Robert L. Blank

Notable Cases: Bauguess v. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment LLC d/b/a Busch Gardens: A Hillsborough County jury returned a defense verdict in favor of Busch Gardens after a five day trial. Plaintiff alleged she slipped on a metal drain cover on a wet walkway during rain. Plaintiff claimed injuries to her shoulder, elbow, wrist and knee, with four surgeries since the accident and a life care plan seeking future medical expenses for the rest of her life. Plaintiff's attorney asked the jury to award $4,015,620.95 (past medicals expenses of $16,020.95, future medical expenses of $108,720, past pain and suffering of $386,880 and future pain and suffering of $3,504,000). The jury awarded zero, finding no negligence by Busch Gardens.; Primus v. Sea World Parks & Entertainment LLC d/b/a Busch Gardens: A Hillsborough County jury returned a defense verdict in favor of Busch Gardens after a six day trial led by attorneys Rob Blank and Carie Hall. Plaintiff alleged she tripped over a raised expansion joint on a walkway. She alleged multiple injuries including a fractured wrist and elbow, as well as neck and back injuries with a future recommendation for back surgery and a significant life care plan. Plaintiff's attorney asked the jury to award a minimum of $2,820,267. The jury awarded zero, finding no negligence by Busch Gardens. Busch Gardens is moving for its attorneys' fees and costs based on Plaintiff's rejection of its proposal for settlement.; Vance Campbell v. Coke Florida, et al.: After a hotly disputed liability and damage trial, a Hillsborough County jury entered a defense verdict for Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC ('Coke Florida') and its driver. Plaintiff claimed the Coke Florida tractor-trailer violated his right of way proceeding to an intersection, causing an accident resulting in a lumbar discectomy and the need for future lumbar and cervical fusions and asked the jury to award just under a million dollars in damages. The RumbergerKirk trial team argued that Plaintiff caused the accident by failing to pay proper attention while driving with a clear and unobstructed view of the tractor-trailer as it properly entered the left turning lane, and that Plaintiff's injuries were not caused by the accident. The jury found there was no negligence on the part of the Coke Florida driver that caused Plaintiff's damages. Defendants will move for their attorneys' fees based on Plaintiff's rejection of their Proposal for Settlement.; Hersh v Coke Florida: Obtained a final summary judgment on judicial estoppel grounds in Polk County on behalf of Coke Florida. Plaintiff claimed he was injured at a grocery store. Shortly after the alleged incident took place, Plaintiff filed a 'no asset bankruptcy' representing to the bankruptcy court he had no potential claims or assets despite the fact that he was simultaneously pursuing claims for alleged damages against Coke Florida and the grocery store. The Circuit Court held judicial estoppel applied because Plaintiff used intentional self-contradiction to obtain an unfair advantage in litigation, entering final summary judgment in Coke Florida's favor.; Belle v. Sea World Parks & Entertainment LLC d/b/a Busch Gardens: RumbergerKirk attorneys obtained a defense verdict in a theme park accident case in Hillsborough County, Florida in October 2023. In the case styled Belle v. Sea World Parks & Entertainment LLC d/b/a Busch Gardens, Plaintiff claimed foot injuries resulting in two surgeries due to a door on the Skyride shutting twice on her leg on July 14, 2018.; Plaintiff's counsel asked the jury to award just under $1.5 million in damages. The trial team of partners Rob Blank and Carie Hall, along with associate Passion Wells and paralegal Susan McClugage, convinced the jury there was no negligence on the part of Busch Gardens or its employee. Busch Gardens has moved for its attorneys' fees and costs based on Plaintiff's rejection of its proposal for settlement.; Heather Bennett v. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment LLC d/b/a Busch Gardens: Plaintiff claims she was injured during a rescue training class on the Congo River Rapids. The Court entered Final Summary Judgment on June 29, 2022, finding Busch Gardens is entitled to enforce the rescue company's liability waiver as both an agent and volunteer of the rescue company conducting the class, and also finding Busch Gardens did not breach any duty owed to Plaintiff.; On July 14, 2023, the Second District Court of Appeal affirmed the trial court's granting of Busch Gardens' Motion for Final Summary Judgment. Plaintiff argued several different grounds to attempt to convince the appellate court to reverse the trial court's decision, but the Second District rejected all of them, issuing a per curiam affirmance without an opinion.