In 2014, when 340-pound James Griswold expressed concern that the imaging table for a nuclear stress test might not support him, his worries were dismissed out of hand. When the table snapped, he sustained critical injuries, and in 2016 a contentious legal battle began, which ended April 5 with a $9 million jury verdict in his favor, which is likely to increase to approximately $14.4 million with accrued interest.

The case went before the Waterbury Superior Court in Connecticut, where a jury awarded $3 million in economic damages and $4 million for pain and suffering to Griswold, recognizing the profound impact of his injuries. Additionally, his wife was awarded $2 million for loss of consortium, reflecting the significant emotional and relational toll.

Griswold was represented by Silver Golub & Teitell in a trial that lasted three weeks and featured expert testimonies from both sides. The jury ultimately found the defendants negligent, responsible for the injuries sustained by the Griswolds.

Griswold asked staff at Advanced Cardiovascular Specialists, which has offices in Fairfield and Bridgeport, if the table could support his approximate weight, and staff replied that larger people had been on it. After he climbed on the table, it made “a loud popping noise, and the head of the table fell to the floor with sudden force and violence," according to the complaint.

The accident necessitated multiple surgeries for his back, neck and spine, and led to complications that severely impacted Griswold's quality of life. He also lost over 100 pounds in the aftermath of the surgeries and had a subsequent stroke. The defense contended that the incident did not occur as described, denied any wrongdoing, and suggested that Mr. Griswold exaggerated his injuries.

“We're pleased that the jury rejected the attacks on Mr. and Mrs. Griswold during the trial and recognized the defendants’ responsibility for causing Mr. Griswold’s terrible injuries,” Silver Golub & Teitell partner Joaquin Madry said in a statement. “This is yet another example of a jury sorting through a lot of misdirection and finding a just result.”

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