Anderson Hemmat Cases & Verdicts

On April 14, 2021, Chad Hemmat of Anderson Hemmat in a jury trial with shared responsibilities with Greg Gold of the Gold Law Firm won a $33,000,000 verdict for the wrongful death of a 30-year-old engineer from Aurora. The death arose out of a two-vehicle collision on September 1, 2019, where the negligent motorist was driving over 100 mph in a post 35 mph zone. The victim’s mother is reported to have now won the largest jury verdict in the 18th Judicial District (Arapahoe and Douglas counties)  and thought to also be the largest wrongful death verdict in Colorado’s history.

A single mother of one was acting as a designated driver driving home family members after a wedding. She was proceeding, after dropping off her last family member, westbound on 92nd Avenue approaching Federal Blvd. At that same time, a 25 year old male with blood alcohol level in excess of .36 BAC, was proceeding eastbound on the westbound lane of 92nd at an excessive speed. At the intersection of 92nd and Bryant the intoxicated 25 year old male struck head on the vehicle driven by the 50 year old victim. The victim died at the scene survived by her young daughter.

A jogger, finishing his residency in dermatology, was struck in a crosswalk by a driver who had only $250,000 worth of auto insurance coverage, and no personal assets. When insurance was resistant initially to paying their coverage limits, Anderson Hemmat brought a lawsuit that created a conflict between the at-fault driver and her insurance company and brought to light the company’s unreasonable claim handling. The insurance company’s conduct jeopardized the at-fault driver being held potentially personally liable for a judgment substantially greater than her available insurance coverage. State Farm settled the case with our client shortly before trial by paying $4,500,000 which was nearly twenty-times the coverage limits the at-fault driver had purchased from her insurance company.

A mother brought an action against a young man who negligently shot and killed her 23 year old son. Insurance for the ranch where the shooting occurred, initially, denied the claim and then later tried to settle with the mother and her former lawyer for only $250,000. The mother was being strongly encouraged by her prior lawyer to take the small settlement. Then Anderson Hemmat took the case and discovered that the boy who claimed the AR 15 had misfired due to a mechanical failure was lying and that his claim of mechanical failure was physically impossible given our forensic investigation. Instead, it was determined that the shooting was likely due to reckless conduct on the part of the part of the shooter who was stoned at the time of the killing. Neither fact was discovered during the police investigation, where the boy received nearly no criminal consequences, but came to light during our follow up investigation. The insurance company faced then with a nearly impossible case at trial, paid their entire ranch policy shortly before trial in the amount of $3,000,000.

Mechanic driving from Denver to Glenwood Springs delivering a repaired vehicle, rolled the vehicle he was in and he was thrown from the vehicle which resulted in suffering partial paralysis. The driver was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident.

A man was rear-ended by a driver and complained of back pain to his doctor 16 days after the collision. The client underwent three back surgeries and incurred $400,000 in medical bills. The driver who rear-ended the client had inadequate insurance coverage to compensate the client for his injuries so the client made a claim on his underinsured motorist policy. The insurance company unreasonably denied and delayed the client’s claim and refused to fairly compensate him for his injuries.

The client was riding his motorcycle home when a drunk driver ran a stop sign and pulled in front of the client, causing him to be thrown head first through the back door and window of the drunk's car. The drunk driver had a BAC nearly twice the DUI limit when she caused the collision. The client spent nearly a month in the hospital where he underwent liver surgery, a spleen removal, and had screws surgically implanted in his arm and leg.

Nurse rear-ended by a driver, in a chain reaction 4 vehicle collision with approximately $3,700.00 worth of property damage. The client thought he had sustained no physical injury at the time of the accident. Approximately 12 days later, the client began treating for low back injury. Ultimately, the client underwent a 4 level back fusion and was forced to quit his job as a nurse.

A local union carpenter was rear-ended by another driver on a snowy day. When he was standing between the two vehicles to inspect the damage, a third vehicle rear-ended the stopped cars, pinning the carpenter’s left leg between his bumper and the bumper of the first contact vehicle. The carpenter’s leg was crushed and he underwent a series of surgeries over the next 17 days. His injuries caused him devastating loss of income.

While visiting a friend in Denver, a man was rear-ended by a drunk driver who had consumed 19 to 21 Corona Beers—some of which were consumed in the car on the way to the bar. The client sustained injuries to his shoulder in the collision and later underwent surgery to repair a left rotator cuff tear.

A man was a passenger in a co-workers' vehicle when the driver lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle rolled over which resulted in the man having to undergo a bladder and back surgery.

Two law firms that were assisting a mentally disabled woman settled an insurance bad faith claim for $250,000.00. The insurance policy provided, however, that the disabled person could be entitled to as much as $500,000.00 but the woman and her family were not advised of that possibility. When the family complained about the settlement, the attorneys representing the woman at the time stated that if she did not agree to take the settlement, the settlement would be enforced by the Court and she would lose. After she took the settlement, a legal malpractice action was brought by Mr. Hemmat against the disabled woman’s former lawyers for negligent representation.

A man was rear-ended by a commercial vehicle and suffered a herniated disk in his lower back. This injury led to fusion surgery.

A man was rear-ended by an elderly defendant resulting in only $593.00 worth of damage to the man’s car. As a result of the automobile collision, the man underwent a neck surgery and suffered some damage to his vision.

A man was a passenger in a vehicle that was traveling down the highway. The driver fell asleep causing a one-vehicle rollover collision. The man ultimately required a neck surgery.