Waller Scores Jury Win for Big 3 Automaker

June, 2015 - United States of America

Waller represented an international automaker against accusations by a former production worker that he was disabled and not reasonably accommodated as required by the ADA Amendments Act. The Court dismissed claims of wrongful discharge prior to trial on the automaker’s motion. The remaining claims ended with a complete victory for the automaker, including a jury verdict in its favor following a January 2015 federal trial in Indianapolis.

Labor & Employment partner, Stan Graham, and associate, Bahar Azhdari, led the trial team with the assistance of paralegal, David Bujdos. The defense argued that the plaintiff was not disabled within the meaning of the ADA and the automaker had fulfilled any obligation to accommodate the plaintiff’s medical condition.

The jury heard testimony from seven witnesses. The Court dismissed the plaintiff’s claim for punitive damages on the automaker’s motion before sending the ADA accommodation claim to the jury for its consideration. The jury deliberated for a mere 34 minutes before finding in favor of the automaker. The jury’s verdict rested on their finding that the plaintiff was not disabled within the meaning of the ADAAA.

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