Personal Injury/Torts
Judge Smith has more than four decades of experience resolving personal injury matters. Prior to his appointment to the bench, he served as both plaintiff and defense counsel on personal injury cases. As a trial court judge, he presided over thousands of claims, from those involving minor vehicle collisions to cataclysmic injury actions with multiple defendants.
Judge Smith is known among counsel for his thorough preparation before each matter, allowing the parties more time to focus on working together to resolve their dispute. He is regarded for his intellect and legal expertise, but is also able to put all sides of a case at ease with levity and humor. This approach to resolving cases, along with his background and experience, has earned him trust on both sides of the bar and among insurance carriers.
Representative Matters
- Arbitrator for personal injury dispute involving premises liability claims
- Case involving loss of fingers from punch press malfunction
- Court-appointed referee on personal injury case involving ambulance company
- Discovery referee on matters involving sudden-acceleration claims against automobile company
- Dispute involving electrocution by contact with high voltage overhead power line
- Dispute involving malfunctioning lift gate causing permanent loss of use of hand
- Experience handling numerous auto versus auto collisions resulting in wrongful death claims
- Handled matter involving malfunction of amusement park ride resulting in quadriplegia
- Heard matter involving multiple-death vehicle roll-over
- Matter involving carburetor malfunction, causing loss of vehicle control and injuries
- Matter involving malfunctioning machinery causing personal injuries (many)
- Mediated slip-and-fall claim against supermarket
- Mediator for disputes involving injuries caused by allegedly defective commercial kitchen appliances
- Personal injuries resulting from environmental pollution
- Premises liability arbitration involving patron of Native American casino who slipped and fell, later claiming that shoulder injury affecting his ability to work was caused by fall
- Wrongful death claims resulting from high-speed police chase
