On July 21, 2020, “The Result” podcast interviewed Michael Neff about the historic $9 million verdict against alarm monitoring company Monitronics. “The Result” interviews top trial lawyers from across the country about one of their large verdicts or settlements.
The Case Against an Alarm Monitoring Company
On “11/11/11,” a DeKalb County, Georgia jury rendered a verdict in favor a woman who had paid for a monitored security system because she lived alone and worked two jobs. The monitoring company, Monitronics, was one of the nation’s largest companies of its kind at the time.
The incident began while the client was at work one day. A man broke into her home and stayed there. The intruder repeatedly tripped motion and door sensors, signs that an intruder was inside. On more than one occasion, the monitoring company put the alarm on “hold.” The company also didn’t contact the client, which was a violation of its safety policy.
When the Monitronics operator finally spoke to the client, the operator never told her that the alarm had been triggered over and over that day. A short time later, the intruder emerged from hiding and attacked her.
Closing Argument
During closing argument, Mike asked the jurors to render an award for $8,888,888. The jury returned a $9 million verdict against the alarm monitoring company. Afterwards, the jurors walked in single-file to the client, where they hugged her and wished her well.
In “The Result,” Mike talks about the power of the 30(b)(6) deposition in that case, the battle of experts, and the strategies he used. You can find the interview here.
About Michael Neff
Michael Neff is the founder of Neff Injury Law. His practice focuses on cases where his clients have been seriously injured related to premises liability. He has litigated a variety of cases against apartment complexes, property managers, landlords, security companies, supermarkets, and other big box retailers. He is author of Premises Liability: A Guide to Success published by Trial Guides.