Williams wins $100,000 verdict in civil lawsuit
Veteran Callison Tighe trial lawyer D. Reece Williams III won a $100,000 verdict Tuesday in Richland County Circuit Court on behalf of a man who was assaulted at a private club in Columbia.
The case stemmed from a 2014 incident involving George McMaster, the brother of South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster. George McMaster pled guilty two years later to third-degree assault and battery after he was accused of accosting a waiter at the Palmetto Club.
The waiter then filed a civil suit seeking against George McMaster, with Williams representing him in the case.
Following two days of testimony this week, the 12-person jury deliberated for around two and a half hours before reaching a unanimous verdict. Jurors awarded the waiter, now 26, $50,000 in actual damages, including emotional distress, and $50,000 punitive.
Among the witnesses Williams called was a psychologist who testified that the waiter suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the assault.
“This was a fair and reasonable verdict given what this man has endured,” Williams said.
An experienced litigator, Williams focuses his practice at Callison Tighe on trial work. This includes representing clients in personal injury and medical malpractice cases in addition to commercial litigation. A former South Carolina Trial Lawyer of the year, Williams is former national president of the by-invitation only American Board of Trial Advocates. He often teaches advocacy skills to other attorneys.
Disclaimer: This case is intended only to be representative of Mr. Williams’ practice. Mr. Williams is solely responsible for this content. This example is not intended to, and cannot be relied upon, to predict the results in any other case.