Aviation Litigation
Podhurst Orseck Wins $5M for Estate in Aviation Negligence Lawsuit
April 2019 - Podhurst Orseck secured a $5 million jury verdict for the estate of Timothy Johnson Jr., who died in a 2012 plane crash at North Palm Beach County Airport. The Miami-Dade jury found Continental Motors Inc. fully responsible for the accident, awarding $2.35 million to Johnson’s estate and $2.65 million to his surviving wife, Carly.
The lawsuit alleged the engine manufacturer’s negligence caused the crash, specifically citing a faulty viscous torsional vibration damper that degraded engine performance.
Podhurst Orseck attorneys Ricardo Martinez-Cid and Lea Bucciero represented the Johnson family, overcoming significant obstacles, including the defendant's document withholding and aggressive defenses that claimed pilot error or improper maintenance.
Testimony from the aircraft mechanic and cross-examination of Continental’s own experts highlighted the engine’s faulty component, persuading the jury that the failure was due to negligent manufacturing rather than pilot or maintenance error.
The case illustrates the firm’s commitment to achieving justice for victims of aviation negligence, even against experienced and aggressive corporate defendants.