Attorneys Winston Briggs and Terry Jackson recently secured a $1.8 million plaintiff’s verdict in a car wreck case out of DeKalb County where their client only had $23,000 in medical bills and the best offer they got pre-trial was $70,000. Despite working with an “eggshell plaintiff,” Jackson described the case as “indefensible” because the opposing party was intoxicated at the time of the crash and immediately fled the scene.

According to the plaintiff’s account in the pre-trial order, Silvia Bloodworth, who had the right of way, was making a left turn at an intersection on Memorial Drive when Endale Alemu ran a red light. Alemu’s car first hit the vehicle in the turn lane next to Bloodworth’s, then ricocheted off and struck her, totaling both her and Alemu’s cars. Alemu immediately fled the scene, before the police arrived, and eyewitnesses said he appeared to be intoxicated.

A headshot of Winston Briggs. Winston Briggs of Winston Briggs Law. Photo: Alex Anteau/ALM