08/12/2026
Leesfield & Partners congratulates Partner Justin Shapiro and Trial Attorney Eric Shane on securing a $1,320,000 result on behalf of a Monroe County client, 48-year-old James Keel.
In December of 2024, Mr. Keel was leaving the mechanic shop where he worked in Key West on his motor scooter. As he approached an intersection with the clear right-of-way, he was hit by a driver who failed to stop at the stop sign, causing a severe ankle fracture that required surgery.
With only $10,000 of insurance coverage, Mr. Shapiro and Mr. Shane exhausted all avenues and discovered that the driver failed to see our client due overgrown vegetation on the property adjacent to the intersection, which obstructed visibility of oncoming traffic and is a violation of the City of Key West ordinances. It is the responsibility of the property owners to ensure that their foliage does not obstruct sidewalks and roadways and there are specific, local mandates in place to prevent such incidents from occurring.
“Our investigations are always relentless in cases with limited insurance coverage, and this case was no different,” said Mr. Shapiro. “The at-fault driver had only $10,000 in coverage, but we found a path to justice and turned this into a seven-figure case with creative and tenacious lawyering.”
While seemingly ordinary, overgrown vegetation and other visibility obstructions can present a danger and leave property owners vulnerable to liability when crashes like this occur, Mr. Shane said.
“This case serves as an important reminder that property owners have a responsibility to ensure their landscaping does not create hazards for the public,” he said. “When they do, however, they must be held accountable for the damages that have been caused.”
Leesfield & Partners has tirelessly represented motor vehicle accident victims in Monroe County and throughout the state for five decades. For more information about this case or the firm’s other personal injury matters, go to: https://www.floridainjurylawyer-blawg.com/
