Verdicts & Settlements
Most civil cases settle long before they see the courtroom. At Merkel & Cocke, P.A., we do not make that assumption. Our skilled litigation attorneys assume that every case will ultimately end up in a jury or bench trial. However, our strategy gets results. Our experience and results have resulted in a strong reputation throughout the South. This makes for larger settlement offers. We will work hard to obtain the maximum amount of settlement authority the defendant has and then advise you as a firm as to whether we believe the settlement to be fair. At that point, you will then make the ultimate decision whether you wish to take the settlement offer made or proceed with trial. A sample of the settlements and verdicts are below.
Failure to Diagnose Breast Cancer
Merkel & Cocke, in collaboration with two other law firms, obtained a jury verdict in the total amount of $23,600,000 from a Shelby County, Tennessee…
Read the case →$20 MillionConstruction Zone - Accident Victim - Tolivar V. City of Clarksdale
Despite an initial police report claiming that our client was responsible for the injuries he sustained in an automobile collision, we were able to…
Read the case →$12.9 MillionVehicle Roll-over / Crashworthiness
Our client was paralyzed in a motor vehicle accident involving a roll-over on the highway. We alleged that the roof support structures of the…
Read the case →$9.9 MillionClient’s Construction Site Injuries
Our client received life-altering injuries including paralysis when he fell from an elevated position at a construction site. Multiple parties were…
Read the case →$3 MillionA Ruptured Ectopic Pregnancy
Our client presented to an ER with severe abdominal pain. We alleged that she did not receive an adequate work-up in the ER, which would have…
Read the case →$3 MillionClients’ Improper Cancer Diagnosis
We represented several clients who had been diagnosed with prostate cancer by their treating physicians and improperly treated with injections to…
Read the case →$3 MillionFailure to Diagnose Pulmonary Embolism
The firm represented a family with regard to failure to diagnose a pulmonary embolism. The patient was sent home without any testing despite symptoms…
Read the case →$2.4 MillionOB/GYN Malpractice for Multiple Injuries Sustained During and After Labor
Partners Charlie Merkel, Jr. and Charles Merkel, III secured a $2.4 million jury verdict against Dr. James Holzhauer, after a Lowndes jury found him…
Read the case →$2 MillionGibbs v. Kings Daughter Hospital
Our 18-year-old client suffered paralysis and bowel and bladder dysfunction after emergency room staff failed to diagnose her arterial venous…
Read the case →$2 MillionFailure to Diagnose Cancer
A radiologist misinterpreted imaging of our client at a time when his cancerous tumor was treatable. This caused a significant delay in his cancer…
Read the case →$1.99 MillionHeath v. State Industries, Inc.
Three-year-old Kendra Heath accidentally knocked over a gasoline container in her home’s storage room, and the pilot light in her family’s water…
Read the case →$1.9 MillionMarlow v. Moore
We demonstrated that our client suffered a severe birth injury as a result of the obstetrician’s negligence. The night before the infant was born,…
Read the case →$1.9 MillionRadiology Misread
Our client sustained leg fractures in a motor vehicle accident and was taken to the hospital. Radiology imaging was ordered and revealed damage to…
Read the case →$1.7 MillionFamily Seriously Injured by a Tractor-Trailer
Merkel & Cocke was able to secure a $1.7 million settlement for a woman and her family who were run off the road by a "phantom" tractor-trailer. We…
Read the case →$1.6 MillionDefective Product - Prestage v. Sperry-New Holland
Our client, a 21-year-old farmer, was working on his 1969 Ford New Holland combine when an accident cost him his leg. He was using the machine to…
Read the case →$1.5 MillionWoman Critically Injured by an 18-Wheeler
Our client had a torn rotator cuff tear that led to surgery, had a double disk fusion and a disk replacement (two surgeries), was diagnosed with…
Read the case →$1.5 MillionPulmonary Embolism Death
In a similar factual case to the one immediately above, we represented the family of an individual who reported chest pain and shortness of breath to…
Read the case →$1.5 MillionWrongful Death against Delta Regional Medical Center
Merkel & Cocke, PA won a $1.5 million judgment on behalf of the estate and family of Vanessa Jernigan, whose untimely death was caused by Delta…
Read the case →$1.4 MillionWrongful Death
Merkel & Cocke represented a young child whose mother died in the hospital from blood loss following a relatively minor surgical procedure. A $1.4…
Read the case →$1.1 MillionFatal Truck Accident
Merkel & Cocke, P.A. recently obtained a $1.1 million judgment on behalf of a client in a fatal truck accident case. This award was for the maximum…
Read the case →$1 MillionSurgical Malpractice
In this medical malpractice case, the client was diagnosed with an aortic aneurism. Surgical stenting was recommended. Following surgery, the patient…
