Attorneys Spinella & Associates have represented numerous women who were rendered infertile by Copper-7 IUDs.Copper-7 IUDs were monofilament, polyethylene intrauterine devices rushed to market to replace the Dalkon Shield, which had been shown to promote pelvic inflammatory diseases in women, and often rendered them infertile.

Attorneys Spinella and Jaffe took on G.D. Searle & Co., and their battery of lawyers and paralegals in successfully representing numerous women who had cases against G.D. Searle & Co.

In so doing, they reviewed over 200,000 documents and 1,000 medical articles; they hired a large team of experts located all over the country to offer opinions relating to metallurgical qualities of the Copper-7, the microbiological and biochemical processes of infection and infertility, and the medical etiology.

Additionally, they hired established scientists to their own independent laboratory at the Connecticut Institute of Material Science at the University of Connecticut where actual testing of the growth and migration of human bacteria under laboratory conditions simulating the female body was conducted on the Copper-7 tailstring.

The clients of Spinella and Jaffe -- the scores of women whose ability to conceive had been destroyed by this product -- were compensated through multiple substantial settlements. In addition, those lawsuits, and others like it, forced the manufacturer to withdraw this product from the market. 

(Click to Area of Practice -- Products Liability PERSONAL INJURY LITIGATION) 
 

Linda Smith (name changed to preserve confidentiality) was a successful career woman with two children and a productive happy life in the Town of Farmington when the car in which she was a passenger was struck with terrific force by a drunken driver.

She suffered a spinal injury that required the removal of her damaged spinal discs and the fusion of the resulting space with bone harvested from her hip.

The case was submitted to a jury because of the failure of the insurance carrier to make an offer which adequately addressed her horrible pain and suffering.

To fully communicate her injury to the jury, Spinella & Associates introduced as evidence a videotape which depicted a similar fusion operation. Although there was no precise precedent or case authority for this unusual evidence, the Court allowed the jury to view the tape over the Defendant's claim that it was too prejudicial. As a consequence, the jury was able to view an operation which literally entailed the cutting of Linda's neck, and depicted in a very graphic way the extreme surgical procedure she was forced to endure.

After a lengthy trial and the introduction of the tapes, the Defendant increased its offer significantly and the case settled immediately prior to the start of the jury's deliberations. 

(Click to Area of Practice -- PERSONAL INJURY LITIGATION) 
 

ELECTRICIAN BURN CASE

When an electrician was severely burned in an accident at New Britain High School, the City worked hard to avoid responsibility. As the trial approached, the city made a token settlement offer of $15,000.

A six-week trial ensued, outlining the following facts:

John Cotter (name changed to protect confidentiality) was removing aluminum wire and replacing it with copper wire. He had turned off the power to the area of the switchgear system he was working on.

The City had decided not to install a ground fault system, which is required by Code.

The system caught on fire as Mr. Cotter removed wires. A flash fire shot out 15 to 20 feet. Mr. Cotter was hospitalized for five weeks, and was unable to return to work for six months. He severely burned all exposed areas of his body. He spent two arduous years of rehabilitation.

Careful investigation revealed the cause of the fire to be faulty insulation. "They didn't put on the insulation provided by the manufacturer, but instead used jerry rigged electrical tape," Jaffe said. "The city created a dangerous condition -- it was an accident waiting to happen." Additionally, a ground fault should have and could have been installed for $5,000 which also would have prevented serious injury to John Cotter.

The jury agreed with Attorney Jaffe. They awarded $1.75 million to the 31-year-old electrician, which was the highest verdict ever rendered against the City of New Britain. 

(Click to Area of Practice -- Municipal Liability PERSONAL INJURY LITIGATION) 
 

Spinella & Associates. Making the law work for YOU.