A Philadelphia jury returned a $27.6 million verdict Monday in favor of a woman and her husband who said she was injured while taking part in a promotional video for an artificial knee implant. Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge Frederica A. Massiah-Jackson presided over the trial in Polett v. Public Communications, Inc. The judge confirmed that the jury awarded $26.6 million to plaintiff Margo Polett and $1 million to plaintiff Dan Polett for loss of consortium. The jury apportioned 36 percent negligence to public relations company Public Communications Inc., the Chicago firm hired to make the artificial knee video, 34 percent negligence to orthopedic medical device manufacturer Zimmer, and 30 percent negligence to Margo Polett, the judge confirmed.
The plaintiffs’ recovery may be reduced by $8.28 million to $19.32 million because of the finding of negligence on the part of Polett.
