Colorado Trial Lawyer Connection

Paula Slaughter and Sandra Hagen – Turning a Contested Stroke Case into a $3.2M Verdict

Paula Slaughter [https://wilhitelawfirm.com/team/paula-slaughter/] gathered a polished, prepared team – starting with co-counsel Sandra Hagen [https://www.wilhitelawfirm.com/attorneys/sandra-hagen/] – to represent a 74-year-old man who suffered a stroke seven months after his vehicle was rear-ended. Unpacking the case with host Keith Fuicelli [https://coloradoinjurylaw.com/meet-our-attorneys/keith-fuicelli/], the team reveal their surgical approach to trial teamwork, including Paula's voir dire method that doesn’t involve questionnaires and Sandra’s meticulous research into the defense expert’s past. After they exposed an unprepared defense and a “Parade of Horribles,” the jury responded with a verdict of $3.2 million. Learn More and Connect with Colorado Trial Lawyers ☑️ Paula Slaughter [https://www.wilhitelawfirm.com/attorneys/paula-slaughter/] ☑️ Sandra Hagen [https://www.wilhitelawfirm.com/attorneys/sandra-hagen/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-hagen-a661a93b] ☑️ The Wilhite Law Firm [https://www.wilhitelawfirm.com/] on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-wilhite-law-firm/] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/wilhitelawfirm/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/WilhiteLawFirm] | X [https://x.com/WilhiteLawFirm] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRauUAaGOuqX5J1xcO7wLdg] ☑️ Keith Fuicelli [https://coloradoinjurylaw.com/meet-our-attorneys/keith-fuicelli/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-fuicelli/] ☑️ Fuicelli & Lee Injury Lawyers Website [https://coloradoinjurylaw.com/] ☑️ Fuicelli & Lee Injury Lawyers on X [https://twitter.com/ColoInjuryLaw], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/coloradoinjurylaw], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/coloradoinjurylaw/], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/user/InjuryColorado], and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/coloradoinjurylaw/about/] ☑️ Subscribe Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/colorado-trial-lawyer-connection/id1698724431] | Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0RzyWuRUS4RSvwkORG9YDU] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcADXKG3YgKtck61CyrsvD3KhMM7upL6c] Episode Snapshot 1. The team’s client suffered a triple cardioembolic stroke seven months after his vehicle was rear-ended. The crux of the case became whether the crash caused the stroke. 2. Sandra showed that the defense neurologist's opinions were "historically absurd" by walking the jury through his prior cases — including one where he found no concussion after a warehouse dock door fell on a man's head. 3. Sandra and Paula revealed that every single ER systems check — including elder abuse and fall risk — was completed in four minutes. 4. Paula used Expert Radar to pull prior reports, depositions, pharmaceutical payouts, and a letter in which the defense neurologist himself complained about the bias of defense doctors. 5. Barred from asking a specific non-economic dollar amount by a motion in limine, Paula closed with: "This is his final chapter. This is his only chance. This has to be enough" — and the jury came back saying she hadn't asked for enough. The information contained in this podcast is not intended to be taken as legal advice. The information provided by Fuicelli & Lee is intended to provide general information regarding comprehensive injury and accident attorney services for clients in the state of Colorado.

