$95 Million Verdict – Tom Scolaro of Scolaro Law Secures Largest Car Accident Verdict in Miami-Dade County’s History

Scolaro Law’s Founding Partner, Tom Scolaro, achieved a groundbreaking verdict for his clients, a family devastated by the loss of their daughter and the incapacitation of their son due to a drunk driver who was overserved at a well-known Miami bar. While the jury’s decision provided a sense of justice, it could not alter the harsh reality faced by two grieving parents who have lost everything.

The tragic incident occurred as the family was en route to drop their daughter off at the airport for her medical school orientation. Their vehicle was struck head-on by a drunk driver speeding in the wrong direction on I-95. The crash resulted in the death of their 23-year-old daughter and left their 21-year-old son with severe brain and orthopedic injuries, confining him to a wheelchair and requiring constant care. The driver had spent the night and early morning drinking before making the fatal decision to drive.

During the trial, the Miami jury was deeply moved when the father took the stand, conveying the unimaginable pain and daily struggles the family endures. The father, who had immigrated to America with his two children when they were young, shared that every effort he and his wife made was to ensure their children had the best opportunities in life.

Tom Scolaro reflected on the impact of the family’s story:

“The jury recognized the extraordinary nature of this family and were clearly touched as they tried to grasp the extent of their loss. They worked tirelessly from the moment they arrived in the U.S., ensuring their children had every chance at the American Dream. Their daughter was about to start medical school, and their son was on his way to joining the police academy and marrying the love of his life. In an instant, it was all taken away. The jury listened closely to every word and delivered a powerful, unmistakable message.”

This verdict marks the conclusion of a lengthy legal battle involving multiple defendants, two of whom settled before the trial.

Largest Verdict in Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida’s History Adds to Tom Scolaro’s Historic Achievements for his Clients

The jury awarded the family over $95 million: $57 million to the son and $38 million to the parents. This verdict is the largest motor vehicle accident verdict in the history of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida (Miami-Dade County) and ranks as the 4th largest car accident-related verdict in Florida’s history. It also stands as the largest verdict in Tom Scolaro’s 25-year career as a personal injury trial lawyer.

Scolaro Law’s 8-Figure Legacy – Twelve Historic Verdicts and Settlements

Scolaro Law’s culture of success is built on a foundation of experience, compassion, and hard teamwork. Across four decades, Tom Scolaro has consistently delivered outstanding results for his clients. Our team explores multiple innovative strategies and creative approaches to obtain the best result for our clients, even in cases other personal injury firms declined to pursue themselves. Recognized as one of the nation’s leading trial lawyers, Tom Scolaro prides himself on thoroughly evaluating cases to achieve the highest possible recovery for his injured clients.

• Car Accident; Wrongful Death: A Miami-Dade County jury delivered a strong message in favor of Tom Scolaro’s clients with a $95,527,108 verdict. This represents the largest verdict in a car accident case in Miami-Dade County’s history.
• Negligent Security; Assault: Tom Scolaro secured a $40,580,000 verdict for E.E. against her assailant, Mark Jason Holmes, who attacked her with a hammer in a hotel parking garage in Key West. This verdict is the largest in Key West / Monroe County’s history.
• Confusing Road Construction Site; Traumatic Brain Injury: Tom Scolaro secured a cumulative $29,700,000 settlement for his clients whose adult son sustained irreversible brain injuries following a car accident caused by a confusing road construction site.
• Product Liability; Furniture Tip-over Incident: Following a tragic incident where a two-year-old child lost his life when the dresser in his bedroom tipped-over, Tom Scolaro obtained a $17,500,000 settlement for the child’s mother.
• Parasailing Incident; Traumatic Brain Injury: Tom Scolaro secured a $17,000,000 judgment for his client who sustained catastrophic brain injuries following a parasail ride that ended in tragedy due to bad weather.  The parasailing company failed to ground its operations during a known, visible storm off of Key West, Florida.
• Motor Vehicle Accident: A Broward County jury awarded Tom Scolaro’s client, Dwight Grant, a $15,400,000 verdict. Grant, a back-seat passenger, suffered permanent brain injuries when his car was rear-ended by a drunk driver fleeing the police.
• Negligent Security; Assault: Lack of competent security contributed to the fatal assault of Tom Scolaro’s client who was stabbed to death in front of his family. Litigation resulted in a $15,000,000 settlement against multiple defendants.
• Parasailing Accident; Wrongful Death: Tom Scolaro obtained a $15,000,000 judgement for the family of a young father who drowned near Key West. After he was sent up in the middle of a brewing storm, which caused the parasail to crash into the ocean, the decedent was dragged in the rough waters for several minutes before anyone could rescue him.
• Carbon Monoxide Exposure; Wrongful Death, Traumatic Brain Injury: During their stay at a resort, Tom’s married clients were poisoned due to carbon monoxide flowing back into their suite. This resulted in a $11,750,000 settlement.
• Defective Product, Wrongful Death: A mother and her two youngest children perished in a house fire caused by a defective electrical outlet. After four years of heavy litigation against multiple defendants, Tom Scolaro obtained a $10,677,000 settlement on behalf of the family.
• Negligence; Loss of both legs: Tom Scolaro’s client was ran over by a top-loader operated by a negligent worker. Litigation resulted in a $10,000,000 settlement.
• Electrocution; Wrongful Death: A young teenager was electrocuted at a Florida Resort when she retrieved a ball from an electrified water pond.  The resort caused the pond to become electrified when they chose to make repairs in-house instead of hiring an expert electrician which would have prevented the incident from happening.  Tom Scolaro was able to obtain a $10,000,000 settlement on behalf of the parents of the minor child.

Serving Miami, Key West, and Communities throughout Florida

We exclusively represent individuals and families who have suffered serious injury or loss due to the negligence of others. We do not represent insurance companies, but our reputation and professionalism make us the firm defense lawyers turn to when someone injures their loved ones. Specializing in catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death cases, our team has over 100 years of combined experience litigating across Florida’s counties.

To speak with us about your potential claim and schedule your free case evaluation contact Scolaro Law, P.A., at (305) 424-2300 or by email at info@USinjury.LAW. Do not wait, you may have a limited amount of time to act.