John Kristensen of Kristensen Law Group, on behalf of their client, Jeremy Findel, announced that they obtained an $8.9M dollar verdict, including $6.8M in punitive damages, on behalf of Mr. Findel against former BLAZE PIZZA owners Maurice Driz and Alberto Daniel Driz, their failson Shawn Tommy Driz and scion of a Beverly Hills property magnate, William Joelson, for their assault on Findel who was with his friends Anne and Matt Greene outside the NICE GUY restaurant on the night of April 17, 2015 on La Cienega in West Hollywood.
The defendants claimed the assault could have been prevented if someone called 911 faster–before they attacked Mr. Findel, Ms. Greene, and Mr. Greene with strikes to the head causing Mr. Findel permanent nerve damage in his head and loss of hearing in his right ear. Mr. Joelson was represented prior to trial by Lewis Adelson of Santa Monica. Mr. Joelson testified that Mr. Adelson told him to testify that he did not kick one of the plaintiffs. At trial, when faced with the video, Mr. Joelson admitted that his prior testimony was false, and that he did in fact kick Matt Greene in the head. The Driz defendants were previously represented by Maria Hall.
Shawn Driz’s attempt to stop the trial its eve by filing for bankruptcy was thwarted by Kristensen Law Group quickly obtaining relief from an automatic stay. Shawn Driz, instead of being at trial on the first day, was on a yacht in the Caribbean.
“The Drizes and William Joelson had their Los Angeles privileges revoked,” said John Kristensen, Attorney for Mr. Findel. “We will execute on the judgments, which are not dischargeable in bankruptcy, and involve all those who have dealings with these defendants.”
The complaint was filed in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles, Spring Street Courthouse, Case No. BC643270