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VERDICTS & SETTLEMENTS FEBRUARY 24, 2020 ¦ 33

But the treating physicians, The jury ended up siding
most in South Carolina, did not with the plaintiff to the tune of
believe the crash had caused the $550,000, awarding $350,000 to
injuries to either plaintiff, accord- The treating doctors didn’t Lestrange and $200,000 to Scinto
ing to Sreenivasan, co-owner of testify, because they in a verdict rendered Jan. 8.
New Haven-based Calabrese + believed there was no
Sreenivasan. But it was far less than what
connection between Scinto’s the plaintiffs had sought, with
“No doctor wanted to talk about heart condition and the Sreenivasan asking during clos-
causation,” the attorney said. ing arguments for more than $7
‘I gambled’ traffic collision. And as for million in damages.
Lestrange, who’d had prior

The treating doctors didn’t tes- surgery, physicians said The lack of medical support

tify, because they believed there that “the science supported took its toll, but Sreenivasan said
was no connection between Scin- that the nose surgery was he thinks the aftereffects swayed
to’s heart condition and the traffic the New Haven Superior Court
collision. And as for Lestrange, a result of a naturally jury.
who’d had prior surgery, phy- occurring condition,”
sicians said that “the science “The couple had a success-
Sreenivasan said. ful business for more than 40

supported that the nose surgery years,” the attorney said. “He was
was a result of a naturally occur- a plumber, and she was a general
ring condition,” Sreenivasan said. contractor. Their work life was in-
In addition, the doctors refused to release their terrupted because of this accident and this event.”
medical costs to Sreenivasan, meaning the jury had Defense counsel Joseph Grippe of Cheshire-based
to take the attorney at his word that the couple’s Ouellette Deganis Gallagher & Grippe, pointed ju-
medical costs were about $400,000. rors to the lack of medical testimony and evidence.
So, what was Sreenivasan’s defense for his clients? “At trial, the plaintiffs provided testimony that
“I gambled,” the attorney told the Connecticut they incurred more than $400,000 in medical bills,”
Law Tribune. “I raised the issue of Mr. Scinto going Grippe said. “The defense was able to get some of the
into bankruptcy as a consequence of him not being injuries precluded, as there was no expert disclosed
able to work, and being overwhelmed.” regarding causation.”
Sreenivasan continued: “I raised the bankruptcy The defense never admitted liability, and left it to
issue in front of the jury, saying this accident pro- the plaintiffs to prove their case.
foundly changed the couple’s life. I told the court to Grippe said, “This was an unfortunate accident
remove the jury instructions for economic damages, where the plaintiffs were claiming significant issues
and did not present a single medical bill. We gave the requiring multiple surgical procedures.”
jury a case on noneconomic damages. I also told the ¦

jury that Mr. Scinto was a stand-up guy who does Robert Storace covers legal trends, lawsuits and
not back away from his debt. My argument to the analysis for the Connecticut Law Tribune. Follow
jury was that if this accident did not happen, they him on Twitter @RobertSCTLaw or reach him at
would have been enjoying their retirement.” 203-437-5950.

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