Fatal collision
Settlement: $3,550,000
A father and daughter were killed when a Coast Guard employee crossed the center line and crashed into their vehicle (Eap v. United States of America, Northern District Federal Court, Plaintiff attorneys: Jonathan E. Gertier and Andrew J. Davis).
Pedicure burns
Settlement: $2,000,000
A 66-year-old diabetic woman suffered third-degree burns to her feet and legs and required skin grafts, sustained kidney damage, and suffered two heart attacks after her feet were placed in water that was too hot during preparation for a pedicure (Galeas v. Nail Star & Spa, Orange County Superior Court, Plaintiff attorney: Darren O. Aitken).
Rear-end fatality
Settlement: $1,000,000
Family of farm worker killed in a rear-end accident settled for policy limits of $1 million (Cisneros v. Schonauer, Glenn County Superior Court, Plaintiff attorney: Dugan Barr).
Patient dropped
Verdict: $1,049,000
An 82-year-old woman who underwent double hip replacement surgery had to have the surgery redone after she was dropped by a nurse who was assisting her to the bathroom (Miller v. Glendale Adventist Medical Center, Los Angeles County Superior Court, Plaintiff attorney: Robert A. Kahn).
Ankle sprain
Settlement: $600,000
A bartender sprained her ankle, which progressed to complex regional pain syndrome, when she stepped on an electrical box and rolled her ankle (Fowler v. Illumination Dynamics Inc., Los Angeles County Superior Court, Plaintiff attorney: James P. Carr).
Worker crushed
Verdict: $785,197
A gravity feed diesel fuel tank collapsed on a worker, who sustained a broken neck, broken clavicle, broken ribs, and mild traumatic brain injury (Cline v. Kandarian Farms, Fresno County Superior Court, Plaintiff attorney: Timothy W. Mazzela).
Infection
Verdict: $456,745
An 18-year-old student injured in a vehicle accident suffered a severe infection as a result of incorrect placement of his feeding tube (Garcia v. Regents of the University of California, Sacramento County Superior Court, Plaintiff attorney: Steven H. Schultz).
Drunk driver
Settlement: $696,014
An intoxicated driver ran a stop sign and crashed into a 24-year-old driver’s vehicle before fleeing the scene (Gandy v. Schoonover, San Diego County Superior Court, Plaintiff attorney: James D. Hoey III).
Arm mangled
Settlement: $550,000
A 50-year-old mechanic examining a bus engine sustained a severe arm injury, including a thumb amputation, when an employee attempted to start the bus without warning the mechanic (Rubalcava v. Mac’s Radiator Service Inc., Los Angeles County Superior Court, Plaintiff attorney: Darren O. Aitken).
Negligent surgery
Settlement: $230,000
A patient sued her orthopedic surgeon for performing tendonitis surgery on the wrong hand (Confidential v. Confidential, Orange County Superior Court, Plaintiff attorney: Daniel M. Hodes).
Cerebral palsy
Settlement: $7,500,000
Hypoxic injury during delivery allegedly resulted in infant’s cerebral palsy (Confidential v. Confidential, Alameda County Superior Court, Plaintiff attorney: Bruce G. Fagel).
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.