Nationwide Recoveries

Stutman Law Obtains Jury Verdict for $1,250,000 on Case Rejected by Two Prior Subrogation Law Firms

Stutman Law’s client insured a warehouse owner that leased part of its warehouse to a tire recycling company. The tire recycling company negligently stored tires on the loading dock and within the building. Vandals set fire to trash on the loading dock, which spread to the tires. Although the local fire department responded promptly, firefighters were unable to control the fire on the loading dock, which then spread into and destroyed the entire building. Unfortunately, the insured had turned off the sprinkler system to make improvements and had not turned it back on prior to the time the fire occurred. Two subrogation law firms turned down the case before Stutman Law got involved. The tire recycling company’s insurer took a “no pay” position and Stutman Law took the case against the company to trial. Expert testimony established that the sprinkler system would not have suppressed the fire even if it had been turned on, since the fire on the loading dock spread into the building above the sprinkler heads.  On this basis, Stutman Law successfully moved to exclude evidence of the sprinkler system having been turned off at trial.  A jury found the tire recycling company negligent and awarded $1.25 million to Stutman Law’s client.