This Michigan special conservator case study is about more than a verdict. It is about what happens when catastrophic personal-injury litigation involves a child—and why protecting that child’s interests requires collaboration between trial counsel and probate counsel.
Darren Findling of The Probate Pro was appointed Special Conservator for L.M., one of the children injured in the July 2023 Continental Automotive Systems test-track crash in Auburn Hills.
Verdict numbers can dominate the headlines. But a verdict does not tell the whole story.
Behind this one is a child whose life was changed in an instant. Behind it is a family confronting consequences that will extend far beyond the courtroom. And behind the litigation was an additional responsibility: making sure L.M.’s interests remained protected while an extraordinarily consequential personal-injury case moved through trial.
The underlying incident occurred in July 2023 during a Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program (DAPCEP) STEM summer-camp field trip to a test track in Auburn Hills. Two boys were seriously injured when a vehicle being demonstrated at the facility crashed through a guardrail.
The families later filed litigation naming Ford Motor Company, Continental Automotive Systems, DAPCEP, and the driver. The complaint included allegations involving negligence and other theories of liability.
Read WXYZ-TV’s report about the crash and original litigation →
L.M.’s case was part of a broader sequence of significant litigation arising from the same July 2023 test-track crash.
In a separate case involving another child injured in the incident, an Oakland County jury returned a $896,467,970 verdict in July 2026. The proceeding was tried before Judge David Cohen in Oakland County Circuit Court, with Jonathan Marko, John Eads, and Scott Goodwin representing the plaintiff.
A later proceeding involving the child’s father resulted in a separate $2,000,066 verdict.
View Courtroom View Network’s coverage of the related Gibson trial →
When a catastrophically injured client is a minor, the personal-injury case and the fiduciary issues surrounding that child inevitably intersect. The strongest approach is coordinated: trial counsel advances the injury case while probate counsel helps ensure that the authority, protection, and fiduciary responsibilities surrounding the minor remain aligned with the litigation.
In L.M.’s case, the personal-injury team included attorneys from Marko Law and Scott Goodwin Law. The Probate Pro recognizes Jonathan Marko, Samantha Teal, John Eads, Chris Putrycus, Scott Goodwin, and the broader trial team for their work and advocacy for L.M.
In this Michigan special conservator matter, Darren Findling was appointed by the probate court to serve as Special Conservator for L.M.
A Special Conservator is not simply another lawyer added to the case. It is a court-appointed fiduciary role. The authority comes from the probate court’s order, and the responsibility is centered on the protected individual.
Darren’s authority arose from his appointment as Special Conservator and the responsibilities assigned by the probate court.
The role required keeping L.M.’s interests at the center of decisions implicating the conservatorship and the litigation.
Darren remained involved throughout the trial and testified in connection with his role as Special Conservator.
The Probate Pro worked alongside the personal-injury team so probate responsibilities and litigation strategy could remain coordinated.
A catastrophic-injury case involving a minor can create probate issues long before a verdict or settlement. Questions of fiduciary authority, conservatorship, court approval, protected assets, and long-term administration can affect how the case moves forward and how the client is protected.
Bringing probate counsel into the conversation early can help the legal team identify those issues before they become obstacles. The objective is not to add another layer of lawyers. It is to make the representation more coordinated.
Identify who has legal authority to act for the protected person and what the probate court’s orders require.
Address probate and fiduciary issues in a way that supports—not disrupts—the broader litigation strategy.
Keep the client’s long-term interests in view when substantial proceeds or protected assets may ultimately require court and fiduciary oversight.
At the conclusion of L.M.’s trial, the jury returned a verdict of $32,212,203.
The number is significant. The responsibility behind it is more important. The Probate Pro was entrusted to serve as Special Conservator for an injured child during litigation with life-changing consequences.
That trust—and the opportunity to collaborate with the lawyers advocating for L.M.—is what makes this case meaningful to our firm. The work was ultimately about one person: L.M., and protecting L.M.’s interests in a case that will affect the child’s future for years to come.
L.M.’s case illustrates a problem that can appear in personal-injury litigation of every size. A PI matter may require probate expertise when:
A conservatorship, court approval, restricted assets, fiduciary appointment, or other protective procedure may be required.
Guardianship or conservatorship proceedings may be necessary to establish authority and protect the client.
An estate and personal representative may be required to continue litigation, settle a claim, or administer proceeds.
Darren Findling was appointed Special Conservator for L.M. His role was a probate-court fiduciary role focused on protecting L.M.’s interests. He remained involved throughout the trial and testified in connection with that role.
The jury returned a $32,212,203 verdict for L.M.
No. Both arose from the July 2023 Continental Automotive Systems test-track crash, but they were separate cases involving different injured children. Courtroom View Network reports a $896,467,970 verdict in the separate Gibson proceeding.
Because a minor cannot independently manage substantial property and may require a conservator, court approval, restricted assets, or other protective procedures. The exact requirements depend on the circumstances and court orders.
The Probate Pro works collaboratively with trial counsel on the probate, estate, guardianship, conservatorship, and fiduciary issues that intersect with the injury case. The objective is coordinated representation centered on the client or protected person.
The Probate Pro collaborates with personal-injury lawyers when minority, incapacity, death, settlement, conservatorship, guardianship, estate administration, or other probate issues become part of the case. Our role is to strengthen the team around the client—not compete with it.
Case-results disclaimer: This page describes The Probate Pro’s role as Special Conservator for L.M. and publicly reported litigation arising from the July 2023 test-track crash. References to separate verdicts are included only to provide context and do not imply that The Probate Pro participated in those separate proceedings. Past results do not guarantee or predict future outcomes.
Privacy: L.M. is identified by initials on this page. The discussion is limited to information supplied for public use and publicly reported information.