California Attorneys Obtain Defense Verdict in Disputed Liability Collision Suit

Los Angeles-area Partner Ashley R. Morris and Of Counsel Adrian G. Gragas recently prevailed on a disputed liability matter in the Superior Court of Los Angeles County on behalf of our corporate client and their employee.

In 2021, Plaintiff was traveling on a street in Long Beach, California, when a vehicle operated by our client’s employee backed out of an alley and into Plaintiff’s path on the street, causing Plaintiff to collide with the rear passenger side of our client’s vehicle. As a result of the collision, Plaintiff claimed injuries to their chest, neck, upper extremities, right thigh and low back, allegedly requiring ongoing medical treatment. Plaintiff filed suit against our client, claiming that our client’s driver was acting within the course and scope of their employment at the time of the collision, with a demand for future medical costs and emotional distress.

Prior to trial, Plaintiff made a significant settlement offer and later requested an even larger jury verdict.

At trial, our attorneys, Ashley Morris and Adrian Gragas, successfully argued that Plaintiff’s orthopedic surgeon’s estimate for future medical expenses was highly inflated. After our attorneys’ non-suit was granted in March 2025 on behalf of our corporate defendant, the jury awarded a significantly reduced verdict and found Plaintiff 40 percent liable. Additionally, since our defense’s pre-trial settlement offer exceeded the final verdict, our attorneys were entitled to recover expert fees and trial costs—securing a key defense verdict in favor of our defendants.

With more than 20 years of experience, Ashley’s trial background ranges from basic personal injury matters, to employment, to contract and nuanced commercial disputes. She also handles matters ranging from general liability, premises liability and wrongful death, among others.

Adrian is an experienced trial attorney with a diverse civil litigation practice. He has vast experience representing corporations, government entities and other clients in complex and high-exposure general liability cases.