$4,500,000 Jury Verdict – Apartment Complex Shooting

Shiver Hamilton Campbell obtained a $4.5 million jury verdict for the family of a young man shot and killed on the premises of a Columbus, Georgia apartment complex. The company that owned and managed the complex was aware of a problem unit at this complex and knew there was a lot of late-night traffic coming and going from the unit. In response, the company sent the tenant a 60-day notice to vacate, but the company never confronted the tenant regarding the late-night activity, nor did it hire anyone to monitor the property at night.

Three days after sending the notice to vacate to the tenant, three people were shot on the premises. The police concluded the shooting was related to the problem unit and informed the company of this. Despite knowledge that the problem unit was now associated with violence on the premises, the company still did not confront the tenant or hire anyone to monitor or attempt to control the premises. Instead, the company simply called the police and asked them to keep an eye on the premises. Ten days later, two more people were shot at a late night gathering on the premises, including our client, who did not survive his injuries.

The shooter claimed he shot our client in self-defense and was ultimately acquitted following a criminal trial. Shiver Hamilton Campbell did not accept the shooter’s story and believed that our client was an innocent victim whose murder was the result of management’s failure to act reasonably or to attempt to monitor and control its property.

Over two and a half years, our attorneys thoroughly investigated and litigated the case, marshaling the evidence necessary to establish that our client’s death was the result of the company’s failure to appropriately monitor and control its premises. The company continued to deny liability, never offering more than $25,000, so the case proceeded to trial. After a week-long trial, the jury took roughly five hours to return a $4.5 million verdict in favor of our client’s family.

Investigating Premises Liability Cases

Over two and a half years Shiver Hamilton Campbell thoroughly investigated and litigated the case, marshaling the evidence necessary to establish that our client’s death was the result of the company’s failure to appropriately monitor and control its premises. The company continued to deny liability, never offering more than $25,000, so the case proceeded to trial. After a week-long trial, the jury took roughly five hours to return a $4.5 million verdict in favor of our client’s family.

When a property owner or manager fails to take appropriate action to attempt to monitor and control its premises the injured party may be entitled to compensation. In these types of case, it takes aggressive litigation and a willingness to take a case to verdict to get a property owner or manager to appreciate its liability and to appropriately compensate an injured party or the family of a deceased victim. The attorneys at Shiver Hamilton Campbell have a proven track record of obtaining favorable verdicts and settlements for people who have suffered due to the negligence of property owners and managers.

Shiver Hamilton Campbell’s result in this case was not only a victory for our client’s family but was a victory for all Georgia citizens as affirmation that property owners and managers will be held responsible when they fail to fulfill their duties to monitor and control their properties.