CVN News

Morgan & Morgan Reels In $18.88M Damage Award

Written by msch | Jan 15, 2011 12:01:00 AM

In Van Zyl v. Fain, a man whose spinal cord was severed when he was 22 years-old, leaving him without feeling or motion below the chest, was awarded $18,888,875.70.

In his closing argument on behalf of Deon Van Zyl, Morgan & Morgan's Keith Mitnik challenged the jury to adequately value Mr. Van Zyl's permanent loss of the ability to go to the bathroom normally, loss of sexual feeling, atrophied physical appearance, loss of professional calling, reduction of lifespan by 10%, and many more losses.

They jury's award included $1.252M for future medical expenses, $700K for loss of future earning capacity (Mr. Van Zyl had hoped to become an executive chef), $5M for past pain and suffering, and $11.5M for future pain and suffering, plus additional damages for past medical expenses and past loss of earning capacity.

CVN webcast Van Zyl v. Fain live.