Waldon Adelman Defends Fulton Co. Lawsuit to Verdict Well Below Settlement Offer

Partner Ashley Yagla and Associate Caroline Hager secured a major defense success for their client in Fulton County following a personal injury case stemming from a three-car motor vehicle accident on I-85.

The lawsuit involved allegations of neck, mid-back, low-back, and left-knee injuries, with the plaintiff claiming $17,259 in medical expenses. In February, the defense extended a $25,000 offer of settlement, which the plaintiff rejected. During closing arguments of the 1½-day trial, plaintiff’s counsel requested $269,000 from the jury.

 Ashley Yagla countered by presenting a focused, reasonable defense based on the evidence, advocating for either a complete defense verdict or strictly related medical specials with minimal pain and suffering. After just over an hour of deliberation, the jury returned a modest award of $8,151—less than half of the plaintiff’s claimed medical specials and a fraction of the demand.

The trial marked an impressive milestone for new Associate Caroline Hager. Just days after officially receiving her Georgia bar number on Thursday, Hager delivered the opening statement in her first trial the following Monday. Facing a compelling defense opening, opposing counsel chose to introduce only chiropractic records. The defense seized the narrative by introducing the plaintiff’s MRI results directly and highlighting to the jury that opposing counsel failed to present medical records favorable to the defense.

“We are incredibly proud to deliver such a favorable outcome for our client,” said Partner Ashley Yagla. “I am especially proud of Caroline—delivering an opening statement just days after being sworn into the Georgia Bar and setting the tempo for the entire trial was remarkable. Her poise, preparation, and tactical awareness in the courtroom were essential to achieving this verdict.”