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Brett Turnbull and Jerome Tapley | Cruz v. Nissan North America, Inc. | $24.9 million verdict
Description
This week, your hosts Steve Lowry and Yvonne Godfrey interview Brett Turnbull of Turnbull Law Firm (https://turnbulllawfirm.com/) and Jerome Tapley of Cory Watson Attorneys (https://www.corywatson.com/)
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Episode Details:
Trial lawyers Brett Turnbull of Turnbull Law Firm and Jerome Tapley of Cory Watson Attorneys explain how they successfully represented grieving father Hilario Cruz after his wife and two young daughters were killed in a car crash caused by a faulty brake system. In 2012, a 2004 Infiniti QX56 SUV driven by Solomon Mathenge t-boned a Dodge Caravan in Los Angeles, resulting in the death of the driver, Hilario's wife, and daughters Stephanie, 4 and Hilda, 6. Solomon insisted that his brakes were not working properly. Originally charged with three counts of vehicular manslaughter, Solomon later joined the case as an additional plaintiff, separately represented, against Nissan North America, Inc., due to the discovery of a history of braking issues in Infiniti vehicles. Nissan knew as early as 2003 that select models were equipped with a defective braking software with a "delta stroke sensor," which unnecessarily activated the car's optimized hydraulic braking. Despite this knowledge, Nissan failed to recall the vehicle or notify all vehicle owners. In 2017, a Los Angeles jury found Nissan's negligence to be 100% responsible for the three wrongful deaths and awarded plaintiffs compensatory damages totaling $24,931,109.
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Guest Bios:
BRETT TURNBULL:
Brett Turnbull has embraced the philosophy of keeping clients first in distinguishing himself as a leading trial lawyer, recognized for his jury verdicts and settlements on behalf of clients killed or injured by the negligent and wrongful actions of others. When Brett goes before a jury, he realizes he has one job: to get justice for his client by proving their claims and guiding the jury to award a fair and reasonable verdict.
Brett has more than a decade of successful courtroom experience in complex litigation, including trucking cases, product liability, automobile defects, pediatric burns, traumatic brain injury and nursing home malpractice.
Respect for individuals and for the justice system led Brett, a graduate of the University of Alabama, to pursue legal studies at The Cumberland School of Law. There, he discovered his true passion: trial law. As a class leader, Brett won national recognition for his trial advocacy skills.
That leadership track continued throughout Brett’s legal career. Today, he gives back to his profession by serving in leadership positions with the Alabama Association for Justice, Alabama State Bar, and Southern Trial Lawyers Association.
Brett and his wife Dawn have been married for 13 years and have four children–Brett, Arden, Miller, and Bess. When he’s not in the courtroom, you can find Brett and his family outside playing their favorite sports: baseball, basketball, soccer, golf, and tennis. They also enjoy taking time out of their busy schedule to relax at the lake or the beach for a weekend. The Turnbulls are active members at South Highland Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Alabama.
JEROME TAPLEY:
For Jerome Tapley, the decision to become a lawyer was a deeply personal one. When he was a boy, a family member died in a workplace accident. Jerome witnessed first-hand how lawyers could make a difference in people’s lives. The trial lawyers who represented his family succe