The Defendants needlessly endangered the entire community, and then refused to take responsibility. We are happy that the system worked, and the jury was willing to hold them accountable.
Dallas, Texas (PRWEB) February 17, 2017
"If you break it, you have to pay for it," was the simple message delivered during opening and closing of Felipe & Aurora Rodriguez vs. Trinity Infrastructure LLC, DC-15-03577 in the 134th District in Dallas, Texas. After seven days of evidence -- some of which was technical and scientific about how highway construction can impact the clay soils and shales in North Texas -- a Dallas jury of four men and eight women voted to hold the defendant, Trinity Infrastructure, LLC, liable for damage done to Aurora and Felipe Rodriguez's home and for other damages during construction of LBJ Express Lanes project on I-635.
According to the official verdict form signed by the court, the jury found that Trinity had acted negligently in its construction of the LBJ Project, which caused damage to the Rodriguezes, including damage to their home, and awarded the plaintiffs $248,712 for their damages. When asked what the crux of their theory was, co-lead trial counsel Mazin A. Sbaiti explained that "the Defendants needlessly endangered the entire community, and then refused to take responsibility. We are happy that the system worked, and the jury was willing to hold them accountable."
Sbaiti's firm, Sbaiti & Company PLLC, is co-counsel with Steckler Gresham Cochran representing 163 homeowners, along with Chris Cowan and Patrick Pendley who represent another 60 homeowners. According to Sbaiti, the lawsuit on behalf of the Rodriguez home was the first to go to trial, with the other homeowners awaiting their turn.
"We hope this shows that we will not back down even though lawyer-for-lawyer, we were outnumbered 8 to 1," explained Sbaiti. He explained that using the jury's verdict as a benchmark, with over 200 plaintiffs in total, the defendants are now facing over $50 million in potential liabilities. The Plaintiffs anticipate that Trinity will likely appeal this verdict, and in the meantime they intend to try as many of these homes as possible, as quickly as possible.
For more information, Mr. Sbaiti can be reached at (214) 432-2899 or at MAS(at)SbaitiLaw(dot)com.