Employee is not accommodated after serious auto accident. $1.5M. Los Angeles County.
Summary
On-site real estate manager requests accomodation of her temporary disabilities following auto accident.
The Case
- Case Name: Mykyn Woods v. Greystar Management Services, LP
- Court and Case Number: Los Angeles Superior Court / BC670867
- Date of Verdict or Judgment: Thursday, April 11, 2019
- Date Action was Filed: Friday, August 04, 2017
- Type of Case: Employment, Wrongful Termination
- Judge or Arbitrator(s): Hon. Elaine Lu
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Plaintiffs: Mykyn Wood, 41, senior community manager
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Defendants: Greystar Management Services, LP
- Type of Result: Jury Verdict
The Result
- Gross Verdict or Award: $1,576,262.70
- Net Verdict or Award: $1,576,262.70
- Contributory/Comparative Negligence: N/A
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Economic Damages:
Past lost earnings: $226,262.70
Future lost earnings: $250,000
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Non-Economic Damages:
Past: $500,00
Future: $0
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Punitive Damages:
$600,000
- Trial or Arbitration Time: 7 days.
- Jury Deliberation Time: 1 1/2 days.
The Attorneys
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Attorney for the Plaintiff:
Engelman Law, A Professional Corporation by Britany M. Engelman, Beverly Hills.
Douglas/Hicks Law by Jamon R. Hicks, Los Angeles.
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Attorney for the Defendant:
Cruser, Mitchell, Novitz, Sanchez,, Gaston, & Zimet LLP by Jasmina Aragon and Landon Schwob, Los Angeles.
Facts and Background
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Facts and Background:
Plaintiff, age 41, was a Senior Community Manager for defendant Greystar Management Services, LP.
She has extensive experience working in residential/commercial real estate management, including the “lease-up” of new construction. Defendant Greystar was founded in 1993, and refers to itself as “The Global Leader in Rental Housing.” Greystar has offices and employees nationwide, as well as in Mexico, China, Australia, Spain, Chile, the United Kingdom, France, and the Netherlands. As of 2014, Greystar has more than 400,000 units under its management.
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Plaintiff's Contentions:
On November 30, 2015, plaintiff was involved in a serious motor vehicle accident wherein she suffered the following injuries: concussion/post-concussive syndrome; herniated discs and annular rupture in her lumbar, thoracic and/or cervical spine; ankle injury; knee injury; and occipital headaches.
As a result of her injuries, she was temporarily disabled and unable to work in her normal capacity (full-time, eight hours on-site per day, five days per week). Forty-four calendar days after plaintiff's accident, Greystar terminated plaintiff's employment instead of reasonably accommodating her requests to work part-time and/or from home. The main Greystar individuals involved in the decision to terminate plaintiff rather than reasonably accommodate her disability were her immediate supervisor and the Human Resources representative (remotely located in Arizona).
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Defendant's Contentions:
Defendant contended it did not have a legal duty to accommodate plaintiff beyond giving her four unpaid weeks off work.
Injuries and Other Damages
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Emotional distress.
Special Damages
- Special Damages Claimed - Past Lost Earnings: $308,762.68
- Special Damages Claimed - Future Lost Earnings: $1,450,000
Demands and Offers
- Plaintiff §998 Demand: $100,000