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Jury gives $1,250,000 to little girl

NOVEMBER 1992

THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT ARCHIVES
Jury gives $1,250,000 to little girl Chuckatuck youth
lost mom in accident; dealership is blamed

Published: November 1992
Source: By: Barbara Coleman, STAFF WRITER

© 1992 Landmark Communications, Inc.

An Isle of Wight County jury has awarded a near record judgment to a four-year-old Chuchatuck girl.

The child, Laquisha Turner, was awarded $1,250,000 in damages as a result of an accident that took place on Nov. 22, 1991. It is the second highest jury award in the history of Isle of Wight County.

An Isle of Wight jury brought the verdict in on the eve of the anniversary of the death of Valerie Turner, the victim who was a resident of Brown Lane.

Circuit Court Judge Westbrook J. Parker presided over the trial that was over in a matter of hours on Nov. 23. Attorneys Jack Drescher and Jeffrey Breit of the Norfolk law firm of Breit, Drescher & Imprevento, were the attorneys for the little girl.

On her behalf, they sued Blake Ford/Lincoln-Mercury for the wrongful death of the 25-year old mother. She died after her car was struck by an oncoming vehicle driven by Stewart Whitehead, who also died in the collision.

Turner and Whitehead were driving along Route 603 in Isle of Wight County when the accident occurred.

Whitehead, a salesman with the automobile dealership was driving one of the vehicles furnished by Blake Ford/Lincoln-Mercury.

Breit and Drescher won the case on the premise that the dealership was responsible for its employees when they operate company vehicles displaying the dealer's name.

Jeffrey Breit pointed out that when the four-year old was put on the witness stand to testify, she enchanted the jury.

"It was clear that the jury fell in love with her," he added. "She's bright and she has a great deal of potential despite the multiple tragedies she's weathered."

Not only did Laquisha lose her mom in the accident, but on Nov. 3, she lost her great-grandmother who was her appointed guardian.

This article is ©Landmark Communications, Inc., and may not be republished without permission. If you have questions or comments about the archives, please send us feedback.

Awarded: $1,250,000

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