Attorney Profiles

EXPERIENCE AND BACKGROUND:

Scott is a graduate of the University of Mississippi and the University of Mississippi School of Law. He is a founding member of Brasfield, Freeman, Goldis & Cash, P.A.

Scott has actively tried cases for 40 years. From 1970 to 1975, he was JAG officer in the United States Air Force during which time he was appointed one of the prosecutors for the most serious espionage trial during the Viet Nam era. In 1975, he was appointed as attorney for the Special Disability Trust Fund of the Florida Department of Commerce.

Since 1975, Scott has limited his practice primarily to trial work. He has tried to conclusion over 200 jury trials in the areas of personal injury defense, employment law, construction litigation and medical malpractice. Scott has been engaged to appear in cases throughout the Southeast and has tried cases throughout the State of Florida, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Houston, Texas. He has represented churches, professional organizations, law firms, insurance companies, construction companies, trucking companies, professional baseball teams, professional athletes and nationally known celebrities. He is one of the few trial attorneys to successfully try to conclusion sexual tort claims against religious organizations, employment law cases against law firms, and numerous high end automobile claims involving wrongful death, traumatic brain injury, profound neurological disability, amputations, and multimillion dollar construction defect claims.

Scott is a member of the Florida, Mississippi, and American Bar Associations with additional membership in the Trial Lawyers Sections of each. Scott served on the Executive Council of the Trial Lawyers Section of the Florida Bar for six years where he contributed to the development of the Discovery Handbook which facilitated discovery practice in the State of Florida and curbed abusive behavior by attorneys. While a member of the Executive Council, he contributed to the development of the Trial Resolution Judge empowering legislation that permits the utilization of a private trial resolution judge to preside over jury trials throughout the state. This procedure significantly contributes to the efficiency of obtaining and keeping trial dates for major cases throughout Florida. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, the Pinellas County Trial Lawyers Association, Defense Research Institute, Inc., and he is a regularly invited speaker at Stetson University College of Law in the area of trial practice. Scott has attended and participated as speaker at numerous seminars in the fields of trial practice and general trial advocacy.

Scott has represented defendants in cases tried to conclusion before juries in the last two years in which juries have refused to award in clear liability cases between 1.5 and 2.0 million dollars in claimed medical expenses. Some of those cases include the following:

Boyan v. Marietta: Wrongful death of 19-year-old who survived six months in a persistent vegetative state; demand was 4 million dollars; award was 1.1 million dollars.

Hart v. Albertson's: Clear liability, the claimed medical expenses under letters of protection were over $200,000; jury awarded $31,500.

Velez v. Outback Steakhouse, Inc.: Premises liability; claimed past and future medicals totaling over $300,000; prayer for relief 2.5 million dollars; defense verdict.

Arrazola v. Albertson's: Premises liability; claimed past and future medical expenses totaling over $350,000; prayer for relief 2.7 million dollars; jury awarded $5,500.

Stake v. Gutzeit: Auto liability; claimed traumatic onset of quiescent multiple sclerosis and spinal injuries; prayer for relief 2 million dollars; defense verdict.

Risse v. Outback Steakhouse, Inc.: Premises liability; claimed past and future medical expenses totaling over $130,000; prayer for relief $350,000; jury awarded $45,000.

Hallenbeck v. Amerisure: Auto liability - clear; claimed past and future medical expenses totaling over $400,000; prayer for relief 2.9 million dollars; defense verdict.

Tabulov v. JTM Telecom: Auto liability - clear; claimed past and future medical expenses totaling over $170,000; prayer for relief 1.1 million dollars; jury awarded $320,000.

Scott and his staff have been providing their clients with a strong litigation presence on the west coast of Florida since 1975.

Client references and additional trial results available upon request.

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Areas of Practice

• Personal Injury -- Defense
• Products Liability Law