Verdicts and Settlements
$3 million verdict on behalf of three young men who were groomed and sexually abused – Lead attorney Nicholas Roumel obtained a $3 million trial verdict on behalf of three young men who were groomed and sexually abused by a man who portrayed himself as a “family friend.” The judge’s opinion stated: “The Court has reviewed Michigan case law and damages awarded in other, similar matters. It is specifically noted that this case stands out from those found in that it involves a series of sexual assaults, perpetrated over a period of years, those assaults being committed after a false trust relationship was established and the victims groomed and isolated by Defendant over time. The Court has apportioned the damages in each case, as follows: 2/5 of each award is made for the serious emotional and mental suffering that occurred during and after the sexual abuse and prior to the date of this Judgment. The remaining 3/5 of each award is for future ongoing emotional and mental suffering. … IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that noneconomic damages are awarded to [the three young men] in the amount of $1,000,000.00 [each].”
$841,500 sexual harassment settlement without litigation – In an unusual case that garnered national attention, lead attorney Nicholas Roumel worked behind the scenes on behalf of a highly-placed university employee who was the target of false rumors and innuendo perpetuated by the highest levels of the university. The settlement helped her vindicate her reputation and protect her financial future.
A fired school superintendent was fully reinstated after litigation – Dr. Benjamin Edmondson was the popular superintendent of Romulus Community Schools when he was suspended, then fired, by a 4-3 Board of Education majority, for reasons that were controversial and arguably illegal. Lead attorney Nicholas Roumel filed a federal lawsuit that was moved to arbitration. He argued that Dr. Edmondson was a victim of racial discrimination, and retaliated against because he was a whistleblower. After a year of litigation and negotiation, an extraordinary settlement was reached that returned Dr. Edmondson to the superintendency, among other terms that were confidential. At the first school board meeting after his return, Dr. Edmondson was greeted by a packed house that gave him a standing ovation. You can read about the case in the Detroit Metro Times article by Steve Neavling here.
$550,000 jury trial verdict – every penny he sought – for a delivery driver who alleged that he was illegally deprived of lucrative routes that he was negotiating to buy. The loss of economic opportunity contributed to the deterioration of his marriage which caused him to move from Michigan.
Student Suicide – In what is believed to be the first of its kind settlement in the state of Michigan, Mr. Roumel successfully negotiated a confidential resolution on behalf of a young girl who took her own life, against her school district, which allegedly failed to act on evidence that she was a victim of bullying and depression. An additional component of the settlement was against the girl’s family’s landlord who allegedly maintained a defective playground swing.
Student Sexual Assault – Mr. Roumel has successfully resolved numerous cases on behalf of students in K-12 who were sexually assaulted or harassed by peers, teachers, and trusted adults.
Because of an unfortunate decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in Cummings vs. Premier Rehab Keller, it is far more difficult to obtain damages in these cases under Title IX, the federal law that helps protect sexual harassment and assault victims.
Nonetheless, Mr. Roumel has never failed to obtain a significant settlement on behalf of these survivors, and many have been resolved without litigation.
Mr. Roumel has also successfully represented multiple survivors of the nefarious misconduct of “sports doctors” Larry Nassar (Michigan State University) and Robert Anderson (University of Michigan) and obtained significant confidential settlements despite the universities’ statute of limitations defenses. Mr. Roumel was additionally entrusted, on behalf of the Nassar plaintiff’s coalition, with taking the critical deposition of the former MSU Provost who supervised Nassar and allegedly overlooked compelling evidence of his long-term misconduct.
Student Restraint – A special needs student was being regularly restrained by her school district in modified “potty chair,” and her screams were ignored by school personnel, in a case that was featured on television news. Mr. Roumel obtained an early settlement of $160,000.
Auto Negligence and Personal Injury – Mr. Roumel, along with able co-counsel, has successfully resolved automobile injury cases for full, collected payment of up to $1,200,000. Because of recent changes in no-fault law that have only benefitted the insurance industry, large verdicts that you may have seen in media are never actually collected (which is why many personal injury lawyers only want “truck cases” where insurance limits are much higher). Read this blog* about why you should carry the highest possible uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.
Because of his litigation experience, Mr. Roumel brings a unique perspective to personal injury cases. For example, a dog bite case was resolved for $200,000 after Mr. Roumel was able to convince the judge to order a forensic examination of the dog owner’s cell phone for allegedly deleted video evidence of the attack. The case settled shortly afterwards.