Read the case →$1 MillionClient Struck by 18-Wheeler
In a case dealing with a trucking accident, our client was operating a truck in Benton County Mississippi on U.S. Highway 78. Our client was struck…
Read the case →$1 MillionFamily of Victim Who Died
In a medical malpractice case, our client had pre-term premature rupture of her membranes. Our client was admitted to the hospital for observation.…
Read the case →$1 MillionMisdiagnosis
In this medical malpractice case, the Plaintiff was diagnosed with a bruit, or irregular flow of blood in the carotid arteries. A carotid ultrasound…
Read the case →$1 MillionEmergency Room Misdiagnosis
In a medical malpractice case, our client died from pulmonary embolus. In this case, our client went to the emergency room on two occasions…
Read the case →$1 MillionChild after the Loss of His Mother
A lady who had recently given birth to her first child underwent a relatively routine surgery to remove her gall bladder. Following the surgery,…
Read the case →$1 MillionLegal Malpractice Claim
In this legal malpractice case, the attorney failed to search and find all heirs of the deceased. Unfortunately for him, there were other heirs of…
Read the case →$1 MillionFailure to Diagnose and Treat Cancer
In this medical malpractice case, radiologists who analyzed client’s yearly mammograms noted the same suspicious mass on three occasions before…
Read the case →$1 MillionCrash with an 18-Wheeler
Recovery for a young girl injured in automobile collision when an 18-wheeler ran a red light and hit her Miata, throwing her out of vehicle. She…
Read the case →$1 MillionFailure to Monitor Kidney Function in Diabetic Patient
Diabetic patients need regular monitoring of their kidney function. Our client was seen regularly by a physician treating his diabetes, but his…
Read the case →$750,000Delayed Breast Cancer Diagnosis
Mammogram imaging showed a suspicious mass in our client’s breast. Her doctors failed to recommend a biopsy to determine if the mass was cancerous. …
Read the case →$650,000Auto Accident
We represented the family of a woman killed in a head-on collision on a rural highway. There was a dispute as to who crossed the center line. Our…
Read the case →$525,000Burn Injuries - Chism v. Tubertini Construction Co.
Our clients sued on behalf of 17-year-old Chism, who died due to severe burns he received after putting his gas lawn mower in the storage room where…
Read the case →$500,000Failure to Diagnose Cancer
In a medical malpractice case, our client presented to the emergency room with shortness of breath. A chest x-ray was done, which was read the next…
Read the case →$500,000Birth Injury
A child was delivered to his mother with gestational diabetes. Despite ultrasounds predicting fetal weight well in excess of 5000 grams, her doctor…
Read the case →$500,000Birth Injury - Luckett v. University of Mississippi Medical Center
In the case of Luckett v. University of Mississippi Medical Center that was tried to a verdict, our client, Patricia Luckett, was admitted in labor.…
Read the case →$490,000Car Accident Claim
Our 60-year-old client was driving home at night when he hit an oversized vehicle that was traveling without lights on. Our client was helicoptered…
Read the case →$400,000Surgical Error
Our client injured his back on the job. After conservative treatment failed, a neurosurgeon recommended lumbar fusion. In performing the procedure, a…
Read the case →$400,000Legal Malpractice
In this legal malpractice case, the defendant attorney filed a medical malpractice action for the death of child from sepsis. However, the defendant…
Read the case →$339,104Client’s Car Accident Injuries
Our client and the defendant were both leaving the Sonic drive-in in Leland, MS, to exit south onto Highway 82 when the accident occurred. More…
Read the case →$300,000Surgical Error: McKinnley v. Simha
In the medical malpractice of McKinnley v. Simha, the Plaintiff underwent an abdominal hysterectomy. During the procedure, her right ureter was…
Read the case →$150,000Legal Malpractice
In a legal malpractice case where the statute of limitations was missed by the initial attorney, we successfully settled the matter for excess of six…
Read the case →$107,223Case Against State Farm
Ted Connell and Charlie Merkel represented a client who sustained injuries in a car wreck. Prior to going to trial, State Farm offered our client…
Read the case →Six-figure SettlementBirth Injury for Client Subjected to Elective Cesarean
In this medical malpractice case, the physician did an elective cesarean section despite tests showing immature lungs in the fetus. After birth the…
Read the case →Six-figure SettlementFailure to Diagnose Heart Attack
In another medical malpractice case, the patient presented to the emergency room with chest pain radiating into his arm. The initial EKG and cardiac…
Read the case →Six-figure SettlementUnnecessary Surgeries
In a medical malpractice case versus a podiatrist who had provided unnecessary surgeries, we obtained a six-figure settlement award.
