Los Angeles Team Secures Complete Defense Verdict in High-Exposure Matter on Behalf of Nightclub Owner

Los Angeles, Calif. (July 22, 2024) - Los Angeles Partners Donald Forgey and Nicholas Koumoulis secured a complete defense verdict on behalf of their client, a nightclub owner/operator in Los Angeles. The case, which had been litigated for over five years, involved a then-25-year-old female patron who alleged that she was physically and sexually assaulted, battered, and falsely imprisoned by the security staff inside and outside of the venue.

In addition to orthopedic-related claims, the plaintiff contended that she developed post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the incident, which in turn caused her to lose her modeling/acting career. We retained a psychiatrist who determined that the plaintiff was experiencing a bipolar manic episode on the night of the incident and in the weeks that followed. The case proceeded to trial.

During closing arguments, the plaintiff’s counsel asked the jury to award the plaintiff $15 million in damages. The jury deliberated for just over two hours and found in favor of the defense on all five causes of action. A C.C.P. §998 - providing for a penalty where the party refusing an offer fails to obtain a better verdict at trial - had been issued well over a year prior to trial. This will allow the client to seek certain costs from the plaintiff.