The Active Catatonic
Attorney Lynne M. Shannon of Galloway, Johnson, Tompkins, Burr & Smith was defending a company against a Plaintiff who claimed that as a result of his injury, he was catatonic. He could no longer operate a computer, count to 10, enjoy TV, etc. The Plaintiff’s quality of life was completely deteriorated since he could only sit around the house in a daze.
The Plaintiff was asking for $4 million and the case was headed for trial since neither of the 2 Defendants still in the case would settle.
Gradoni & Associates Surveil & Investigate
The Plaintiff lived in a rural area. Attempts to surveil him did not produce any results. During the course of the investigation, we learned that the Plaintiff had custody of a child that he was not related to by blood. The last time the child’s mother had come to visit at the Plaintiff’s house he called the Police. This occurred of course, during the time period that he was in a catatonic state.
We developed a plan that we would send the child’s mother over to the Plaintiff’s house on Mother’s Day requesting to see her child. We assumed that the Plaintiff would communicate with the Mother, get angry, tell her to leave and call the Police.
J.J. wired the mother with a hidden microphone and camera. What occurred was not expected. The Plaintiff invited the Mother into the house after telling the female friend that accompanied her to get off of his property because he didn’t know who she was. The mother spent 2 hours inside the house videotaping her visit with her child. During the visit, the Plaintiff was captured on tape, articulating well regarding the custody situation, making the Mother coffee and working on his computer.
The Plaintiff who couldn’t count to 10, then wrote his cell phone number and his wife’s cell phone number on a piece of paper and handed it to our now, super Investigator.
The case went to trial in New Orleans. The child’s Mother testified as to what had occurred. The Jury found the Defendant who had settled fifty percent negligent and found the Plaintiff and our client equally negligent at twenty-five percent. The small settlement the Plaintiff got was a huge victory. Lynn Shannon believes the result will actually be reduced to zero by the time the Appeals process is over.
RESULT BASED ON INVESTIGATION: From 4 Million to Zero
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Return to the June 2010 Investigator’s Newsletter