Mr. William Elkin Robertson, Jr. is a lawyer practicing personal injury, wrongful death, product liability. William received a B.S. degree from Florida State University in 1981, and has been licensed for 42 years. William practices at The Robertson Law Firm PA in Sarasota, FL.
Heffner vs. the FAA
Charlie Heffner, an 81-year-old student pilot, had a stellar reputation as a generous human. After Pearl Harbor, he volunteered for the U.S. Army Air Corps
then spent the next half-century devoted to supporting his wife
kids. Getting his pilot’s license was a lifelong dream. But Heffner was killed March 19, 2000, when, as he was accelerating for takeoff at Sarasota Bradenton Airport, air traffic control mistakenly directed another plane into the path of his Cessna.
On behalf of Heffner’s widow, Shirley, Robertson sued the FAA for negligence, investing $250,000
multiple trips to Washington, D.C. to pursue the case over four years. He persevered. In 2004, the federal government awarded a $2 million settlement. Before Heffner’s death, "Shirley had been planning a big party to pin Charlie’s wings on him," says Robertson, who stayed in touch with Shirley until her death in 2015. "Becoming a pilot was the one thing that he was doing for himself."
Chester vs. an 87-year-old driver
In 2006, Herbert
Betty Chester, a British couple vacationing on Longboat Key, were walking in the crosswalk on Gulf of Mexico Drive when an 87-year-old driver in a Cadillac failed to yield. Herbert pushed Betty out of the way
was struck by the car, suffering a severe brain injury that left him permanently disabled.
Still, the insurance company fought the suit. To demonstrate the extent of Herbert’s damage, Robertson
his staff assembled a "Day in the Life" film chronicling the round-the-clock care Betty now had to provide for her husb
back home in Engl
. After three years of legal wrangling, the Chesters were finally awarded $3.5 million. "Big companies do not care about the victims," says Robertson. "They want to save money. Part of my job is that you have to push
push
push, back them up against a wall."
1990 9th St., Ste. 100Sarasota, FL 34236U.S.A.
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