"NAPLES, FL - After only two hours of deliberation on Thursday, March 18, 1999, an all female jury returned its verdict holding State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance liable for injuries to Michael Minor from an accident which occurred on May 3, 1996 in Naples. The jury returned a verdict of almost $148,000.00 - three times the policy limits - after the insurance company refused to settle the claim for a lower amount three years ago.
On the day of the accident Minor was rear-ended by uninsured motorist. Fortunately, Minor carried uninsured motorist coverage from State Farm to protect himself in this type of situation. Minor's insurance with State Farm stepped into the shoes of the uninsured motorist for this litigation.

Three years ago , State Farm was given the opportunity to settle the case when the plaintiff, Michael Minor, filed an Offer of Judgment to accept the policy limits of $50,000. The insurance company stonewalled, refusing to pay the plaintiff's damages. The plaintiff's attorney, Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers, P.A., brought the case before a jury.

In the trial, State Farm took the position that Minor did not suffer a herniated cervical disc in this car crash and that his subsequent neurological surgery and fusion for the herniated disc was unrelated to the crash. State Farm hired Dr. Stephen Padar, a neurosurgeon from Sarasota to review Minor's medical records and tell the jury that nothing happened to Minor in this crash. Dr. Michael Lusk, a Naples neurosurgeon who operated on Minor, told the jury that the herniated disc was caused by this accident and that the surgery was related to this crash. The jury agreed with Dr. Lusk and reached a verdict of approximately $ 148,000.00 against State Farm, who will now be liable for the judgment, costs of litigation and attorney fees.".

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