Rittgers Rittgers & Nakajima In The News
Below are just a few of the news articles that media outlets have produced about Rittgers Rittgers & Nakajima. You can get immediate help from one of our knowledgeable attorneys by calling us at 513-496-0134.
General Firm Articles
Meet The Rittgers, Profile By Cincinnati Enquirer
The Enquirer sat down for an interview at our Lebanon office to understand the firm’s story. The article goes into our attorneys’ approach to the law and how the legacy of our firm’s founders, Charles H. and Ellen Rittgers, is being carried on by their son, Charles M. Rittgers, who now leads the firm.
The Family Recipe, Firm Profile By Super Lawyers
The history of Rittgers Rittgers & Nakajima, started when Charles H. and Ellen B. Rittgers started the firm in 1991 along with their partner, John Mengle. This Super Lawyers article covers the firm’s history, how Charles started his legal career and how the firm has evolved over its more than 30-year history.
Injury Cases In The News
Serious Car Accident Case Involving A Semi-Truck Crash
Rittgers Rittgers & Nakajima, was hired to pursue a serious injury case stemming from the truck driver’s distracted and reckless driving. The case is pending.
Man Killed After Steel Coil Falls Off Semitruck
Rittgers Rittgers & Nakajima , working with Millikin & Fitton Law Firm, was able to resolve the first claim for this case without filing a lawsuit and obtain the maximum policy limit of $2 million. Another part of the claim is pending.
– WLWT5
Judge Approves Distribution Of $4,850,000 Settlement For Motorist Killed By Police
A driver was killed by police after a traffic stop in 2015. Attorney Konrad Kircher represented the administrator of the estate of Samuel Dubose and crafted an equitable distribution of $4.85 million in settlement proceeds, which was approved by the Hamilton County Probate Court.
– Local12
Defective Product Wrongful Death Leads To New Law
A 6-year-old boy was crushed by a large and dangerous school cafeteria table while attending an after-school daycare program. Rittgers Rittgers & Nakajima and co-counsel attorney Douglas Suter helped pass Jared’s Law in honor of our client, who was killed by a defective product. The after-school program, the school and the table manufacturer each settled the case under confidential terms.
– ABC News / Local WCPO
Distracted FedEx Driver Causes Accident, Crash Victim Saved By Police Officer
A driver was scrolling through his phone and not paying attention while operating a FedEx semi truck. He then slammed into the back of our client’s vehicle. A police officer saved the life of our client, who was trapped burning alive inside the car. The case is pending.
Seven-Year-Old Dog Bite Victim Received $7.5 Million Judgement
A 7-year-old girl was badly bitten by a dog, requiring a dozen surgeries, and was left with permanent scarring and severe long-term injuries. Attorney Matt Nakajima represented the young girl and her family, and the judge agreed the total damages should be assessed at $7.5 million.
Fatal Monroe Prom Night Crash Lawsuit Settles
A fatal car crash occurred that resulted in the death of several people. The issue at hand in the case was the division of the limited insurance funds to the injured parties and the loved ones of the deceased. Rittgers Rittgers & Nakajima maximized the recovery of our client, Tanner Allfrod, by collecting from three different auto insurance policies.
Sexual-Harassment Lawsuit
A Warren County judge was accused by nine of his employees of sexual harassment. The firm of Rittgers Rittgers & Nakajima represented eight of those nine employees against the judge who was eventually removed from office as a result of the allegations. The judge and the county government paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to settle the case.
– Cincinnati Enquirer
Ohio Woman Who Slipped At Casino Because Of Unsafe Circumstances Awarded $3 Million
W. Matt Nakajima and Charles M. Rittgers represented a 69-year-old woman who suffered a fractured knee cap after falling on a trip hazard at Jack Casino. After turning down a $25,000 offer, Charlie and Matt took the case to trial and obtained a record-breaking verdict.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Victim Drowns On Boat Trip
Ally Sidloski was a 21-year-old student and soccer player at the University of Cincinnati who died in May of 2021 while on a boating trip. Her death was partially caused by carbon monoxide poisoning while in the water. Rittgers Rittgers & Nakajima, is working with the law firms of Kelley Uustal and The Linton Law Firm to help prevent future similar tragedies. The case is pending.
Ohio Motorcycle Death
A truck failed to yield at a stop sign and struck a motorcycle. Our client suffered a broken femur and injuries to his pelvis, and his granddaughter was killed in the crash. The law firm of Rittgers Rittgers & Nakajima represented the injured man against the at-fault driver and his insurance company. The case settled before trial.
