Medical Malpractice
Arbitration: $874,965
A 34-year-old wife and mother
of three died from Oxycodone and opioid toxicity as a result of dramatic
increases in dosage to her prescription by her primary physician (Gregory v.
Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, Inc., Riverside County Superior Court, Plaintiff’s
attorney: Jerrie S. Weiss).
Bad Faith
Arbitration: $3,696,414
A food manufacturer and
distributor that sustained a fire destroying its inventory and equipment alleged
its insurer failed to pay cash value immediately, resulting in the disruption
of operation and impacting client relations (Mave Enterprises Inc. v. Travelers
Indemnity Company of Connecticut, Los Angeles Superior Court, Plaintiff’s
attorney: William M. Shernoff).
Contracts
Verdict: $1,164,130
A physician sued for breach
of contract filed a cross-complaint for breach of contract, negligence, breach
of covenant of good faith and fair dealing and misrepresentation, and prevailed
(MedITResources LLC v. Hirose, Orange County Superior Court, Cross-Complainant's
attorney: Steven J. Cologne).
Negligent Hiring &
Supervision
Settlement: $1,500,000
An ex-con hired to deliver
propane was involved in a police chase and shootout that caused multiple
injuries to two civilians and a police officer when he crashed his vehicle while
attempting to flee (Fitch v. AAA Propane Service Inc., Ventura County Superior
Court, Plaintiff’s attorneys: Rahul Ravipudi and Robert Glassman).
Intersection Collision
Settlement: $500,000
A man in his car was forced
into a concrete wall and violently thrown inside his vehicle, knocking him
unconscious, when a man made an unsafe left turn into an intersection
(Karapetian v. Mathie, Los Angeles County Superior Court, Plaintiff’s attorney:
Wayne McClean).
Premises Liability
Verdict: Defense
A man who was shot in his
upper torso by a minor in a house they were both visiting alleged that
defendants failed to exercise ordinary care in the management of their property
(Tapia v. Villalobos, Los Angeles County Superior Court, Defense attorney: Terence
P. Carney).
Wrongful Death
Verdict: $4,000,000
A driver slammed into a
utility pole after hydroplaning after she encountered a flooded area of the
road, resulting in her death (Schultz v. County of San Diego, San Diego County
Superior Court, Plaintiff’s attorney: Roger E. Booth).
Construction Accident
Verdict: $9,320,892
An unlicensed contractor
hired to perform work that required a contractor’s license fell from
negligently maintained scaffolding and suffered major head trauma and a
fractured spine (Cedillo v. Sobol, Los Angeles County Superior Court, Plaintiff’s
attorney: Robert T. Simon).
Surgery Results in
Blindness
Verdict: $1,450,000
An operation on a man for
severe nosebleeds resulted in permanent blindness in one eye (Rashidi v. Moser,
Los Angeles County Superior Court, Plaintiff’s attorney: Ilana Doust).
Environmental Violations
Settlement: $13,750,000
The State of California
brought suit against a pharmacy for violations of the Health and Safety Code
for stocking, storing, and selling hazardous materials at its facilities
(People of the State of California v. CVS Pharmacy Inc., Ventura County
Superior Court, Plaintiff’s attorney: Gregory D. Totten).
Retaliatory Termination
Verdict: $5,500,000
A woman perceived to be
associated in a suit against her employer alleging FEHA violations was harassed
and ultimately terminated in retaliation (Brim v. International Union of
Operating Engineers, Local No. 501, AFL-CIO, Los Angeles County Superior Court,
Plaintiff’s attorney: Lee R. Feldman).
Multiple Car Collision
Verdict: $9,348,022
Massive injuries, including
cognitive deficits and vertigo, ensued when a driver negligently rear-ended a
vehicle causing a six-vehicle-chain-reaction collision (Lutz v. Hussmann
Corporation, Fresno County Superior Court, Plaintiff’s attorney: Rene Turner
Sample and David R Lira).
Editor’s Note: California Bar Journal publishes this abbreviated summary of important trials in California provided by Trials Digest. To report your case results, go to west.thomson.com/trialsdigest/form.aspx or call 415-344-3952.