TIERRA
AMARILLA, N.M., July 12,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Claggett & Sykes Law
Firm of Las Vegas and
Reno, Nev., Fadduol, Cluff,
Hardy, & Conaway Law Firm, Martinez, Hart, Sanchez & Romero
Law Firm, and Harada & Winters Law Firm teamed up over four
years ago to create a powerhouse legal team to take on the mental
healthcare giant Acadia Healthcare Company,
Inc. Together they achieved a milestone by obtaining one
of the largest personal injury verdicts in the history of
New Mexico on Friday, July
7. A Rio Arriba County, New
Mexico, jury awarded $485
million to their client, which stands as a testament to each
of the firm's unwavering dedication to its clients.
The case involved a minor female who was sexually abused in
foster care by a foster parent licensed under the Acadia
Healthcare Company, Inc's umbrella of subsidiaries doing
business in New Mexico. (Acadia
Healthcare Company, Inc., Youth and Family Centered Services of
New Mexico, Inc., d/b/a Desert
Hills & Familyworks, Inc.) The lawyers argued that the
company was reckless in protecting and keeping the child safe in
light of historical and recurring reports of sexual assault,
physical assault, and emotional abuse in the foster home.
Mr. Sean Claggett, the co-counsel
and senior partner of Claggett & Sykes Law Firm, expressed his
profound gratitude to the courageous client who placed her trust in
him and his legal team during the litigation process. He stated,
"The jury's verdict was genuine justice for two compelling reasons.
First, the jury's verdict demonstrates their recognition and
valuation of our client, a stark contrast to the defendants who
failed to prioritize her well-being. Secondly, the jury spoke
through their verdict that if companies are paid to protect our
children, then the children need to be their top priority, always.
This verdict sends a powerful message that the rights of victims
should never be overlooked or undervalued. We are honored to have
worked with the entire team to represent our client, and this
verdict will serve as a reminder to all that justice can and will
be achieved."
"This verdict sends a clear message that children are valued and
for-profit companies can't turn a blind eye to their safety while
hoarding profits," stated Josh
Conaway, co-counsel and partner for Fadduol, Cluff, Hardy
& Conaway. "We are thankful for the courage shown by the twelve
jurors in holding Acadia Healthcare responsible for its
actions."
F. Michael Hart, partner and
co-founder at Martinez, Hart,
Sanchez & Romero Law Firm, reiterates, "Children placed in
foster care have no choice but to rely on those entrusted with
their safety and well-being. In this case, the jury's resounding
and unanimous verdict sends a powerful message: as residents of
New Mexico, we are committed to
ensuring that those individuals and corporations responsible for
the care of these vulnerable children are held accountable. I am
honored to be part of a collective voice that stands up for their
rights and demands justice."
Throughout the trial, the four law firms passionately advocated
for their client, highlighting the undeniable importance of valuing
and safeguarding individuals who have placed their trust in the
hands of those responsible for their welfare. The jury's decision
sends a strong signal supporting this.
Case Information:
State of New Mexico, County of
Rio Arriba, First Judicial
District Court
The Case No. D-117-CV-2019-00136
About Claggett & Sykes
Founded in 2005, Claggett & Sykes Law Firm, with
locations in Las Vegas and
Reno, is one of the leading law
firms in the country, representing personal injury victims
suffering as the result of negligence, medical malpractice, product
defect, and group home/residential treatment abuse. In addition to
Senior Partner Sean Claggett being honored with the 2017
Nevada Justice Association Trial Lawyer
of the Year award, the attorneys at Claggett & Sykes have
achieved the highest rating by their peers with a
Martindale-Hubbell AV rating. Claggett has also received the Alumni
Legacy award from the UNLV Boyd School of Law, Vegas, INC. and Top
Lawyer for two years in a row. During the past decade, Claggett
& Sykes has proven time and time again its dedication to both
clients and the community through giving back through the Claggett
& Sykes Charitable Foundation. Claggett & Sykes was also
named one of the top Philanthropic Business of the Year.
Sean Claggett is also an adjunct
professor at the University of Nevada Las
Vegas Boyd School of Law and was recognized at Nevada legal services as their champion of
justice. For more information about personal injury law and
representation, contact the Claggett & Sykes Law Firm at
702.333.7777, or visit claggettlaw.com.
About Fadduol, Cluff, Hardy and Conaway
Fadduol, Cluff, Hardy and Conaway have been
representing victims of corporate greed since 1984. With
offices in Fort Worth,
Lubbock, and Odessa, Texas, as well as Albuquerque and Hobbs, New Mexico, the firm's geographical
reach makes it a regional firm that handles cases across the
country. The firm has focused its practice on representing
families whose loved ones have been catastrophically injured or
killed as a result of corporate decision-making processes, which
place a companies profits ahead of individuals safety. FCHC has
represented clients against some of the largest energy companies in
the country, forcing them to answer for corporate cultures that
view a balance sheet as more important than workers' lives.
Additionally, the firm has handled cases against private and
publicly traded healthcare companies for abuse and neglect of
residents. FCHC has represented children and adults who have
been physically and sexually abused in institutional settings and
foster care in New Mexico,
Texas, Nevada, Utah,
Oklahoma, New York, Georgia, and states in between. The firm has
built its reputation by taking on cases that lawyers won't take and
achieving results other lawyers believed were unobtainable. FCHC
prides itself on its client-driven approach to the practice of law
and relentlessly pursuing justice for its clients.
About Martinez, Hart,
Sanchez & Romero
Martinez, Hart, Sanchez
& Romero, P.C., is a New
Mexico law firm established more than 30 years ago with
local and national recognition for handling the toughest cases. The
firm specializes in representing at-risk children, abused and
neglected children, children in foster care, and whenever
children's rights have been violated. Mike
Hart is a founding member of the firm and has been listed as
one of the Best Lawyers in America since 2000. He has five
times earned the Best Lawyers' "Lawyer of the Year"
recognition for success in personal injury and civil rights cases.
He is a past president of the New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association,
and in 2018, Mike was honored by the Trial Lawyers for his 30-year
career working on behalf of children and victims of sexual abuse.
Since 1998, he has also been honored with the AV-rating for ability
and ethics - the highest possible rating from the peer review site
Martindale-Hubbell. Other honors
and awards include being ranked since 2019 by Southwest Super
Lawyers' peer nomination and review process as one of the "Top 25
Lawyers" in New Mexico. In 2021,
the New Mexico State Bar Association awarded Mike the Justice
Pamela Minzner Professionalism Award. The Albuquerque Bar
Association has honored him as the Outstanding Lawyer of the
Year. You can reach Martinez,
Hart, Sanchez & Romero at 505.343.1776 and at Albuquerque
Lawyers | Martinez, Hart, Sanchez
& Romero (osolawfirm.com).
About Harada & Winters
Harada & Winters was founded in 2022. Nikko Harada and Christopher Winters have decades of experience
in civil litigation in the State of New
Mexico. Harada & Winters' practice is focused in the
areas of sex abuse, personal injury, wrongful death, and insurance
bad faith. They also provide Plaintiff-only litigation support in
strategy, writing, discovery management, and approaches. For
representation, please contact Harada & Winters at 505.484.6695
or nharada@hwlawnm.com or cwinters@hwlawnm.com
Media Contact:
Dawn
Farahi, 702.449.2818
ClaggettSykes@onesevenagency.com
Dbritt@onesevenagency.com
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