Attorney Patrick Barry of Decof, Barry, Mega & Quinn, P.C. was recently named as a “2018 Lawyer of the Year” by Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly (RILW). The title was granted for his successes in 2018 and integral role in a newsworthy swimming accident claim.
From all of us at Decof, Barry, Mega & Quinn, P.C., we want to congratulate him on earning this title. We must also show thanks to everyone who helped make it possible, especially our clients who place their claims in his hands.
Details of the Swimming Accident Case
In 2014, Brett Smith was swimming on the grounds of The University of Rhode Island when he struck his head on a submerged rock. The resulting injury left him paralyzed up to his chest. There were no warning signs around the area that prohibited swimming, told of swimming hazards, submerged rocks, and other dangerous conditions.
The case was taken by Attorney Patrick Barry and went to trial before Superior Court Judge Kristin Rodgers in May 2018. It took three weeks for the trial to conclude with a $28.56 million jury award for Smith. With prejudgment interest, the judgment in favor of Patrick’s clients totaled over $32,000,000.
The defense did not admit fault for Smith’s accident and injuries. Attorney Barry proved to the jury that the waters were marketed in a way that encouraged swimming, that the facility knew about the potential dangers of swimming there, and that no actions were taken to prevent swimming and subsequent injuries. A key to the trial’s success was establishing the defendant’s position as a business, rather than the state university itself. This eliminated some potential case law defenses the defense may have been able to pursue.
If you would like to know more about Attorney Barry’s selection as a 2018 Lawyer of the Year by Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly, you can click hereto visit the publication’s official article. (Login information or subscription may be required.) If you need a Rhode Island personal injury attorney for a claim of your own, please do not hesitate to contact usat (401) 200-4059 to arrange a free consultation with our team.