The City of Savannah paid $12,000,000

Shanta: I was overwhelmed, excited, scared at first, oh my gosh, my team, my cousin. All I can say is we took on the City and we won. There is nothing better than that. I just hope for a change with the trees and that this does not happen to another family member. I’m happy, in the 3 years, the last 3 years have been hard for me. I was able to do I was strong, I wasn’t happy but now I believe my life is beginning again. I’m happy! I’m very happy with the verdict. I’m thankful for the jurors. I’m thankful for God. I’m thankful for Mr. Howard, Clay, Louis and the rest of my team. Without them I don’t know who else who would have been able to take on the City and win it like us. I’m just grateful and thankful
Andrew: What does it mean to you that the juror listened to your story? Not only believed you but believed in you too?
Shanta: Their human too, I’m just glad that they heard me because for a while I felt like nobody was listening, that nobody heard me and that nobody cared but my team, my family and also you. I’m just thankful for them. Just thankful that they took the time out to listen to my story and hear what my life has been like for the last 3 years. It was hurtful and it was hard; but I did it every day with my family and these guys. We pushed and we pushed and we pushed and we succeeded. That is all I can say.
Andrew: Some people might focus on the money but it is not about the money.
Shanta: No it was never about the money; to me this was about how this changed my life. How a tree could be so dangerous, how it can hang over a street and they not care about the people that are underneath it. They make it out as it is our job to look up. We are supposed to look out for other cars, stop signs; we are not supposed to look out for a treat to cause an accident. So my main purpose was I want the City to make the rest of the City to look like downtown so that everybody could be safe and happy. That is all I wanted, it was never about the money.
Andrew: Can you see what life might be like for you and you can get past some of this?
Shanta: Yes I can, I still I have to every day get up. I still have to wake to what happened to me 3 years ago, but I think I can live a little better. I don’t have to worry about if my kids are going to be ok because I can’t work or if we will be able to keep a roof over our house, my worries are gone. I’m just so thankful for all of these people. And I am thankful for you. You followed me from the beginning and I am thankful for that I really am. You listened you felt my pain just like the rest of my team and I am thankful. I am thankful for WSAV every day. I appreciate what you did for me, my cousin and how you shared my story, thank you.
Andrew: So what would you have to say about those guys standing next and beside you, they worked so hard for you?
Shanta: These are not my lawyers anymore, this is my family. I have grown to love these people, 3 years almost every day with them. Pushing and pushing, these guys pushed and pushed. These guys told me every day “we are not giving up on you”. Even when I felt like we can’t take on the City, we probably sent a message, but I didn’t believe we could take it on, but I know my team believed because they pushed every day. They worked hard hours, weekends. I use to say I’m at home and y’all out working on the weekend and I am just so thankful for them and everybody else that helped at Spiva Law Group. Those guys are great. And if you need a lawyer to represent you Spiva Law Firm is the best, Howard and Clay and the rest of the team, THEY WILL GET THE JOB DONE!
Andrew: When are you going back to see your kids?
Shanta: I have been away from my kids, for oh my gosh, I go home every night and check on them. But not being there with them, I am so used to being around my kids every day, all day, them getting on my nerves and I love it and I missed it. For a week and a half I was so miserable and so scared, but MAMA COMING HOME AND WE WON SO GET HAPPY.