Bowen Painter Injury Lawyers Verdict Ranks No. 7 on CVN’s Top 10 Most Impressive Plaintiff Verdicts of 2025 list

Savannah, Georgia – A $21.3 million trucking verdict secured by Bowen Painter Injury Lawyers has been ranked No. 7 on Courtroom View Network’s (CVN) prestigious Top 10 Most Impressive Plaintiff Verdicts of 2025. CVN noted that the award dramatically surpassed a pretrial settlement offer of just $50,000.

The ranking cites a $21.3 million jury verdict in Angela Pope-Morgan, et al. v. Leilei Chen, et al., where two young women suffered permanent traumatic brain injuries after their van was rear-ended by an 18-wheeler. The Los Angeles County jury found trucking company FBM Group Corporation and driver Leilei Chen 82% liable for the 2017 crash, which occurred when Chen became distracted after dropping a water bottle. The remaining 18% liability was assigned to the van’s driver, reducing the collectible award to over $17 million.

Background of the Case

The crash took place in 2017 when the van transporting two women was rear-ended at highway speed by a commercial 18-wheeler operated by Leilei Chen of FBM Group Corporation. The driver’s momentary distraction, after dropping a water bottle in the cab, caused him to fail to brake in time, resulting in a violent collision. Although initial emergency room evaluations showed no acute injuries, both women later developed severe traumatic brain injuries that profoundly impacted their cognitive abilities, academic progress, balance, and daily lives.

Paul W. Painter III and Stephen Morrison of Bowen Painter Injury Lawyers served as lead plaintiff counsel, partnering with local co-counsel from Wisner Baum. The trial featured advanced medical imaging techniques, including MR Neurography and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), to demonstrate the plaintiffs’ brain injuries, which emerged months after initial emergency room visits showed no acute issues.

“The injured victims initially received a clean bill of health, but issues came up during their recovery well after the accident,” said Painter. “This case shows the importance of speaking with a legal professional and doing everything you can to document any developments related to the incident.”

CVN’s Top 10 rankings consider more than just dollar amounts. The rankings are compiled annually and reviewed by legal analysts covering high-profile civil litigation nationwide. The selection process also evaluates case difficulty, potential impact on future litigation, the attorneys and firms involved, and public attention generated by the outcome.

To watch the trial video, visit Courtroom View Network’s trial library: https://cvn.com/proceedings/angela-pope-morgan-et-al-v-leilei-chen-et-al-trial-2025-06-17

CASE INFORMATION

Superior Court of California, Los Angeles
Angela Pope-Morgan, et al. v. Leilei Chen, et al.
Case No. 19STCV16639