Firm Obtains Maximum Judgment for Mother and Daughter after Appeal Dropped
December 14, 2007 - A Baltimore City Circuit Court jury awarded a $100,000 judgment – the legal maximum – against the Baltimore City School System to a mother and daughter last August for negligent supervision. Hyatt & Weber represented the Plaintiffs, who will now be able to collect after the School Board dropped its appeal in December. The daughter was twelve years old at the time of a 2002 classroom assault by schoolmates which occurred as the instructor continued to stand at the blackboard and teach math. As a result, she suffered Post-traumatic stress syndrome resulting in multiple hospitalizations and ultimate institutionalization in a secure residential teaching facility. The jury deliberated one hour before awarding $135,000, which exceeded the allowable damages under statute. The trial judge trimmed the verdict, which the School system appealed to the Maryland Court of Special Appeals. After three months, the City Schools decided to pay the judgment with interest.