Attorney Meredith Cushing of MGC secured a unanimous jury verdict before the Superior Court in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina following a four-day trial. The case involved a negligence claim against a small business owner who operated a convenience store. During a shift, a store manager left a personal firearm under the counter. Later that day, a 16-year-old—working at the store with his father—discovered the weapon and discharged it near the Plaintiff, who alleged hearing loss and PTSD. The Plaintiff sought over $2 million in compensatory damages, with a suggestion to match it in punitive damages.
MGC was able to exclude partial phone recordings made by the teen and argued distraction tactics by the Plaintiff, including claims of a coverup and spoliation. The Defendant argued causation, pointed at inconsistencies in the Plaintiff’s records and leveraged specific expert deposition quotes to reinforce their position. Despite the Plaintiff’s multimillion-dollar demand, MGC was able to argue on behalf of the Defendant and successfully defended the small business owner, securing a defense verdict at a fraction of the demand.
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