How Partner Jared Lina Secured One of Georgia’s Largest Personal Injury Verdicts of 2025 for a Retired Cyclist
In November 2025, Hanson Fuller Lina partner Jared Lina secured a $9.3 million jury verdict in Atlanta, one of the largest personal injury verdicts in the State of Georgia that year.
This case study tells the story of what happened, how Jared built the case, and why justice required a fight.
A Collision That Destroyed a Man’s Retirement
In June 2024, Jared’s client, a recently retired man who had spent his career working toward a life of travel, activity, and independence, was biking down a road in Atlanta. As he approached an intersection, a woman driving an SUV accelerated through a yield sign and pulled directly into his path. He had no time to stop.
He slammed into the side of her car.
What followed was nearly three months of medical hell. He spent approximately one month in the hospital and another two months in inpatient rehabilitation, bedridden and in severe pain throughout. The collision caused devastating orthopedic, neurological, and internal injuries that required multiple surgeries, including a hip replacement. By the time the case went to trial, his medical expenses had reached approximately $1.1 million, with future treatment needs still projected ahead.
Worse still, the retirement he had spent a lifetime working toward, filled with cycling, tennis, travel, and an active life alongside his wife, was gone. By trial, he could barely leave his house, relied on a walker for basic mobility, and was unable to navigate stairs.
A Defense Built on Blame, and How It Crumbled
The SUV driver blamed Jared’s client at the scene. After the lawsuit was filed, the defense continued to argue that the bicyclist bore at least some responsibility for the collision. It was a familiar tactic, but it didn’t hold up.
Jared retained an accident reconstruction expert who analyzed the crash site, the speeds of both vehicles at the moment of impact, and the sequence of events leading to the collision. The expert’s conclusions were definitive: the SUV driver had failed to yield, and the bicyclist had no opportunity whatsoever to avoid the crash.
Faced with that evidence, the defense’s liability narrative collapsed. They ultimately stipulated that Jared’s client bore zero fault for the collision.
With liability resolved by stipulation, the case proceeded to trial on a single issue: how much.
Taking the Case to Trial
Jared presented approximately $1.1 million in medical bills along with extensive medical records documenting the severity of the injuries. He called three of his client’s treating physicians to the stand, his orthopedic surgeon, urologist, and rehabilitation physician, each of whom described the nature of the injuries, the treatment required, and the profound, lasting impact on their patient’s life.
But the most powerful testimony came from the client and his wife.
The picture they painted for the jury was stark. He had recently retired after a long and successful career. He had been an avid cyclist and active retiree, regularly biking, walking, working out, and playing tennis. He and his wife had made plans to travel the world. After the collision, those plans were gone. In their place: a walker, a home he could barely navigate, and a future defined by limitation and pain.
Settlement discussions continued throughout the trial. The gap between the parties was never bridged.
The Verdict
After approximately two hours of deliberation, the jury returned its answer:
- $8.8 million to Jared’s client for his injuries
- $500,000 to his wife for her loss of consortium claim
- $9.3 million total verdict, significantly higher than the best offer the defense had ever placed on the table
Total Verdict: $9.3 Million
Why This Case Matters
Jared is grateful to his clients for their patience, their trust, and their willingness to fight for what was right in the face of unimaginable stress, pain, and uncertainty. Going to trial is never easy. But when a defendant refuses to accept responsibility and refuses to make a fair offer, sometimes the only path to justice runs through a jury.
This verdict is a reminder of what is at stake when a negligent driver causes a catastrophic collision: not just medical bills, but an entire life. A retirement. A marriage. A future. Those losses are real, and they deserve to be compensated fully.
Bicycle Accident & Catastrophic Personal Injury in Georgia
Bicycle accidents involving motor vehicles are among the most devastating personal injury cases, and Georgia law provides important protections for injured cyclists:
- Drivers in Georgia are required by law to yield to oncoming traffic before pulling into an intersection or roadway
- Cyclists have full rights to Georgia roads and are entitled to the same legal protections as other vehicle operators
- In cases involving catastrophic injury, damages can include past and future medical expenses, lost earning capacity, pain and suffering, and loss of consortium for an injured person’s spouse
- Georgia juries have the power to award full, fair compensation, including for non-economic losses like the destruction of a retirement, a lifestyle, or a marriage
When a negligent driver causes life-altering harm, the injured person deserves a legal team that will fight for full accountability, in the courtroom if necessary.
Jared Lina’s Approach: Preparation, Persistence, and Trial-Readiness
This case illustrates several hallmarks of how Jared approaches complex personal injury litigation:
Liability first. When the defense blamed his client, Jared didn’t accept that narrative. He hired an expert, built the evidence, and forced the defense to abandon their position entirely before trial even began.
Humanizing the loss. Medical bills tell part of the story. But juries decide cases based on what they understand about a real person’s life. Jared called the treating physicians. He called his client. He called his client’s wife. He made sure the jury understood not just what happened, but what was taken.
Trial-readiness as leverage. Settlement discussions continued all the way through trial. The defense knew Jared was prepared to try the case, and the jury’s verdict proved he was right to do so.
Let Us Help You
If you or someone you love has suffered a serious injury in a motor vehicle accident, contact Hanson Fuller Lina today for a free and confidential consultation. We’ll evaluate your case, explain your rights, and fight for the full accountability you deserve.