On July 21, 2016 Wigdor LLP won a $400,000 dollar verdict on behalf of their client, Barry Reiter, after a week-long jury trial in the Eastern District of New York’s Federal Court before Judge Leonard Wexler against MaxiAids, Inc. and its owner and CEO Elliot Zaretsky. At trial, Wigdor LLP represented Mr. Reiter, a former high level executive and third-in-command at Maxi-Aids, who was fired on the basis of his disability as well as his association with his daughter’s disability. After three days of testimony, the jury returned a verdict of liability, finding that Mr. Reiter’s rights were violated under the American Disabilities Act (ADA), and the New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL) . Mr. Reiter was disrespected and degraded by the owner of the company after disclosing a medical illness, and was terminated one day after disclosing that his daughter had also fallen ill, and was immediately removed from the company’s health care plan. The jury imposed a $400,000 punitive damages award against the Defendants. The Court will determine Mr. Reiter’s economic damages.
The Wigdor LLP trial team consisted of Partner Lawrence Pearson, Senior Associate Tanvir Rahman, Associate Kenneth Sommer, and Paralegal James Meresman.