Project-Magriplis
May 6, 2015
Geomatrix Productions produced a video mediation statement which helped plaintiff attorney Patrick Kennedy of RisCassi and Davis recover $1.18 million for his client Dimitrios Magriplis, for injuries sustained after being struck on the head by a 200 pound pallet from 20 feet in the air at Restaurant Depot, a restaurant supply facility in Orange, Connecticut.
Due to the incident, Magriplis experienced brain injury, behavioral change, a fractured and dislocated ankle and post-traumatic stress disorder amongst several other ongoing injuries.
According to Kennedy, when he came to Geomatrix, he had two concerns. The first was that “the accident was difficult to explain and visualize.” His second concern was “some of the damages suffered by his client were invisible.”
Geomatrix’s professional video production team created a video that satisfied those two concerns by using 3D animation, documents and photographs, combined with interviews with family members, close friends and professionals about how the plaintiff was a “changed man.”
In preparation for Kennedy’s case, as in any successful settlement video, the following items were addressed:
Identifying the Video Production Objectives
Working with Attorney Kennedy, we identified two primary objectives. The first objective was to explain the mechanics of the accident, how it occurred and why the incident was particularly egregious.
The second objective was to demonstrate both the physical and emotional damages suffered by Magriplis.
Collecting Demonstrative Evidence or “Asset Material”
Documents, including doctor reports and specialist summaries, helped explain the injuries sustained by the client from the accident.
Photographs taken before the accident illustrated how the plaintiff was an avid semi-professional soccer player, while post accident photos contrasted the struggle for him to perform everyday tasks, even walking.
Eyewitness and police reports provided data pertaining to the incident. Kennedy hired an expert witness who described the proper procedure for pallet loading, and opined that Restaurant Depot was in violation of industry standards. Documents detailed previous lawsuits with similar fact patterns that had been filed against Restaurant Depot.
Establish Interviewees
In a relaxed on-camera interview at home, the plaintiff described the daily struggles caused by the injury. He revealed his concerns about his work, his family and his capabilities. Though subtle, the effect of the head injury was revealed in his demeanor and speech.
Interviews with his wife and brother gave a first hand account of how the client and his family have suffered financially and emotionally. They detailed how Magriplis was changed, that the confidence he once had was gone and the physical toll was evident.
Prepare New Evidence for Animated Video Production
Although photographs captured the aftermath at the scene, it was a 3D animation of the pallet falling on Magriplis that illustrated the mechanics of the accident.
Working with the theory that the fallen pallet had been improperly loaded,
Tom Coben, Geomatrix Productions’ in-house animator, reviewed investigator reports and eyewitness testimony to create a very clear and compelling picture of how the pallet fell.
Once all the evidence was gathered, the pieces were edited into a cohesive and unique story that met the video production objectives. In this case, the objective was to visualize the accident and make the effect of head injury visible.
There is no question that a compelling settlement video can help explain the facts, reveal the clients’ pain and suffering, and clearly demonstrate changes in the daily life of injured plaintiffs as a result of the negligence of others.
However, this is not a substitute for good lawyering. Good lawyers are well-prepared, hire experts and have a complete understanding of the case. Though this video service was narrated by a professional, it was Attorney Kennedy who wrote the script. He had a clear vision of his case, and it was our job to tell the story visually. Working together, we had great success.