Charles Tony Piccuta Obtains Unanimous Jury Verdict of 1.925 Million Dollars

On May 9, 2018, attorney Charles Tony Piccuta obtained a jury verdict on behalf of the firm’s client. The case involved a Monterey County motorcycle injury accident. Trial lasted just under two weeks and the jury deliberated for only four hours. The jury returned a 12-0 unanimous verdict finding in favor of the firm’s client.

The case was pending in the Monterey County Superior Court and is entitled Hambrook v. Lafitte (Case M133438). The jury awarded the firm’s client $1.925 Million dollars for her pain and suffering. The award consisted of $425,000 in past pain and suffering and 1.5 Million in future pain and suffering. The highest offer prior to trial was $115,000.

The case was defended by David Hirshik from Sentry Insurance. The evidence showed that the firm’s client was expected to make a full recovery from her leg injury with no residual problems. Nevertheless,  Piccuta was able to convince the jury that her pain and suffering was substantial and emotional as well. During the closing argument, the attorney for the insurance company said “do you think Ms. Hambrook would have ever become a millionaire in her life without this injury.”

  Piccuta pictured with client after receiving the verdict.

This is Piccuta’s third jury verdict in the last year. In the last 12 months he has obtained a $240,000 verdict in a car accident case in state court and a $130,000 verdict in a prisoner civil rights case in federal court. In the case in which he obtained a $240,000 verdict, the highest offer prior to trial was approximately $25,000. In the prisoner rights case, no settlement offer was made prior to trial. In that case, the parties settled after the verdict for $420,000 in exchange for releasing other claims and agreeing to set aside the verdict.