Helicopter fatality
Verdict: $10,000,000
A passenger was killed when a helicopter's pilot negligently
flew the craft into power lines shortly after take-off (Goble v. Pike, San Bernardino
County Superior Court, Plaintiff's attorney: Michael S. Danko).
Drunk driving
Verdict: $49,644,252
A CHP officer standing on the shoulder writing a ticket was
severely injured and the driver of the stopped vehicle was killed when a drunk
driver plowed into them (Pedeferri v. White, Ventura County Superior Court,
Plaintiff's attorneys: Erik B. Feingold and C. Michael Alder).
Concrete mixer
Settlement: $3,500,000
A 46-year-old worker's legs were amputated after a concrete
mixer he was inside cleaning accidentally energized (Naranjo v. Columbia
Machine Inc., Los Angeles County Superior Court, Plaintiff's attorney: Adam
Shea).
Air bag
Verdict: Defense
A driver alleged the failure of his air bag to deploy in an
accident was the cause of his brain damage (Hastings v. Toyota Motor Sales
U.S.A. Inc., Orange County Superior Court, Defense attorney Matthew R. Rogers).
Ethnic discrimination
Verdict: $167,730,488
An Armenian-American physician assistant alleged she was
subject to harassment, termination, and retaliation primarily because of her
ethnic origins (Chopourian v. Catholic Healthcare West, Eastern District
Federal Court, Plaintiff's attorney: Jean K. Hyams).
Medical malpractice
Verdict: $7,624,318
An undiagnosed and untreated abnormal mass on the spine of a
13-year-old girl eventually resulted in paraplegia (Hairston v. Regents of
University of California, Sacramento County Superior Court, Plaintiff's
attorney: C. Brooks Cutter).
Lending practices
Verdict: $3,352,072
A jury found Wells Fargo Bank discriminated against home
loan applicants from predominantly African-American and Hispanic neighborhoods
(Jones v. Wells Fargo Bank N.A., Los Angeles County Superior Court, Plaintiff's
attorney: A. Barry Cappello).
Retaliatory termination
Verdict: $5,417,993
An employee who reported the sexual harassment of a
co-worker alleged he was terminated in retaliation for his complaints (Tran v.
United States Mineral Products Company, Central District Federal Court,
Plaintiff's attorney: Douglas W. Perlman).
Hit and run
Verdict: $2,655,240
A 73-year-old man sitting in his front yard sustained severe
injuries, including a leg amputation, when a driver lost control of his
vehicle, crashed through the man's fence, and then fled the scene (Coronado v.
Barajas, Riverside County Superior Court, Plaintiff's attorney: Shelly L.
Zeise).
Bar fight
Verdict: Defense
A bar patron who sustained head injuries in a fight alleged
that his injuries were negligently treated, as a result of which his condition
significantly deteriorated (Hotz v. Liker, Los Angeles County Superior Court,
Defense attorney: David J. O'Keefe).
Bus v. pedestrian
Settlement: $2,250,000
A 72-year-old pedestrian sustained numerous injuries when he
was struck and knocked to the ground by the side-view mirror of a passing bus
(Schneider v. Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Agency, Los Angeles
County Superior Court, Plaintiff's attorney: Gregory R. Vanni).
Slip and fall
Verdict: $1,077,063
A 67-year-old grocery store patron sustained a hip fracture
requiring a hip replacement when she slipped and fell on a liquid on the floor
of the market (Jong v. Tawa Supermarket Inc., Alameda County Superior Court,
Plaintiff's attorney: Joseph E. Tomasik).
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.