Date: 06-27-2002

Case Style: Devers v. Greystone Retirement Community and Terminix

Case Number: Unknown

Judge: James P. Smith

Court: Circuit Court, Madison County, Alabama

Plaintiff's Attorney: S.A. Watson, Jr. and Ralph Hornsby, Jr. of Hornsby, Watson, Hornsby & Blackwell, Huntsville, Alabama and Thomas Scott McGrath of Thomas S. McGrath, Huntsville, Alabama

Defendant's Attorney: Benjamin R. Rice of Spurrier, Rice, Wood & ahll, Huntsville, Alabama for Greystone Community and John S. Key of Eyster, Key, Tubb, Weaver & Roth, L.L.P., Decature, Alabama and John J. Heflin III of Bourland, Heflin, Alvarez & Minor, P.L.C., Memphis, Tennessee

Description: Negligent failure to keep nursing home free of fire ants with result that elderly resident was attacked and severely bitten by hundreds with not thousands of fire ants. Lucille Devers was a resident of Greystone Community Retirement Community which contracted with Terminix for pest control. Plaintiff claimed that defendants were negligent in failing to control fire ants inside the building.

Outcome: Plaintiff's verdict for $1.85 million in compensatory damages and $3.5 million in punitive damages.

Plaintiff's Experts: Unavailable

Defendant's Experts: Unavailable

Comments: None