CALIFORNIA CASES
Leg Amputation
Verdict: $34,555,220
A tractor-trailer operator
drove over the sidewalk striking plaintiff who was stopped on his bike causing
a below-the-knee leg amputation (Casillas v. Landstar Ranger Inc., Los
Angeles County Superior Court, plaintiff attorneys: Brian J. Panish/Thomas A.
Schultz).
RR Engineer Attacked
Verdict: $5,960,906
Amtrak train engineer
attacked twice; first by by gang members and three years later a red laser
light was shined on him at the exact spot of the first attack causing severe
PTSD due to fear of a gun with a laser sight (Keating v. Amtrak, Sacramento
County Superior Court, plaintiff attorneys: Kristoffer S. Mayfield/Larry
Lockshin).
Skier Injury Claim
Verdict: Defense
Plaintiff, a skier, claimed
that he was struck by a toboggan being pulled by a snowmobile operated by a ski
patroller (Forrester v. Sierra at Tahoe Inc., El Dorado County Superior
Court, defense attorney: Timothy M. Smith).
Meal Period Violations
Settlement: $1,000,000
Plaintiffs claimed defendant
failed to provide a 30-minute first meal period for shifts greater than five
hours, plus other labor code violations (Le v. Coast Composites Inc.,
Orange County Superior Court, plaintiff attorney: James R. Hawkins).
Pacemaker Failure Claim
Verdict: Defense
Patient claimed physician's
failure to replace pacemaker caused vehicle accident (Yeager v. HealthCare
Partners Medical Group, Los Angeles County Superior Court, defense
attorney: Yuk K. Law).
Spyware
Settlement: $28,400,000
Defendant agreed to $28.4M settlement with rent-to-own customers amid
allegations of failure to disclose fees, misleading sweepstakes, and the use of
spyware on rented computers (People of the State of California v. Aaron's
Inc., Los Angeles County Superior Court, plaintiff attorney: Kamala D.
Harris).
Motorcycle v. Motorcycle
Verdict: Defense
Two motorcycles collided
while three pairs of spouses were riding motorcycles as a group; six witnesses
including a retired chief of police testified that plaintiff's husband was the
one at fault (Beeler v. Hartje Mendocino County Superior Court, defense
attorney: Michael G. Miller).
Post-Concussive Syndrome
Settlement: $1,250,000
Plaintiff allegedly
suffered post concussive syndrome resulting from a concussion after defendant's
bus struck him following disembarkment (Delaney v. City & County of San
Francisco, San Francisco County Superior Court, plaintiff attorney: Walter
H. Walker).
CalTrans Shoulder Neglect
Settlement: $9,850,000
Disabled vehicle struck
while stalled on partially blocked shoulder; $9.75M of settlement from State of
California on claim of failure to keep shoulder unobstructed from oleanders (Dionisio
v. State of California, Yolo County Superior Court, plaintiff attorney: Roger
A. Dreyer).
Discrimination Claim
Decision: Defense
Employee alleged she was
fired because she was out too many days with illness and because she took
disability on multiple occasions (Martinez v. Taco Bell Corp., Orange County
Superior Court, defense attorney: Christopher P. Wesierski).
NATIONAL CASES
Botched Nephrectomy
Settlement: $30,000,000
Plaintiff reportedly
suffered a transected and ligated aorta and right kidney, resulting in
paraplegia and requiring permanent dialysis, during a nephrectomy procedure (Karr
v. Elmhurst Memorial Hospital, et al., Illinois – Cook County Circuit
Court, plaintiff attorneys: Joseph A. Power/Joseph W. Balesteri).
Tractor-Trailer v. Motorcycle
Verdict: $6,028,000
A motorcyclist and his
daughter were struck by defendants' tractor-trailer and thrown into a ditch for
45 minutes before help arrived; father suffered below-the-knee amputation;
daughter suffered femur and collar bone fractures (Gallegos v. Rig Runners,
Inc., et al., Texas – Harris County District Court, plaintiff attorney: Scott
C. Krist).