CALIFORNIA CASES
Mesothelioma
Verdict: $70,861,113
Submariner exposed to
asbestos products developed mesothelioma, received $71 million verdict, including $40 million
for non-economic damages and $30 million to his wife for loss of consortium (Whalen
v. John Crane Inc., Alameda County Superior Court, plaintiff attorneys: Jennifer
L. Alesio/Heather-Ann Young).
Aviation
Verdict: $6,700,000
Crop-duster pilot killed
after striking an unmarked and unlit Meteorological Evaluation Tower (Allen
v. NRG Systems Inc., Contra Costa County Superior Court, Plaintiff
Attorney: Roger A. Dreyer).
CHP Officer Injured
Settlement: $2,250,000
While a commercial tractor
was towing a trailer with a school house module, the left rear tire and rim
detached from the trailer; it came into the lane of an on-duty CHP officer's
vehicle and bounced underneath his vehicle, causing it to catapult into the air
for approximately one second before coming down forcefully (Royal v. Pacific
Mobile Structures Inc., Fresno County Superior Court, plaintiff attorney: Richard
C. Watters).
Meal Break Violations
Settlement: $26,000,000
Plaintiff class, which consisted of approximately 1,200 sanitation truck
drivers, claimed they were denied off-duty meal breaks required by the California
Labor Code by their employer, defendant city of Los Angeles (Gravina v. City
of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Superior Court, plaintiff attorney: Matthew L. Taylor).
Paraplegia
Verdict: $12,569,854
Plaintiff was a rear center
seat passenger and wearing a two-point (lap only) restraint in a 1996 Toyota
4Runner that was involved in a solo vehicle accident rendering her paraplegic;
the jury found that defendant Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc. and related Toyota entities
were 90 percent at fault for products liability (Hill v. Toyota Motor Sales USA
Inc., Monterey County Superior Court, plaintiff attorneys: Robert E.
Rosenthal/Andrew B. Kreeft).
Electroconvulsive Therapy
Verdict: Defense
Plaintiffs claimed
plaintiff patient suffered severe memory loss as a result of electroconvulsive
therapy and/or the overuse of psychotropic medications and sought $2.2 million in
damages (Topete v. Sutter Health, Sacramento County Superior Court, defense attorney: Barry Vogel).
Expedited Trial
Verdict: $26,187
Trial was stipulated by
both sides to be an expedited jury trial with a min/max cap of $8,000/$22,500;
rights to post-trial motions and appeal were waived (Lewis v. Scott, San
Diego County Superior Court, plaintiff attorney: John J. McAvoy).
Charity Embezzlement
Settlement: $869,074
Plaintiff, a religious
non profit corporation, alleged that defendants, including a director of development, embezzled money contributed by people and entities from around the
world who intended their donations to benefit plaintiff's mission (Lay
Mission-Helpers Association v. Sebesta, Los Angeles County Superior Court, plaintiff attorney: Steven M. Garber).
Constructive Discharge Claim
Verdict: Defense
Plaintiff claimed he was
constructively discharged when he was demoted and reassigned from a management
position back to a union job located two hours from him home (Cabaniss v.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, San Francisco County Superior Court, defense attorney: Gary T. Lafayette).
Wrongful Eviction
Settlement: $382,500
While plaintiff had
temporarily vacated his rent-controlled apartment to allow defendant landlord
to make mold and water intrusion repairs, defendant initiated an eviction
action and obtained a default judgment against plaintiff, who was unaware of
the action (Moriarty v. 2363 Van Ness Avenue LLC, San Francisco County
Superior Court, plaintiff attorney: Eric L. Lifschitz).
NATIONAL CASES
Patent Infringement
Verdict: $466,774,783
Two competing manufacturers
of pulse oximeter products each alleged that the other infringed patents,
with plaintiff prevailing in a jury trial solely on the patent claims and
counterclaims; other claims and requests for relief still pending before the
court (Masimo Corp. vs. Philips Electronics North America Corp., Delaware
– U.S.D.C., D.Del., plaintiff attorney: Joseph R. Re).
Head-on Collision
Verdict: $2,967,386
Jury found 100 percent fault against defendant Payne for driving across the median of
an interstate highway and colliding into plaintiffs' vehicle; the passenger
plaintiff died 12 days post-accident and the driver plaintiff suffered
substantial injuries (Estate of Jackson, Summerville v. Payne, et al., Tennessee
– Rutherford County Circuit Court, plaintiff attorney: Daniel L. Clayton).