R. Carl Lanfear, Jr.

Practice Experience and Focus

Carl Lanfear concentrates his practice in civil litigation, with an emphasis on trial advocacy. A veteran litigator, his legal career includes more than 40 successful defense verdicts and multiple summary dispositions.

Accomplishments

• Designated a Certified Litigation Management Professional by the Litigation Management Institute of the Claims & Litigation Management Alliance — 2013.
• Golden Gavel Award For Outstanding Achievement 2006 – 2008 Westfield Insurance
• Golden Gavel Award For Outstanding Achievement 2010 – 2017 Westfield Insurance

Sample Trial Results

• Adamo Zoppi v James Ryan and the Gordon Lumber Company, Wayne County Circuit Court, Hon. Craig Strong. Action for personal injuries arising out of an at fault trucking accident. Plaintiff underwent 5 surgical procedures which he and his surgeons related to the accident. An independent case evaluation panel recommended valued plaintiff’s claims at $200,000.00. The last demand was $750,000.00. The last offer was $325,000.00. The matter was tried before a jury in June and July of 2019 and the jury rendered a verdict of No Cause of Action.
• The Estate of Malburg v Kagy Farms, et al. United State District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, Judge Paul Borman, Case No. 2:11 CV-14856. Wrongful death action arising out of a pedestrian tractor trailer accident. An independent case evaluation panel valued plaintiff’s claims at $900,000.00. Plaintiff accepted the evaluation, defendants did not, and the matter proceeded to trial. Last demand was $900,000.00. Last offer was $225,000.00. The jury found in favor of the defense, no cause of action. October 26, 2014.
• Bonnie Johnson v Johnnie Ray Milner, Ottawa County Circuit Court, Case No. 12-02988-NI. Ms. Johnson was riding her bicycle and was struck by a vehicle driven by Mr. Milner. She suffered serious injuries, including fractures to her cervical spine. An independent case evaluation panel valued plaintiff’s claims at $90,000.00. Plaintiff accepted the evaluation, defendant did not. The last demand before trial was $90,000.00. The last offer was $25,000.00. On August 2013, the jury found in favor of the defense, no cause of action.
• Cheng Bai as Next Friend of Isaac Bai v De-Cal Inc and Richard Zimmerman, Wayne County Circuit Court, Case No 12-02988-NI. A six-year-old boy was riding his bicycle across a residential street in Livonia, MI when he was struck by a truck operated by Mr. Zimmerman and owned by his employer De-Cal. The injuries included a fractured orbital rim, a separated shoulder and road rash to the face. An independent case evaluation panel value plaintiff’s claims at $9,450.00. Neither side accepted the evaluation. The last demand before trial was $15,000.00, the last offer was $5,000.00. On March 20, 2013, the jury found in favor of the defense, no cause of action.
• Linda Kalabat v Douglas Hearthen and Alta Lift Truck, Macomb County Circuit Court, Case No. 06-3193-NI. Plaintiff was involved in an automobile accident with Douglas Hearthen, who was driving his own vehicle but in the course and scope of his employment with Alta Lift Truck. She was a 32 year old mother of two young boys at the time of the accident. She did not appear significantly injured at the accident scene but her condition deteriorated dramatically over time. At trial, she was comatose, wheeled into the jury room by EMS technicians on a hospital bed. Defendants contended that her condition was the result of a disease process and not the accident. Plaintiff’s last demand before trial was $3,500,000.00. Defendants last offer was $1,000,000.00. After a three week trial and three reports by the jury that they were deadlocked, on May 21, 2008, it returned a verdict in favor of plaintiff for $2,000,000.00.
• Daniel Sinacola v Timothy Keilty, Leelanau County Circuit Court, Case No. 02-6119-NI. Mr. Sinacola was on an inflatable raft in the Leelanau harbor when he was run over by a boat owned by Mr. Keilty and operated by a local handyman who worked for Mr. Keilty from time to time. Mr. Sinacola suffered severe injuries to his leg and hip. Despite two surgeries there remained a length differential, significant scarring and a pronounced limp. The last demand before trial was $200,000; the last offer was $20, 000.00. On April 15, 2005, a jury found in favor of the defendant, no cause of action.

Sample successful results

• Defense verdict in United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan- No cause in a rear end trucking accident where plaintiff claimed a traumatic brain injury and permanent disability. An independent case evaluation panel valued plaintiff’s case at $500,000.00.
• Defense verdict in Wayne County Circuit Court – No cause of action on a wrongful death claim. An independent case evaluation panel valued plaintiff’s claims at $2,500,000.
• Defense verdict in Wayne County Circuit Court. Plaintiff was paralyzed from the waist down as a result of trucking accident in disputed liability case. An independent case evaluation panel valued plaintiff’s claims at $4,000,000. Plaintiff rejected a pre-trial settlement offer of $1,000,000. The jury found plaintiff had significant comparative fault and awarded $140,000.
• Defense verdict in Oakland County Circuit Court in representing an insurance company in a Michigan No Fault First Party case. An independent case evaluation panel valued plaintiff’s claims at $1,000,000.
• Summary disposition in a product liability case pending in Wayne County where documented damages exceeded $20,000,000.
• 2014 Defense verdict in the United State District Court in the Eastern District of Michigan on a trucking/pedestrian fatality. An independent case evaluation panel had valued the plaintiff’s case at $900,000.00.
• 2014 Summary Disposition affirmed by Michigan Supreme Court on a fatality and claims of negligence and nuisance. An independent case evaluation panel had valued the plaintiff’s case at $750,000.00. The brief filed in the Michigan Supreme Court received the Thomas M. Cooley Law Review’s Distinguished Brief Award.
• 2013 Obtained summary disposition in favor of heating and cooling contractor on multi-million dollar fire loss at an apartment complex for seniors in West Bloomfield. The alleged cause of the fire was heat from an allegedly improperly serviced boiler at the complex. The West Bloomfield Fire Department testified it was the largest fire fought in the department’s history. A panel of three independent evaluators had assessed the plaintiff’s claim at $4,000,000.00. The circuit denied our motion for summary disposition, but the Court of Appeals reversed the circuit court and the Michigan Supreme Court denied leave to appeal.

Personal

• Carl has been happily married for more than 20 years and enjoys time away from work with his wife and teenage children. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus Lodge associated with St. Mary Catholic Church in Rochester, MI.

Education

• University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, J.D., 1990, Cum Laude.
• University of Detroit Mercy, B.A. Economics, 1987, Magna Cum Laude.
• University of Detroit Mercy, Law Review, Associate Editor 1989-1990.
• National Moot Court Team, 1989-1990
• Admitted to the Bar Michigan, 1990