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Trials Digest
Trials Digest Chart

 

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).