. With no guard or fence to protect the children from the open hazard, the two boys inadvertently strayed into the sewer. The defendants were all governmental agencies who claimed sovereign immunity - a defense recognized in Ohio that stems from the concept that "the sovereign can do no wrong." Brown & Szaller retained a PhD in engineering from California, a local engineer, a physician and an economist. The defense countered with eight experts of their own in various fields. Forty depositions were taken and the case settled the day before trial for $650,000, a sizeable amount in Stark County, especially with the sovereign immunity issue. Kenneth J. Knabe, with some help from Jim Szaller, represented the plaintiffs.
- Bob was in a head-on car crash. He later experienced extreme pain in his big toe which required operations years after the wreck. Brown & Szaller contended that this condition was related to the car crash and recovered $25,000 from the party at fault (the policy limits) and an additional $150,000 under Bob's limited underinsured motorist coverage.
- Jane Doe and her son, John Doe, were initially offered only $250 to settle their claims, but eventually they received a $980,000 settlement. Represented by Jim Szaller, the claimed injury resulted from the use of a contraceptive which failed, resulting in the birth of a child with congenital anomalies. A lawsuit was filed in federal court in Maryland on behalf of John Doe, and an arbitration was filed on behalf of Jane Doe in Baltimore. The settlement provides enough money for the child's future.
- Mary Doe and Mary Jones were severely injured in an automobile wreck in Atlanta, Georgia. They were being transported to a hotel in a van operated by a taxi service when the van struck a parked vehicle on the highway. Depositions were taken in Atlanta, and the case was settled for $675,000.