Sarah Stempky-Kime | Vaylma Dorado v. McCoig Concrete Company and Leonard Wells | $17.8 million verdict

The Great Trials Podcast

This week, your hosts Steve Lowry and Yvonne Godfrey interview Sarah Stempky-Kime of Christensen Law (https://www.davidchristensenlaw.com/).

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Episode Details:

Sarah Stempky-Kime, an experienced trial lawyer and managing attorney at Christensen Law in Michigan, discusses how she secured justice for Vaylma Dorado, a woman who suffered a TBI and sustained other serious injuries after she was rear-ended by a cement truck. On September 17, 2010, Vaylma sat in her Volkswagen Jetta waiting to make a turn when she saw a cement truck in her rearview mirror that showed no signs of stopping. The 66,000-lb cement truck –– driven by a distracted company employee –– crashed into the back-end of Vaylma's car and propelled her vehicle into a utility pole. As a result, Vaylma endured three spinal fusion back surgeries, hip fusion surgery and shoulder surgery, making her unable to live independently or remain employed. On today's episode, hear how Sarah Stempky-Kime focused on McCoig Concrete Company and the driver's admitted liability at trial and kept the jury's attention on the extent of Vaylma’s injuries, while countering defendants' attempts to minimize those injuries. On June 11, 2014, a Wayne County, Michigan jury awarded Vaylma $17,800,000 in damages, marking the second-largest verdict or settlement in a Michigan courtroom in 2014.

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Guest Bio:

Sarah Stempky-Kime

Sarah is the managing attorney at Christensen Law, where she recently celebrated her 12th anniversary. Integral to the successful operations of the firm, Sarah has been working alongside founder David Christensen since 2009, partnering on major trials protecting the rights of accident victims.

Sarah is responsive and compassionate when it comes to her clients, and a strong litigator with a history of successful verdicts won in challenging court situations. Sarah has far more trial experience than her years in practice would suggest, making her stand out as one of the state’s best young trial attorneys. “I’ve learned that everyone deserves the same attention. People who have been hurt are going through the extreme stress of trying to heal while dealing with the added stress of being in a lawsuit. They’ve been wronged, and they need someone to represent their interests. That’s where I come in.”

A native of Cheboygan, Michigan, Sarah graduated from Alma College in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Her psychological background makes her an effective communicator and helps her empathize with clients who are recovering after traumatic automobile accidents.

Sarah attended Michigan State University College of Law, graduating in 2010 with a certificate in Trial Practice from the Trial Practice Institute. While in law school, Sarah demonstrated remarkable advocacy skills, and reached the finals in several national Mock Trial Competitions. She also captained the Arbitration Team, which won the regional competition in Omaha in 2009.

Her success in law school has continued in the courtroom. She has won several multiple million-dollar trials and settlements, improving her clients’ lives after auto accidents impacted their ability to work or live independently. In 2014, Michigan Lawyers Weekly named one of Sarah’s victories second-highest on its list of 2014 Million Dollar Verdicts. Her skills as an orator and success at trial have continued to attract statewide recognition and accolades and awards.

She sits on the executive board for the Michigan Association for Justice , a top advocacy organization committed to making Michigan’s justice system fair, effective, and accessible to all the state’s residents, and is a regular presenter for the Institute of Continuing Legal Education.

Sarah and her family reside in Birmingham, where they are active members of the community, participating in annual neighborhood cleanups around Detroit and various charitable outreach programs. She also provides guidance for other parents experiencing the challenges of childhood brain injury and epilepsy, and supports the Brain Recovery Project and Detroit Horsepower.

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Free Resources:

Stages Of A Jury Trial - Part 1

Stages Of A Jury Trial - Part 2