Read the case →Six-figure AwardClient Who Lost a Limb Due to Undiagnosed Infection
In another medical malpractice case, our client was a known diabetic who underwent a knee replacement surgery and developed a serious infection…
Read the case →Six-figure AwardDeadly Head-on Collision
In a car wreck case, an elderly lady was the passenger in an automobile which was struck head-on by on oncoming vehicle. Everyone involved in the…
Read the case →Six-figure SettlementCase Resulting in Permanent Brain Damage
In this car accident case, our client was a pedestrian struck by a motor vehicle. The client suffered brain damage. A large six-figure settlement was…
Read the case →Six-figure SettlementSurgical Malpractice
In this medical malpractice case, the patient underwent hysterectomy. During surgery her ureter was ligated and not recognized. The Plaintiff…
Read the case →Six-figure SettlementSurgical Malpractice
In a medical malpractice case in which the defendant surgeon improperly inserted a shoulder prosthesis at the wrong angle. Our client was an elderly…
Read the case →Six-figure SettlementTruck Crash
Settlement for a young man who was injured when he struck the rear of a tractor trailer which moved into his lane of traffic while making a…
Read the case →Six-figure AwardImproper Supervision
A minor child was injured while lifting weights for football at his local school. He was improperly supervised and the equipment provided was faulty.…
Read the case →Six-figure SettlementClient Who Injured Her Back at Casino
In another casino case, our client was injured when a casino employee ran into her while carrying money bags which resulted in injuries to her back.…
Read the case →Six-figure SettlementSlip and Fall for Casino Visitor
While a client of ours was dining at a casino buffet, he slipped on water that had leaked from a pipe that drained the ice water from the buffet. We…
Read the case →Six-figure SettlementMisrepresentation
In a case involving contract misrepresentation, our client alleged negligence on the part of listing real estate broker in failing to disclose other…
Read the case →Six-figure SettlementErb’s Palsy Injury
In this medical malpractice case, the child was delivered from a +1 station by vacuum delivery. The child suffered an Erb’s Palsy injury. Another…
Read the case →Six-figure SettlementClient Discharged Prematurely From ER
In this medical malpractice case, the patient presented to ER with chest pain. Despite abnormal EKG findings the patient was discharged and later…
Read the case →Six-figure SettlementLoss of Leg
In this medical malpractice, the patient was involved in a motor vehicle accident and fractured her hip. In repairing the hip, the surgeon drilled…
Read the case →Six-figure SettlementMisdiagnosis
In another medical malpractice, the Plaintiff injured his back on the job. A cervical CT revealed a herniated disk, but the Plaintiff was discharged…
Read the case →Six-figure SettlementMedication Error
In this medical malpractice case, the Plaintiff presented to the emergency room with a scratch to his right eye. The emergency room physician…
Read the case →Six-figure SettlementPhysical Therapy Misdiagnosis
In this medical malpractice, the Plaintiff suffered carpal tunnel syndrome. The Plaintiff’s physician ordered physical therapy. The physical…
Read the case →Six-figure SettlementBirth Injury from Hypoxic Brain Damage
In this “bad baby” medical malpractice case, the Plaintiff was born with severe hypoxic brain damage. The Plaintiff alleged the physician and…
Read the case →Six-figure SettlementOB/GYN Negligence
In another medical malpractice case, a mother presented in labor with pre-term premature rupture of membranes. The mother was not screened for group…
Read the case →Six-figure SettlementSlip and Fall for Visitor to Fast Food Restaurant
While our client was proceeding through a fast food restaurant, she slipped on a liquid substance. As a result, she had an extended hospital stay as…
Read the case →Six-figure SettlementPatrons Kidnapped from a Hospital
A hospital failed to provide adequate security when an inmate, who was being treated, kidnapped several patrons. As a result, Merkel & Cocke brought…
Read the case →Six-figure AwardSlip and Fall in a Tunica County Casino
In a slip and fall case versus a casino located Tunica County, we were successful in obtaining an award of almost six figures for our client who…
Read the case →Six-figure AwardTotal Loss of Wage Earning Capacity for a Back Injury
We successfully proved a total loss of wage earning capacity in a workers’ compensation claim whereby our client injured his back when he fell off a…
Read the case →Six-figure AwardTotal Loss of Wage Earning Capacity - School Bus Driver
In a workers’ compensation case, our client who was a school bus driver for a public school district was involved in a car accident that resulted in…
Read the case →Six-figure SettlementTotal Loss of Use - Slip and Fall
We successfully settled a workers’ compensation claim for total loss of use of his lower extremity when a teacher slipped and fell and injured his…
Read the case →Six-figure SettlementHeat Stroke that Lead to the Death of Worker
Our client’s father died of a heat stroke as a result of his work. We successfully settled the claim dealing with her father’s death, which resulted…
Read the case →Undisclosed SettlementCommercial Truck Accident
Client was operating a truck in Benton County on US Highway 78. Client was struck from the rear by an 18-wheeler truck, causing his vehicle to crash.…
Read the case →Undisclosed SettlementConvenience Store Injury
We successfully obtained a large settlement in a Tennessee premise liability case whereby our client was injured in a convenience store by a third…
Read the case →Undisclosed SettlementExcessive Force from Local Sheriff’s Department
Our firm represented clients in sixteen cases versus a local sheriff’s department in various civil rights matters stemming from excessive force…
Read the case →Undisclosed SettlementClient Who Slipped and Fell at a Casino
We obtained a large settlement for our client who injured her knee when she tripped over the “joint” separating the land based and water based…
Read the case →Undisclosed SettlementLoss of Leg
Our client lost part of his leg when his pants leg became caught by the exposed end of a rotating, unguarded conveyor shaft. We netted a large…
Read the case →Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Each case is decided on its own facts. Amounts shown are gross recoveries before fees and expenses.
What happened
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.