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Trials Digest
Trials Digest Chart

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).