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A team of lawyers from Carpenter, Zuckerman, & Rowley, Trial Lawyers For Justice and Trial by Woman won a record $14.6 million verdict last week for the family of a 54-year-old farm worker in California who was killed during a motor vehicle accident in 2015.

The lawyers for the plaintiff, the family of Luis Guzman, were Nick Rowley, partner at Carpenter, Zuckerman, & Rowley and founder of Trial Lawyers for Justice, Trial Lawyer Courtney Rowley, founder of Trial by Woman, Trial Lawyer Robert Ounjian, partner at Carpenter, Zuckerman, & Rowley, and Director of Special Projects Steve Glass.

Guzman who was an immigrant, was killed in a Sept. 9, 2015 crash while in his car. As he was slowing down on Highway 33 near his place of employment, he was hit from behind by a commercial truck. The plaintiffs’ team convinced a Stanislaus County jury that the large amount in non-economic damages — which includes loss of love, comfort, protection, assistance, moral support, and society — were justified due to the horror of the loss. The truck’s owner was named as the defendant, but representatives for the plaintiff said it was ultimately the insurance company in control of whether the Guzman family would be paid reasonable compensation under the law.    

“This is a very emotional case in which a family lost their husband and father,” said Nick Rowley. “The unexpected loss of a loved one not only puts a tremendous financial burden on a family, but impacts every member of that family for the rest of their lives.  In this case, the jury could feel the love this family had for their husband and father and returned a verdict accordingly.”

The evidence at trial showed that Luis Guzman had co-workers and family. After work each day he would come straight home and spend his time with his family, which included one of his adult daughters and her children, who lived at home with him and his wife.

The case number is 2017785.

Leaders In The Law reported on a significant verdict secured by Carpenter, Zuckerman, & Rowley last year for a woman severely injured in a San Diego nightclub. Read more here.