Vern Ready – Turning “Corporation vs. Customer” into a $2.7M Verdict

What turns an ordinary premises case into a $2.7 million verdict? Strategy. When a 68-year-old woman tripped over a fallen curbside sign outside Target, Vern Ready [https://www.ready-law.com/attorney-profile/] didn’t just argue negligence — he built a case around corporate decision-making. Discovery revealed no wind-resistance policy, no inspection protocol, and no meaningful response to employee reports about falling signs. That allowed him to frame the case as “corporation versus customer” — and when employees testified, “corporation versus employee.” In this episode of Colorado Trial Lawyer Connection with host Keith Fuicelli [https://coloradoinjurylaw.com/meet-our-attorneys/keith-fuicelli/], Vern breaks down the tactical decisions behind the verdict: saving his cross of the defense doctor for trial, telling the medical story through the client’s lived experience instead of clinical jargon, using a simple ELMO instead of flashy demonstratives, and positioning damages after a $500,000 pre-suit offer. The jury asked for a calculator — and returned $2.7 million. A masterclass in framing, restraint, and trusting the jury to connect the dots. Learn More and Connect with Colorado Trial Lawyers ☑️ Vern Ready [https://www.ready-law.com/attorney-profile/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/readylaw] ☑️ Ready Law [https://www.ready-law.com/] on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/readyinjurylaw/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/readylawoffice] | X [https://x.com/readyinjurylaw] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPDZj5xfxNnXhmtDgMIjcZg] ☑️ Keith Fuicelli [https://coloradoinjurylaw.com/meet-our-attorneys/keith-fuicelli/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-fuicelli/] ☑️ Fuicelli & Lee Injury Lawyers Website [https://coloradoinjurylaw.com/] ☑️ Fuicelli & Lee Injury Lawyers on X [https://twitter.com/ColoInjuryLaw], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/coloradoinjurylaw], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/coloradoinjurylaw/], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/user/InjuryColorado], and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/coloradoinjurylaw/about/] ☑️ Subscribe Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/colorado-trial-lawyer-connection/id1698724431] | Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0RzyWuRUS4RSvwkORG9YDU] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcADXKG3YgKtck61CyrsvD3KhMM7upL6c] Episode Snapshot 1. Vern's client, a 68-year-old woman, tripped over a fallen portable curbside sign outside a Target, finished her shopping trip, and ultimately required two surgeries for ulnar nerve damage in her right hand. 2. Vern framed the case as "corporation versus customer" and “corporation versus employee” when Target's own employees testified that the company provided no guidance about wind resistance, sign maintenance, or safety procedures. 3. Discovery revealed that nobody at Target had checked the manufacturer's wind resistance specifications for the signs, no policy existed for bringing them in during wind, and nobody responded to internal reports about falling signs. 4. Rather than deposing the defense doctor, Vern saved his ammunition for trial, where he caught the doctor mid-testimony reading only half a sentence from a second-opinion record that actually supported his client's future surgical needs. 5. In opening, Vern told the medical story from the patient's perspective — not through clinical terminology — by asking, "What makes a person agree to have surgery to try to fix something?" 6. Instead of flip charts, Vern used an ELMO when writing – “just like an overhead projector.” The technique landed well with jurors, he says. 7. The jury asked for a calculator during deliberations and ultimately awarded $2.7 million — more than five times the $500,000 pre-suit offer that Target had made. The information contained in this podcast is not intended to be taken as legal advice. The information provided by Fuicelli & Lee is intended to provide general information regarding comprehensive injury and accident attorney services for clients in the state of Colorado.

Gabriel Stoops – When 24 Hours Can’t Wait a Week: A $1.2M Med Mal Verdict

Gabriel Stoops [https://stoopslawfirm.com/denver-personal-injury-attorneys/gabriel-stoops/] secured a $1.2 million verdict in his first lead civil jury trial, a medical malpractice case that other firms had turned down due to weak economic damages and high risk. His client underwent routine PRK eye surgery to improve her vision, but when she developed pain and progressive vision loss three days later, her surgeon's office ignored her pleas for help. With the defense declining settlement offers, Gabriel – who started his firm in his mom's basement – invested everything into the case. “This could be a movie,” says host Keith Fuicelli [https://coloradoinjurylaw.com/meet-our-attorneys/keith-fuicelli/] as he unpacks the high stakes, incredible odds, and ultimate victory. Learn More and Connect with Colorado Trial Lawyers ☑️ Gabriel Stoops [https://stoopslawfirm.com/denver-personal-injury-attorneys/gabriel-stoops/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabriel-stoops-a14a411bb/] ☑️ Stoops Law Group [https://stoopslawfirm.com/] ☑️ Keith Fuicelli [https://coloradoinjurylaw.com/meet-our-attorneys/keith-fuicelli/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-fuicelli/] ☑️ Fuicelli & Lee Injury Lawyers Website [https://coloradoinjurylaw.com/] ☑️ Fuicelli & Lee Injury Lawyers on X [https://twitter.com/ColoInjuryLaw], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/coloradoinjurylaw], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/coloradoinjurylaw/], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/user/InjuryColorado], and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/coloradoinjurylaw/about/] ☑️ Subscribe Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/colorado-trial-lawyer-connection/id1698724431] | Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0RzyWuRUS4RSvwkORG9YDU] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcADXKG3YgKtck61CyrsvD3KhMM7upL6c] Episode Snapshot 1. Gabriel was inspired to pursue law by hearing his father's medical malpractice stories at the dinner table as a youth. 2. When a summer associate role at a big Houston firm didn’t turn into a permanent job, Gabriel did contract work and eventually started his own firm in his mom's basement. 3. Gabriel's client underwent routine PRK eye surgery, but three days later developed excruciating pain and vision loss in both eyes. The surgeon's office ignored her desperate calls for help and didn't see her until a full week after surgery. 4. The surgeon didn’t start antibiotics to treat the client’s eye infection soon enough, which led Gabriel to his case theme that “when you only have 24 hours, it can’t wait a week.” 5. The defense offered only not to pursue the client's costs if Gabriel dismissed the case before trial. 6. Gabriel had two experts: an economist who developed a vocational economic assessment and a life care planner who accounted for what his client would need going forward. 7. Most of the $1.2 million verdict were economic damages for the client’s life care plan and reduced earning capacity. The information contained in this podcast is not intended to be taken as legal advice. The information provided by Fuicelli & Lee is intended to provide general information regarding comprehensive injury and accident attorney services for clients in the state of Colorado.

