JURY AWARDS $2.5 MILLION TO COUPLE
Nov 14, 1989
Mobile Register
A Madison County Circuit Court jury awarded $2.5 million to a former Mobilian
and her husband in connection with the death of their 22-month old daughter
who died in a house fire.
Majid Jahandarfard and his wife, Chrissy Weaver Jahandarfard, were awarded
the judgment following a three-day trial in Huntsville.
Buddy Brown, a Mobile attorney who represented the Jahandarfards, said
the evidence showed that Lomax Killough, a real estate agent for Joe Steele
Real Estate Co., had been asked to install smoke detectors in the house
prior to the fire, but failed to do so. He said the realtor denied he
was aware of any state law requiring detectors in residences. The Jahandarfards
rented the duplex from Killough.
Brown said state fire marshalls testified that since the mid 1970’s,
state law has required fire detectors in all residences.
The attorney said the jury’s decision was a record-setting verdict
and the highest amount awarded by a jury in Madison County. The previous
amount, he added, was $500,000.