William J. Ronalter

Our clients, a 3-year-old boy and his 33-year-old father, suffered third degree burns to over 70% and 50% of their bodies respectively and we argued that a lithium ion battery exploded from an electronic device. We brought claims against the product assembler, distributor, and seller. After three unsuccessful mediations and more than 50 depositions, the claims were presented to an arbitration panel. The result of the arbitration was a gross recovery of $36,500,000 for our clients.

Our client, a 63 year old man, suffered third degree burns to 40% of his body when a defective product exploded during a social event.  We brought claims against the product manufacturers, a large national retailer, and a third party consumer who used the product.  After preparing a multi-media presentation, the claims against the various defendants were settled following an arbitration and mediation for a combined amount of $5,025,850.

We represented the employee of a longstanding corporate client, who was sideswiped by a truck when he was riding his bicycle home from work. Initially, the truck driver told the cops our client was on his phone, no witnesses to the crash were identified, and we did not know if our comatose client would live and/or remember how the crash occurred. We got our client’s phone records (through his employer) and proved he wasn’t on his phone. Our accident reconstruction expert inspected the scene and the evidence, and we taught the detective the specific state statutes that protect cyclists. We requested the 911 dispatch tapes and learned that there were witnesses to the aftermath of the crash that called 911 reporting that the truck driver was attempting to leave the scene. We later learned that the truck driver lied to the cops and used another name at the scene of the crash because he was in the United States illegally. Unfortunately, due to the extent of the injury to his left leg, our client had his leg amputated above the knee approximately a month after the crash. We gave the insurance carrier an opportunity to settle the case as we drafted the Complaint to commence the lawsuit explaining that if they did not offer their $5,000,000 limits, we expected a verdict over the coverage when the case was tried. The carrier responded by offering its $5,000,000 policy limits available for this loss, which will give the client financial security as he starts the next chapter of his life.

Through a referral from an in-house attorney from one of our corporate clients, we represented an executive in a dental malpractice case.  Our client was injured during a root canal where the dentist over instrumented leading to a large over fill of sealer some of which went into our client’s mandibular canal.  The defendants disputed liability, causation, and damages.  The defendants’ insurance company offered only $200,000 two weeks before trial.  After three weeks of evidence, including the use of technology at trial, Bill Ronalter obtained a verdict of $4,500,000, which consisted of $165,000 for past and future medical bills and $4,335,000 for additional harms, including constant pain, fatigue from prescription medications, and the reduction of enjoyment in many aspects of her life.  In addition, we filed an Offer of Compromise agreeing to settle for $750,000 the year before the trial.  Since the verdict was in excess of $750,000, interest runs from when the litigation started in February 2013 bringing the total amount to up over $5,300,000.  This verdict is the largest dental malpractice verdict in Connecticut history and is believed to be the largest dental malpractice verdict ever nationally.