Reinhardt & Associates PLC

After a four-day trial, the jury returned a defense verdict in the Graves County Circuit Court styled as, Ashley Reid and Cincinnati Insurance Company v. Ronnie Alderdice, Pilgrim's Pride Corporation and Keith Yarbrough, Civil Action No. 11-CI-00324.

Judgment has been entered and the court has denied the motion for new trial.

R. Craig Reinhardt obtained a defense verdict for Pilgrim's Pride and its driver, Keith Yarbrough in Graves County Circuit Court in February of 2014. Ashley Reid struck a cow that had been lying in the roadway for some period of time in a rural portion of Graves County. It was alleged that the cow was originally struck by a Pilgrim's Pride truck. However, there was an issue about what became of the cow immediately after the impact with the truck. The testimony indicated that the impact with the Pilgrim's Pride truck occurred approximately 45 minutes prior to the moment at which Ashley Reid struck the cow lying in the roadway.

Ms. Reid sought personal injury damages initially against the cow's owner, Ronnie Alderdice, who was voluntarily dismissed after a court-ordered mediation and proceeded to trial against the owner of the truck, Pilgrim's Pride, and its driver, Keith Yarbrough.

The defense relied upon Tom Rottinghaus, a former Kentucky State Police officer, as an expert who testified that as a result of the impact with the truck, the cow was most likely knocked off the roadway thereby creating an issue of fact as to how the cow later ended up laying in the roadway and was struck by the Plaintiff.

After five days of trial in the Scott County Circuit Court, a Scott County jury returned a verdict 10-2 in favor of the Defendant, Kentucky Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company.

The Scott County Circuit Court has entered judgment consistent with the jury's verdict and the motion for new trial has been denied.

R. Craig Reinhardt obtained a defense verdict in a bad faith case brought in Scott County Circuit Court in October of 2013. Karyn McKenzie sued Kentucky Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company for violation of the Unfair Claims Settlement Practices Act following a motor vehicle accident that occurred on February 23, 2007. Although Ms. McKenzie did not make her first demand until February 24, 2009, she filed suit six weeks later against Mr. Lucas. The evidence of the impact included damage to the Plaintiff's vehicle of less than $700, but Ms. McKenzie ultimately had neck surgery more than two years later.

In a subsequent suit against Mr. Lucas' insurer, Kentucky Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company for bad faith, the Plaintiff alleged that Kentucky Farm Bureau violated several provisions of the Unfair Claims Settlement Practices Act.

David Huff testified as an expert on behalf of the Plaintiff, Karyn McKenzie, with regard to the allegations of violation of the Unfair Claims Settlement Practices Act against Kentucky Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company. Kentucky Farm Bureau offered testimony of Robert Elliott, former president of the Kentucky Bar Association, regarding ethical responsibilities of counsel during settlement and mediation practice.

In October 2013, Katherine J. Hornback of Reinhardt & Associates, PLC, in Lexington, successfully defended The Housing Authority of Pikeville and its employee in the Pike County Circuit Court.

The case was submitted to the jury with the Plaintiff claiming $1,873,326.04 in damages. The jury deliberated over the lunch hour and returned with a defense verdict.

In the five-day trial, the Plaintiff, a 34-year-old unemployed man alleged that a Housing Authority van, driven by an employee, backed in to him, knocked him to the ground causing hand and shoulder injuries. Two witnesses declared that the Plaintiff stepped off a curb and walked into the side of the van as it was backing up to unload for the day.

The Plaintiff immediately received treatment for broken bones in his hand but waited a month before complaints of shoulder pain emerged. The Plaintiff's treating physician diagnosed a rotator cuff tear and performed surgery after only one office visit. The Defendant timely requested an IME with Dr. Ronald Burgess of Lexington, the exam date was set and the Plaintiff unilaterally canceled the examination. The Plaintiff moved forward with the shoulder surgery the next week before the rescheduled the IME. The Defendant's motion for a spoliation of evidence instruction was denied by Judge Coleman.

Ms. Hornback is currently the President of the Kentucky Defense Counsel and a DRI member. She is a former Kentucky Bar Association Young Lawyers Section Chair and member of the Board of Governors.