– WLWT News 5
Criminal Cases In The News
Teen Not Guilty of Murder Charge
Charles M. Rittgers and Nicholas Graman represented a local teen accused of murder who was tried as an adult despite being 17 at the time of the offense. The jury unanimously returned a not guilty verdict on the murder charge. The teen was convicted of a lesser charge and sentenced to probation and another 54 days in jail.
Former Teacher Acquitted Of Sex Offenses After Jury Trial
A beloved teacher married a former student. They two divorced many years later and a custody battle began. The teacher’s ex-wife claimed she had a relationship with him when she was still in high school, and the Ohio Attorney General’s Office attempted to convict the teacher of four sex offenses. He was acquitted after a jury trial.
Skylar Richardson Found Not Guilty Of Murdering Newborn
Eighteen-year-old Skylar Richardson was charged with multiple felonies, including aggravated murder, involuntary manslaughter, child endangerment and abuse of a corpse. The media, the prosecutor and the public at large jumped to conclusions after an erroneous pathologist’s opinion. After hearing all the evidence, a jury found Skylar had falsely confessed and acquitted her of all charges except for a low-level offense that can be expunged. The case was tried by Charlie H. and Charlie M. Rittgers as well as with trial attorney Neal Schuett.
NASCAR Driver Gets Alternative To Drug-Related Felony
After facing felony drug charges that jeopardized Fike’s racing career and carried potential jail time, Fike was able to plea to a misdemeanor and only received probation in exchange for work on a national antidrug campaign.
Indian Hill Doctor Charged With Child Endangering
Police found the defendant’s 2- and 4-year-old girls in his Porsche outside the Deerfield Township Lowe’s. A deputy broke out a window, and the girls were OK, but child endangering charges were filed. The defendant hired Rittgers Rittgers & Nakajima and the case ended up being dismissed.
– ABC News / Local WCPO
New Trial For Ryan Widmer
After a multiweek jury trial and two-day jury deliberation, Ryan Widmer was unanimously acquitted of aggravated murder but was convicted of murder for the drowning death of his wife in the bathtub. In post-trial briefs, Charlie H. Rittgers successfully argued that Widmer was entitled to a new trial after numerous jurors came forward stating that improper juror experiments had impacted their decision in the case. Rittgers stepped down from the case after the first trial, and different criminal defense attorneys took over. The second trial resulted in a hung jury. Widmer was convicted in the third trial.
– FOX19
Mason Man Receives No Indictment In Shotgun Death Case
Our client was wrestling a shotgun away from his depressed wife – he believed the gun was unloaded – when it accidentally discharged. A grand jury decided to not indict him for murder. Prosecutor closed the case, absent new evidence.
Two Defendants Have Charges Reduced To Tampering With Evidence
After hiring Rittgers Rittgers & Nakajima, the defendant plead to a reduced charge of tampering with evidence and did not receive any jail time.
A Volunteer Firefighter Accused Of Driving Drunk Has Charges Reduced
After pleading to reduced charges, the defendant only had to attend a three-day alcohol program.
Teen Charged With Vehicular Homicide Sentenced To Drug Treatment Program
One day after obtaining his driver’s license, the defendant drove left of center killing a woman and her unborn child. Prior to the crash, the defendant had smoked marijuana. Charged with aggravated vehicular homicide, the defendant faced a mandatory lifetime license revocation and incarceration until the age 21. After a trial, the defendant was sentenced to a treatment program for juveniles and is eligible to obtain a driver’s license in the future.
– Cincinnati Enquirer
Warren County Prosecutors Dropped 15 Counts Of Sexual Battery
A 59-year-old man was accused of having sex with a 14-year-old girl in 2004. After negotiations between Charlie Rittgers and the prosecutor’s office, the defendant plead to one count of felonious assault and was sentenced to one day in jail and five years of community control (probation).
– Cincinnati Enquirer
Mayor Accused Of Inappropriate Touching Found Not Guilty On All Charges
A local mayor was charged with sexual battery after one of his clerks accused him of touching her butt and stating, “I reserve the right to touch your butt,” while continuing the touching. While the case was pending, he was charged with two counts of violating a protection order and three counts of intimidation of a witness. A jury found him not guilty on all charges except for a single violating a protection order charge. The conviction was later overturned in the court of appeals.