Former Furniture Store Owner Wins Negligence Suit

July 7, 2010  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on July 8, 2010

A Portland, Me., jury has awarded $7.3 million to a the owner of a former furniture store in a verdict against his former attorney for negligence in a case connected to now-defunct Northern Mattress & Furniture Co., the Morning Sentinel reported Wednesday.

A jury already had ruled that the firm of Bernstein Shur Sawyer & Nelson was negligent in its representation of Peter Redman in a workplace sexual harrassment matter. Redman, who was company president, had been prohibited from entering the family business€™ Fairfield headquarters because of a sexual harassment claim that he contends was orchestrated by his late brother, Mark Redman, to take over business. The matter was settled internally.

Northern Mattress went out of business in late 2006, and mark Mark Redman committed suicide in 2006.

Peter Redman has since started a new business, Priceless Mattress and Furniture in Augusta.

Bernstein Shur Sawyer & Nelson will move for a new trial. If that's not approved, the firm will appeal the verdict to the Maine Supreme Court.