Item 3. Legal Proceedings.
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Item 3. Legal Proceedings.
We are a party to lawsuits, revenue agent reviews by taxing authorities and administrative proceedings in the ordinary course of business which include, without limitation, workers’ compensation, general liability, automobile and franchisee claims. We are also subject to suits related to employment practices.
Litigation is subject to many uncertainties, and the outcome of individual litigated matters is not predictable with assurance. These matters referenced above could be decided unfavorably to us and could require us to pay damages or make other expenditures in amounts or a range of amounts that cannot be estimated with accuracy. In management’s opinion, these matters, individually and in the aggregate, should not have a significant adverse effect on the financial condition of the Company, and the established accruals adequately provide for the estimated resolution of such claims.
On February 14, 2011, Domino’s Pizza LLC was named as a defendant in a lawsuit along with Fischler Enterprises of C.F., Inc., a franchisee, and Jeffrey S. Kidd, the franchisee’s delivery driver, filed by Yvonne Wiederhold, the plaintiff, as Personal Representative of the Estate of Richard E. Wiederhold, deceased. The case involved a traffic accident in which the franchisee’s delivery driver is alleged to have caused an accident involving a vehicle driven by Richard Wiederhold. Mr. Wiederhold sustained spinal injuries resulting in quadriplegia and passed away several months after the accident. The jury returned a $10.1 million judgment for the plaintiff where the Company and Mr. Kidd were found to be 90% liable (after certain offsets and other deductions the final verdict was $8.9 million). In the second quarter of 2016, the trial court ruled on all post-judgment motions and entered the judgment. The Company denies liability and in the third quarter of 2016 filed an appeal of the verdict on a variety of grounds. On May 11, 2018, the court of appeals reversed and remanded the case to the trial court for a new trial based on the plaintiff’s improper closing argument. The Company continues to deny liability in this matter.
While we may occasionally be party to large claims, including class action suits, we do not believe that any existing matters, individually or in the aggregate, will materially affect our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
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