Episode 23

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Published on:

4th Apr 2025

Alana Anzalone and Melanie Stuckey – Securing $2.2M for a Client with Herniated Discs

A seemingly routine case turned extraordinary when Alana Anzalone and Melanie Stuckey secured a $2.2 million verdict in Adams County for a 22-year-old client with herniated discs. Their victory is even more remarkable considering this was Melanie's first trial after transitioning from paralegal to attorney, and they faced a defendant who shockingly denied even hitting their client's car despite totaling it. Host Keith Fuicelli explores how their teamwork, strategic witness preparation, and powerful rebuttal of the defense's degenerative disc claims led to a jury award exceeding their request.

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Episode Snapshot

  • Melanie's inspiring journey from 25-year paralegal career to law school graduate and trial lawyer in 2020.
  • The case involved a 22-year-old client with multiple herniated discs after being rear-ended on I-25 by a 78-year-old distracted driver.
  • State Farm initially offered only $28,000 on $66,000 in medical bills, then later made a $95,000 statutory offer that the client rejected.
  • The defendant shocked everyone at trial by denying he even hit the client's car, despite causing so much damage that it was totaled.
  • The defense expert tried to attribute the young client's injuries to degenerative disc disease, claiming all symptoms were pre-existing.
  • The chiropractor played a critical role by establishing the plaintiff’s permanent impairment through his testimony about ligament laxity.
  • The case benefitted from the co-counsels’ complementary styles: Melanie's calm demeanor and Alana's fiery approach.
  • The jury awarded $2,232,500, exceeding what was requested, including $40 per day for physical impairment based on the client's barber fee.

The information contained in this podcast is not intended to be taken as legal advice. The information provided by Fuicelli & Lee is intended to provide general information regarding comprehensive injury and accident attorney services for clients in the state of Colorado.\

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About the Podcast

Colorado Trial Lawyer Connection
The pursuit of justice starts here.

Join host Keith Fuicelli as we uncover the stories, strategies, and lessons from Colorado trial lawyers to help you and your clients achieve justice in the courtroom.

Our goal is to bridge the gap between theory and practice—connecting you to the proven strategies that work from the state’s most accomplished litigators—to sharpen your own skills in the pursuit of justice.

If this podcast is bringing value to your practice, be sure to subscribe and join us on every episode as we dissect real cases, learn from Colorado's top trial lawyers, and empower our legal community to reach greater heights of success. Keep your connection to Colorado’s best trial lawyers alive at https://www.TheCTLC.com

Ready to refer or collaborate on a case? The personal injury attorneys at Fuicelli & Lee can help. Visit our attorney referral page at https://TheCTLC.com/refer or call our Denver office at (303) 444-4444.

Fuicelli & Lee (https://coloradoinjurylaw.com) is a personal injury law firm dedicated to representing clients across Colorado who have suffered catastrophic injuries due to someone’s reckless or careless actions. Our top areas of focus include: car accidents, brain injury/TBI, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, wrongful death claims, pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, drunk driving accidents, dog bites, construction accidents, slip & fall/premises liability, and product liability.

The information contained in this podcast is not intended to be taken as legal advice. The information provided by Fuicelli & Lee is intended to provide general information regarding comprehensive injury and accident attorney services for clients in the state of Colorado.