A Louisiana family’s legal battle over compensation for injuries sustained in a vehicular accident has taken a significant turn. The plaintiffs, Mitchell and Sarah Ashley Meredith, individually and on behalf of their minor child, Sarah Grace Meredith, filed a complaint against Garrison Property and Casualty Insurance Company in the Nineteenth Judicial District Court, Parish of East Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The judgment was delivered on July 25, 2024.
The case revolves around an accident that occurred on January 13, 2017. Mr. Meredith was driving his SUV eastbound on I-10 when Arnulfo Reyes’ Toyota Camry veered into his lane to avoid a truck with a tire blowout. The collision resulted in both vehicles stopping safely on the shoulder without airbag deployment. Despite feeling stiff at the scene, Mr. Meredith continued to New Orleans for a rehearsal dinner and attended a wedding the next day. He later sought medical attention for headaches and pain in his neck, back, and shoulder, diagnosed as soft-tissue injuries.
Several weeks post-accident, Mr. Meredith engaged in physically demanding activities such as installing a billboard and moving office furniture. His condition fluctuated until June 2017 when he experienced new symptoms indicative of a lumbar disc injury. Medical experts linked this injury to the accident but noted the strenuous activities could have exacerbated it.
In January 2019, the plaintiffs sued Garrison for additional damages beyond what had been paid by Mr. Reyes' insurer and Garrison itself—totaling $73,399—for Mr. Meredith's injuries and loss of consortium damages for Mrs. Meredith and their child. They also sought penalties and attorney fees for Garrison’s alleged bad faith in handling their claim.
The jury trial held from March 7-11, 2022 concluded that while Mr. Reyes was at fault and Mr. Meredith was injured in the accident, no additional damages were warranted beyond what had already been paid. The jury found no evidence that Garrison acted arbitrarily or without probable cause.
The plaintiffs appealed this decision but faced setbacks as higher courts upheld the jury's verdicts under the law of the case doctrine—a principle preventing re-litigation of issues already decided unless manifest error or injustice is evident.
Attorneys involved include Sean D. Fagan representing the plaintiffs and Michael M. Thompson along with H. Minor Pipes III, Stephen L. Miles, and Catherine F. Giarrusso representing Garrison Property and Casualty Insurance Company before Judges Guidry (C.J.), Chutz (J.), Lanier (J.), with Judge Ad Hoc Martin E Coady presiding over the original trial (Case ID: 678153).