JURY AWARDS $2.5 MILLION TO COUPLE

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.