The trial: Lennig v. CRST, et al.
The attorney: Brian Panish
Case summary: Matthew and Michael Lennig were injured in a head-on collision with a semi-truck helmed by a CRST driver. The trucking firm admitted the driver’s negligence but disputed the severity of the brothers’ claimed injuries, including the traumatic brain injury Michael Lennig claimed rendered him unable to perform his former duties as a motorcycle police officer.
Synopsis: Panish introduces jurors to the Lennig family through photos, setting up the theme of Lennig as a family man whose prior life - including fishing trips, vacations, and four-wheeling with his son - has been lost because of his chronic pain and the post-traumatic stress syndrome he continues to suffer from the collision. Panish highlights each element of non-economic damages that is recoverable under California law, laying the groundwork to empower jurors to consider each of those elements when calculating a non-economic damages award.
The verdict: $52.84 million total verdict, including $19.2 million to Michael Lennig.
