A CCSU student wrongly accused of plagiarizing another student’s final exam hired Attorney Maki to fight his expulsion. Because the college was likely immune from a lawsuit on the issue, Attorney Maki instead brought a civil action against the other student, accusing her of stealing his client’s exam. After a full trial in Waterbury, Superior Court Judge Jane Scholl determined that Mr. Coster was the victim of theft, and awarded him over $25,000.00 in punitive damages. More importantly, Attorney Maki was able to present this judgment to CCSU, which promptly reinstated Mr. Coster as a student and cleared his record. The judgment was affirmed on appeal.
http://articles.courant.com/2008-12-05/news/copykid1205.art_1_paper-civil-trial-punitive-damages
After paying a $40,000 deposit for the purchase of commercial property, serious problems were discovered with the property which made it worth far less. When the seller refused to return the deposit, Mr. Blackwell hired Attorney Maki, who brought various claims against the seller. After a full trial in Hartford, Judge Richard Rittenband found for Blackwell, ordering that the defendants pay him not only his security deposit, but over $135,000.00 in punitive damages. The case was affirmed on appeal.
http://www.jud.state.ct.us/external/supapp/Cases/AROap/AP120/120AP255.pdf
A student at the University of Connecticut was struck from behind at high speed on Interstate 84 and seriously injured. Although liability was not disputed, the defendants’ insurance company refused to make any reasonable or fair offer to resolve the case. Attorney Maki tried the case to verdict in Rockville, where the jury awarded Mr. Thies over $300,000.00 – more than double the last offer the insurance company made to settle.
A Wethersfield lawyer convinced a local man to invest in an internet banking scam, resulting in the loss of tens of thousands of dollars. Although the lawyer had never actually represented Mr. Lappostato, Attorney Maki successfully brought a lawsuit on the basis that the lawyer had misrepresented facts that he knew, or should have known, were false. After a hotly contested trial, a Hartford jury awarded Mr. Lappostato over $38,000 in damages. The judgment was affirmed on appeal.