News & Insights

Two Definitive Victories by Amaobi Enyinnia Thwarts Claims Against the City of Birmingham

October 9, 2024

Lightfoot, Franklin & White LLC partner Amaobi J. Enyinnia rounded out the summer with two victories for the City of Birmingham, mitigating a total of $110,000 in claims against the city. 

After falling into the gap of a stage during a Mardi Gras festival, a plaintiff sued the City of Birmingham, stating that the city failed to warn him of the gap and sought damages, including approximately $80,000 in medical expenses. During the summary judgment hearing, Enyinnia demonstrated the gap was open and obvious, negating the need for any signage, and the court agreed, granting the city judgment as a matter of law. 

In another matter, a plaintiff sued the city after a collision with a police vehicle that was responding to an emergency call. The plaintiff claimed the officer was driving recklessly and sued the city and officer for over $30,000 in medical expenses, plus property damage and lost wages. Drawing on Alabama case law, Enyinnia argued that the city and its officer were due State-agent immunity because the actions the plaintiff complained about were all actions falling within the officer’s discretion in how to respond to the emergency call. The court agreed, granting the city and officer judgment as a matter of law. 

“Both of these demonstrate the value of established precedent, knowing the ins and outs of that precedent, and developing the facts to take advantage of favorable law and anticipate the other side’s counters,” Enyinnia said. “In both matters, it was gratifying to see the court find in our client’s favor.”

These are the latest of a string of 2024 victories for Enyinnia. In February, he successfully secured over $1 million in damages for a Hoover, Alabama, shopping center in a lease dispute with a longtime tenant. A month later, Enyinnia, along with partner Rachel M. Lary, also secured a win from the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, affirming a lower court’s dismissal of a product liability case in Georgia against a major automotive manufacturer. 

Enyinnia’s practice focuses on product liability, transportation, personal and catastrophic injury, employment, and commercial litigation. In addition, he defends physicians confronting medical malpractice claims. Enyinnia applies his previous experience working in business, government, e-discovery and clinical settings to advance a client’s goals and develop efficient solutions that “move the ball forward.”