Jackson O'Keefe Attorneys In The News

Attorney Joseph M. Busher- East Haddam Attorney

East Haddam resident recognized as “New England Super Lawyer”

Attorney Joseph M. Busher of East Haddam has been selected as one of the top five percent of attorneys in the New England by Law & Politics, in its annual listing of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.  He has been continuously selected for inclusion in the New England edition since 2007.  He has also been continuously selected as one of the top five percent of Connecticut attorneys as listed in Connecticut Magazine since 2006.  As a partner with Jackson O’Keefe, Attorney Busher practices throughout the state with offices in Hartford and Southington.   His practice has concentrations in estate planning, wills, personal injury, insurance coverage and appellate practice.  He serves as a guest lecturer on the law at Nathan Hale-Ray High School in East Haddam, is a member of The Connecticut Consortium for Law and Citizenship Education, Inc., and also serves as an Adjunct Instructor at the University of Connecticut School of Law, where he teaches appellate practice.  He resides in East Haddam with his wife, Louise, and children, Olivia and Joseph.
 

Attorney Peter K. O'Keefe obtains a defendant's verdict:

Attorney O’Keefe recently obtained a defendant’s
verdict in a premises liability lawsuit. The
plaintiff claimed a laceration above the left eye
with bruising, a right leg fracture, a left leg
fracture, a right wrist injury, as well as emotional
distress. Medical special damages totaled $39,000.00
and a lost wage claim of in excess of $16,000.00
was asserted. The plaintiff claimed an 8% impairment
of the left leg and a 3% impairment of the right leg.
The plaintiff was a customer at a grinder shop and
alleged that as she was entering the premises,
another patron was exiting. She claimed that as she
stepped aside to allow the patron to exit, she fell
off of the sidewalk ramp, landing on her knees.
The plaintiff alleged that her fall was caused
by the narrow width of the sidewalk in front
of the premises. The plaintiff ’s expert
testified that the ramp in question was not
in compliance with the Building Code. However,
the plaintiff ’s expert acknowledged that the
Code did not apply to the building as the ramp
was constructed prior to the enactment of the
Connecticut State Building Code. The defendant
asserted that the property was not defective
and that the fall was caused by the plaintiff ’s
own negligence. The defendant’s expert testified
that the Code cited by the plaintiff was
inapplicable to the building in question.

Attorney Philip R. Dunn obtains a defendant’s verdict in a premises liability case:

On May 1, 2009, after a three week trial,
Attorney Dunn prevailed in the defense of
a condominium association, its management
company and a unit owner. The plaintiff was
a maintenance person employed by an independent
contractor and fell from a ladder he leaned
against a wooden deck rail when it collapsed.
The plaintiff violated his own company policy
relative to the use of a spotter and should
have accessed the deck from inside the unit.
The plaintiff was also the person charged to
repair and replace defective deck rails, but
did not inspect the rail in question before
leaning his ladder against the rail. The plaintiff
fractured his heel bone and developed RSD that has
kept him out of work since August, 2006. He
is collecting SSD and there is no prospect of
his return to work based on his education
and medication regimen. Attorney Dunn retained
the services of a professor of physics to create
a model and experiments to demonstrate that
the plaintiff placed more weight on the rail
than it was required to hold under the Building
Code. The plaintiff ’s theories of liability were
numerous and involved alleged code violations and
sound construction and inspection practices as
described by the plaintiff ’s experts. The plaintiff ’s
last demand was $475,000.00, and there was no offer
to settle. No appeal has been filed.

Attorney Joseph M. Busher, organizes a successful fundraiser to benefit charity:

On July 11, 2009 the East Haddam Lions Club hosted its
annual town-wide auction at the Grange Hall in
East Haddam. The Club raised over $17,000 for
its charitable projects. This was the third year Attorney
Busher chaired the event. Kevin Hogan of
WFSB served as the guest auctioneer.