McDonald Baas & Livingston PLLC (MBL) is proud to announce a significant trial victory obtained by Co-Managing Partner Marc McDonald and attorney Maggie Mason following a four-day jury trial involving a decades-long catastrophic brain injury claim.

The case arose from injuries sustained more than 40 years ago, leaving the claimant with a severe traumatic brain injury and ongoing need for residential and attendant care. For decades, MBL’s insurance company client provided extensive No-Fault benefits, including residential placement and medical care.

At issue during trial was whether the claimant’s family provided attendant care arrangement justified compensation at a rate of approximately $40 per hour, resulting in a claim exceeding $550,000. The plaintiff was represented by a highly experienced No-Fault litigation team known for handling complex catastrophic injury matters.

Following approximately three hours of deliberation, the jury returned a verdict that was more than $100,000 below the insurer’s final settlement offer and dramatically below the amount sought by the plaintiff.

“This case presented challenging facts, significant exposure, and complex questions regarding the reasonableness of long-term attendant care services,” McDonald said.

The victory is particularly notable given the nature of the claim. Unlike many disputed No-Fault cases, the claimant suffered a genuine and catastrophic injury requiring lifelong care. The dispute centered not on whether care was needed, but on the reasonableness and value of the services being claimed. Successfully defending such a case required meticulous discovery, strategic trial preparation, and compelling presentation of the evidence.

Congrats to Marc, Maggie, as well as Paralegal Paulina Shammami, whose efforts were instrumental in preparing for trial.

The result reflects MBL’s continued commitment to aggressive litigation strategy. MBL continues to defend insurers and self-insured entities throughout Michigan in complex First-Party, fraud, SIU, and catastrophic injury litigation. MBL has had two No-Cause trial wins and four favorable trial results since May 2026.