Cole Prevails in Saint Francois County Trial

A Saint Francois County, Mo. jury found in favor of Morry Cole's client and awarded damages totaling four and a half times the defendant's pre-trial settlement offer. The trial arose from serious injuries sustained by Cole's client, a minor child, in a bicycle mishap involving poorly maintained facilities at a local park. The defendant vigorously denied negligence and challenged the severity of the plaintiff's injuries. Cole presented testimony from 11 witnesses and filled the courtroom with a variety of demonstrative evidence, including the child's bicycle. Cole demonstrated to the jury no fewer than four solutions to the dangerous condition at the park, each of which could have been utilized by the local parks department to eliminate the hazard. None of the solutions cost more than $28.