MARIETTA, Ga. — A Marietta man who was the victim of a vehicle accident won $4.3 million from a national law firm after accusing them of closing his case without his consent.
Robert Wyrosdick, 73, was involved in a serious accident in March 2023. He hired Morgan & Morgan to represent him, but later alleged that the firm had accepted a settlement of $45,000 on his behalf without his consent.
Morgan & Morgan settled the case in 2024. During the process, Wyrosdick said he only spoke to one attorney, then dealt with a paralegal for the rest of the case until it was settled.
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Wyrosdick said that while Morgan & Morgan settled the case for $45,000, he had never approved doing so, which the law firm disputes.
That’s when he decided to take legal action, but the process wasn’t as simple as going to court. During this process, Wyrosdick was represented by attorneys Michael Flint and Mary Ellen Lighthiser of McClure & Kornheiser.
As part of the contract to be represented by Morgan & Morgan, Wyrosdick has to agree that any disputes between himself and the firm and its lawyers be sent to arbitration, rather than a court.
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As a result, Wyrosdick took his claims that the firm had violated its fiduciary duty to arbitration.
While Morgan & Morgan disputes that description of events, when taken to arbitration over the legal action.
In a reply to Wyrosdick’s claims submitted as part of the arbitration process, Morgan & Morgan asserted that Wyrosdick had not proven his claims, or that he had suffered harm as a result of them.
The firm pushed to reject punitive damages and said all of Wyrosdick’s claims were incorrect and unproven.
However, the arbitrator sided with Wyrsodick and his attorneys.
An award letter from the arbitrator gave Wyrosdick a financial victory, with Morgan & Morgan told to pay $4.3 million.
That payment was split between:
- $450,000 compensatory damages
- $250,000 emotional distress damages
- $413,180.33 in attorney’s fees
- $3,150,000 in punitive damages.
Wyrosdick’s legal team shared a statement with Channel 2 Action News about the settlement, saying “After being involved in a serious car accident, Robert Wyrosdick reached out to Morgan & Morgan because he believed their promise that the largest personal injury law firm in the country was ‘For the People.’ Morgan & Morgan broke that promise when they elevated their own interests above his, settled his case without his input, and then lied about it.”
The attorney went further, saying that the arbitrator agreed with Wyrsodick’s counsel that this case was not an isolated incident, but part of the Morgan & Morgan business model that “treats clients and their cases and commodities,” as explanation for the more than $3 million awarded as punitive damages.
Morgan & Morgan, as the respondents in the case, will also have to pay the arbitration costs and administrative fees.
According to the cost assessment from the arbitrator shared by Wyrosdick’s legal team, Morgan & Morgan will have to pay:
- $19,175 for administrative fees and expenses
- $37,125 for compensation and expenses of the arbitrator
- $37,737.50 for fees and costs previously incurred by Wyrosdick as claimant
Channel 2 Action News reached out to Morgan & Morgan for comment on the case and was sent the following statement from Alexander Clem, Morgan & Morgan CEO, shared in full:
“Our attorneys live and breathe our mission of fighting for the people, and transparency and communication with our clients are core values we take very seriously. Since 2019, Morgan & Morgan has recovered over $30 billion for our clients nationally, and anyone who wants to understand our track record of verdicts and settlements can see it for themselves at forthepeople.com.
“In Georgia, an infinitesimal .0002% of our cases lead to a claim against us. More than 99.999% of our cases proceed without issue. Whether you are a one-attorney shop or a 1,200-lawyer firm, mistakes can occasionally happen. What matters is that you make things right.
“In this case, an attorney received verbal client consent but then did not document it in writing. While we strongly disagree with the findings of the arbitration award and do not believe they reflect the facts of the case or the dedication of the attorneys involved, we respect the process and we move forward.”
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