The important work of trial lawyers too often goes unnoticed. Insurance companies and big corporations, driven solely by profit incentives, rarely step up to the plate to do the right thing, taking responsibility for their actions or the actions of those they insure. Rather than accepting responsibility, they will fight to the bitter end to avoid accountability.
Without trial lawyers who are willing to fight insurance companies and giant corporations, all the while, paying case costs out of their own pockets, not getting paid for what can sometimes be years, even decades, consumers like you and me are at the mercy of insurance companies and big corporations.
Unfortunately, that was the case for the families of Paula Hahn and Alice Stanley. Sixty-nine year old Paula Hahn was looking forward to a fun bus trip to Durant Oklahoma to visit the Choctaw Nation casino when her bus trip took a tragic turn. The Choctaw Nation provides charted bus service to transport passengers from the Dallas/Ft. Worth area to their casino in Durant Oklahoma. On this day, the bus driver failing to maintain proper control of the bus crashed into a concrete barrier along the President George Bush Turnpike in Irving, just outside of Dallas/Ft. Worth, causing the bus to flip over, killing three passengers on board and injuring several others.
Following the horrifying accident, Ms. Hahn was partially ejected and crushed to death by the weight of bus. She survived only for about 10 minutes after the crash until she passed.
The Choctaw Nation refused to accept responsibility for the driver and for the crash, instead shifting the blame to Cardinal Coach Lines, the chartered bus company. Ultimately, before trial, the Choctaw Nation offered the Hahn family $25,000.00 to settle. Spencer Browne of Reyes|Browne|Reilley represented the Hahn family. Without trial lawyers like Spencer Browne, the Hahn family could have received zero at trial or accepted a mere $25,000 for the negligent conduct that resulted in the death of their loved one.
Instead, the Hahn family received a verdict over $6M from the jury. Jurors have spoken and likely at tremendous trial costs paid in advance by this tenacious trial lawyer and his firm, yet still, the Choctaw Nation continues to fight and plans to appeal the verdict.
Thanks to great trial lawyers like Spencer Browne who will continue the fight even through the appeal to ensure justice for the Hahn family. A life cut short on a fun bus trip with friends.
Senior Vice President, Client Services
