Frost Brown Todd (FBT) secured a significant courtroom victory on behalf of a national restaurant chain. After a six-day federal jury trial in Atlanta, Georgia, FBT’s trial team secured a complete defense verdict, successfully demonstrating that the client fully complied with all applicable policies and Georgia law.
The case stemmed from a tragic accident in which a 13-year-old boy was fatally injured and his father seriously hurt when an SUV driver jumped a curb while they were cutting grass. Plaintiffs alleged that the driver had been served alcohol while noticeably intoxicated at one of the client’s restaurant locations—commonly referred to as a Dram Shop claim. However, FBT’s team, comprised of attorneys Jeremiah Byrne, Nathaniel Fowler, paralegal Joanna Flanigan, and trial support technician Louis Bowman, proved that the driver was not noticeably intoxicated at the time of service and that the restaurant staff acted in full accordance with training, internal policy, and state law.
Plaintiffs sought $95 million in damages and requested over $47 million from the jury. After just two hours of deliberation, the jury returned a full defense verdict, exonerating the client of all liability.
*This case was featured on Episode #273 of The Litigation Psychology Podcast, available to stream here.