Ciara Anderson, Omeed Azmoudeh, and Crist Whitney – Part 2: The “Main Brains” Behind $20M Police Shooting Verdict

In Part 2 of his look at a high-profile civil rights case, host Keith Fuicelli [https://coloradoinjurylaw.com/meet-our-attorneys/keith-fuicelli/] interviews the young trial team that secured $20 million. These “main brains” behind the verdict – Ciara Anderson [https://rmlawyers.com/attorneys/ciara-anderson/], Omeed Azmoudeh [https://rmlawyers.com/attorneys/omeed-azmoudeh/], and Crist Whitney [https://rmlawyers.com/attorneys/crist-whitney/] – reveal how they divided duties to represent six bystanders who were injured when a former Denver police officer shot into a crowd. Tune in for their insights about voir dire (“we went in with the strategy of finding liberal gun owners”), themes in opening (“you do not shoot into a crowd”) and witness preparation (“for our client, I wanted to get his emotional story out to the jury.”). Learn more about the case in Part 1 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/siddhartha-rathod-and-john-lee-part-1-of-two-part/id1698724431?i=1000744096231]. Learn More and Connect with Colorado Trial Lawyers ☑️ Ciara Anderson [https://rmlawyers.com/attorneys/ciara-anderson/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ciara-anderson-a20a20158] ☑️ Omeed Azmoudeh [https://rmlawyers.com/attorneys/omeed-azmoudeh/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/omeed-azmoudeh-640915a4] ☑️ Crist Whitney [https://rmlawyers.com/attorneys/crist-whitney/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/crist-whitney-23782a70] ☑️ Rathod Mohamedbhai [https://rmlawyers.com/] on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/rathod-mohamedbhai-llc] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/rmlawyersllc/] | X [https://x.com/rmlawyersllc] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7b9U5FJFvUJ-zN7QXv9zjA] ☑️ Keith Fuicelli [https://coloradoinjurylaw.com/meet-our-attorneys/keith-fuicelli/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-fuicelli/] ☑️ Fuicelli & Lee Injury Lawyers Website [https://coloradoinjurylaw.com/] ☑️ Fuicelli & Lee Injury Lawyers on X [https://twitter.com/ColoInjuryLaw], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/coloradoinjurylaw], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/coloradoinjurylaw/], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/user/InjuryColorado], and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/coloradoinjurylaw/about/] ☑️ Subscribe Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/colorado-trial-lawyer-connection/id1698724431] | Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0RzyWuRUS4RSvwkORG9YDU] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcADXKG3YgKtck61CyrsvD3KhMM7upL6c] Episode Snapshot 1. Ciara's opening focused on establishing credibility while withholding powerful evidence like the defendant’s criminal conviction. 2. In voir dire, Crist’s strategy was to find “liberal gun owners” who understood gun safety principles and would recognize the recklessness of firing into a crowd. 3. The team distilled their case theme to a simple rule: "You do not shoot into a crowd.” 4. Officer Ramos suggested that a worse backdrop than shooting into a crowd of people would be "senators, presidents, and very important people." In his closing, Omeed noted that their clients are “very important people.” 5. Omeed organized his cross-examination of Officer Ramos into chapters, each making one narrow point, with questions becoming increasingly focused during preparation: A "know your target" chapter split into separate chapters on "know your target" and "know what's beyond.” 6. The team's collaborative preparation involved often working until 3:00 a.m. and extensive role-playing where Ciara portrayed Officer Ramos for Omeed's cross-examination practice. 7. For punitive damages, the team dismantled the defense attempt to minimize Officer Ramos’ criminal conviction. He had pleaded guilty in a “sweetheart” deal that avoided jail time. Omeed told the jury: “Look, folks, if you're as enraged as we are, here's what you should note. This guy has never been punished for this conduct.” The information contained in this podcast is not intended to be taken as legal advice. The information provided by Fuicelli & Lee is intended to provide general information regarding comprehensive injury and accident attorney services for clients in the state of Colorado.

