Case News
In Housing Authority of the City of West Haven v. CB Alexander Real Estate, LLC, et al. Ciulla & Donofrio, LLP represents the former owners of 63 condominium units in West Haven. In 2004, the Housing Authority took the property by eminent domain. At trial, we won an additional $1,644,998 in compensation for our clients. The Housing Authority appealed the trial court's decision and the Appellate Court affirmed the judgment. Jeffrey Donofrio tried the case and argued the appeal. The trial court subsequently awarded our clients interest at the rate of 10% per annum from the dates of the takings to the dates of payment.
The Connecticut Superior Court dismissed a lawsuit filed by an unsuccessful bidder for the design services contract on the $73 million Trumbull High School "renovate as new" construction project. The Court found that the Building Committee properly exercised its discretion. In its decision, the Court noted the "thorough and impartial" guidance the Building Committee received from Jeffrey Donofrio. Read the decision
News/Events
Ciulla & Donofrio, LLP has been selected as a "Go-To Law Firm for Leading Technology Companies" by American Lawyer Media for 2008. In-House Law Departments at the Leading Technology Companies, published by ALM, includes the short list of elite U.S. firms that represent the top technology companies. We were selected by AT&T as a "Go-To" firm for litigation. 2008 Go-To Law Firms
On August 12, 2008, the Supreme Court released its Decision in Taylor, et al v. Mucci, 288 Conn. 379 (2008). The Court affirmed the judgment of the Trial Court in favor of the defendants, William Mucci and Metropolitan Property & Casualty Insurance Company. Ciulla & Donofrio, LLP represented the defendants in the case. In Taylor, the plaintiff mother, whose minor child was struck and injured by a motor vehicle operated by the defendant, sought to recover damages for the child's injuries and for emotional distress that she allegedly suffered as a result of witnessing the injuries to her son. The defendant's motor vehicle liability insurance policy provided bodily injury coverage with limits of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident. The minor child's claim was settled for $100,000, the maximum limit of per person coverage under the policy and subsequently the parties submitted to the Trial Court the issue of whether the policy provided for an additional $100,000 in coverage for the plaintiff's bystander emotional distress claim. The Trial Court rendered judgment in favor of the defendant, concluding that the insurance policy did not include coverage for the plaintiff's claim. From that judgment, the plaintiff appealed, claiming that the exhaustion of the $100,000 per person limit for her son's injuries did not preclude her claim because the emotional distress that she suffered constituted a separate and distinct "bodily injury" under the language of the policy, thus allowing her to recover under a separate per person provision of the policy. The defendant argued that the plaintiff could recover only under the per person limit applicable to the child's injuries, which had been exhausted due to the payment for his injuries. The Supreme Court held that the Trial Court properly determined that the plaintiff did not suffer a "bodily injury" within the meaning of the defendant's insurance policy and, therefore, could not recover under a separate per person coverage limitation, and because her son already had recovered the maximum amount due under the policy, the plaintiff was precluded from recovering on her claim for bystander emotional distress. This decision is significant in that the Court specifically held that emotional distress, without accompanying physical harm, does not constitute a "bodily injury" within the meaning of the liability insurance policy.
On December 9, 2008, in Hartford, CT, Jeffrey M. Donofrio presented a seminar sponsored by NBI entitled "Resolving Problems and Disputes on Construction Projects." Attorney Donofrio addressed the following topics: Tackling Contract Performance Delays; Understanding Payment Settlement Options; and Effectively Resolving Disputes.
Louis J. Dagostine authored "Contract Validity and Personal Liability: A Double-Edge Sword for Individuals Who Contract on Behalf of Unformed Limited Liability Companies," which appeared in the Connecticut Lawyer Magazine, November 2008 issue. The article examines recent caselaw regarding the risks and benefits for individuals who execute contracts prior to the formation of limited liability companies.
On June 24, 2009, Jeffrey Donofrio presented "Getting Paid for Construction Work in Connecticut." a construction law seminar sponsored by the National Business Institute. The program addressed a variety of important contractual provisions, mechanics' lien law, bond claims, payment pitfalls to avoid and how to collect a judgment.
On June 5, 2008, Jeffrey M. Donofrio was a speaker for a construction defects seminar sponsored by National Business Institute via national teleconference and webcast. Participants from all over the country learned about the anatomy of a construction defect, indemnity law and insurance issues applicable to construction defects. This was an encore performance of the program presented on January 22, 2008.
Jeffrey Donofrio was interviewed by the Connecticut Law Tribune for a story on identity theft in its December 17, 2007 issue. Read the article.
The November 2007 issue of Connecticut Lawyer contained an article by Jeffrey Donofrio entitled Cybersmear if You Dare....But Be Prepare to Pay discusses the legal implications of internet defamation.
