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32 ¦ MARCH 22, 2021 VERDICTS & SETTLE MENTS

No Helmet, No Surgery: Plaintiffs Counsel
Overcame 2 Obstacles in Personal Injury Suit

By Robert Storace

C New Haven Superior Court building. Photo: Google
onnecticut attorney Ryan Miller had a few Then a second obstacle: Farland was not wearing
hurdles to overcome in his representation of a helmet, which complicated things.
a client injured in a motorcycle-car collision. “There is this bias out there against people who
First, Miller’s client, plaintiff Darin Farland, re- ride motorcycles,” said Miller of Miller & Morilla in
fused to have surgery as his doctor had suggested. Stratford. “The defense was going to use the fact that
Cases involving surgery often lead to larger settle- my client was not wearing a helmet against him to a
ments. Plus, it helps if plaintiffs counsel can show jury, if it went that far.”
the client abided by doctors’ recommendations. So, what clinched the $180,000 settlement on Feb.
“It was an uphill battle with the defense when he 19?
said no to the surgery,” Miller said. “The defense was Miller said that while not all plaintiffs give testi-
claiming, ‘Why should we pay the value of a case mony the defense deems credible, he said his client
that includes a surgery, if the surgery will not be showed that deposition testimony could wash away
happening?’” any concerns.

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