Siddhartha Rathod and John Lee - Part 1 of Two-Part Series on $20M Verdict for Police Shooting Victims

A former Denver police officer was never held accountable for shooting into a crowd, injuring six bystanders. That is, not until a civil rights suit brought by Siddhartha Rathod [https://rmlawyers.com/attorneys/siddhartha-h-rathod/], name partner at Rathod Mohamedbhai [https://rmlawyers.com/], the largest civil rights firm in the state, and John Lee [https://coloradoinjurylaw.com/meet-our-attorneys/john-lee/], name partner at Fuicelli & Lee Injury Lawyers [https://coloradoinjurylaw.com/]. In its $20 million verdict, the jurors sent a message that “you need to take responsibility,” Siddhartha explains. In Part I of this case breakdown, host Keith Fuicelli [https://coloradoinjurylaw.com/meet-our-attorneys/keith-fuicelli/] (John’s partner) moderates the discussion to explore how the trial team delivered their message. Come back in January for Part 2, when the three young attorneys who handled much of this case will join Keith to reveal how they prepared and won the “monster” verdict. Learn More and Connect with Colorado Trial Lawyers ☑️ Siddhartha Rathod [https://rmlawyers.com/attorneys/siddhartha-h-rathod/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddhartha-rathod-42a0b715] ☑️ Rathod Mohamedbhai [https://rmlawyers.com/] on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/rathod-mohamedbhai-llc] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/rmlawyersllc/] | X [https://x.com/rmlawyersllc] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7b9U5FJFvUJ-zN7QXv9zjA] ☑️ John Lee [https://coloradoinjurylaw.com/meet-our-attorneys/john-lee/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-lee-2975859/] ☑️ Keith Fuicelli [https://coloradoinjurylaw.com/meet-our-attorneys/keith-fuicelli/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-fuicelli/] ☑️ Fuicelli & Lee Injury Lawyers [https://coloradoinjurylaw.com/] on X [https://twitter.com/ColoInjuryLaw], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/coloradoinjurylaw], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/coloradoinjurylaw/], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/user/InjuryColorado], and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/coloradoinjurylaw/about/] ☑️ Subscribe Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/colorado-trial-lawyer-connection/id1698724431] | Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0RzyWuRUS4RSvwkORG9YDU] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcADXKG3YgKtck61CyrsvD3KhMM7upL6c] Episode Snapshot 1. Siddhartha and John outline the procedural landmines in civil rights cases: Bringing a federal 1983 claim can result in removal to federal court, while bringing a tort claim can expose clients to a Trinity hearing and potential fee/cost liability at the beginning of the case. 2. The July 2022 incident occurred in downtown Denver when police pursued a man who was wearing a hoodie with a bulge in the pocket. As that man kept reaching into his pocket, the officers became concerned that he wielded a weapon. 3. The officers’ suspect darted behind a car and, when cornered, tossed away his weapon. Down the block, Officer Ramos fired at the suspect and injured six bystanders, who became the team’s clients. 4. Despite having a half dozen different body cams and a halo cam, details of the event remained in dispute because the cameras capture different frames per second. 5. The trial team did use video showing that the defendant didn’t act reasonably, including how he had his flashlight pointed in the wrong direction. 6. Siddhartha and John made the strategic decision to have younger attorneys—many in their first five years of practice—handle 75% of the trial. As Siddhartha explains, senior attorneys wouldn't have done as good a job as the younger team members because this was their first trial, and they were extraordinarily well prepared. 7. “They weren't outliers. They weren't radicals,” Siddhartha says of the jurors. “They were enraged that Denver never held the officer accountable.” Result: $20 million verdict. The information contained in this podcast is not intended to be taken as legal advice. The information provided by Fuicelli & Lee is intended to provide general information regarding comprehensive injury and accident attorney services for clients in the state of Colorado.