Propeller injuries

Verdict: $31,436,832

Two passengers in a wakeboarding boat were seriously injured when struck by the boat’s propeller after being washed overboard (Bell v. MasterCraft Boat Company Inc., Butte County Superior Court, Plaintiff’s attorney: Roger A. Dreyer).

Train collision

Verdict: $4,931,549

A railroad worker’s leg and ankle were seriously injured when he was forced to jump from a moving locomotive to avoid an imminent collision with another train on the same track (Martin v. BNSF Railway Co., Los Angeles County Superior Court, Plaintiff’s attorney: Anthony S. Petru).

Motorcycle accident coma

Settlement: $3,355,000

A 23-year-old motorcyclist injured in an accident was allegedly left in a coma requiring 24-hour nursing care as a result of negligent treatment of his injuries by his medical providers (Confidential v. Confidential, Riverside County Superior Court, Plaintiff’s attorney: Bruce G. Fagel).

Parking lot fall

Verdict: $3,236,455

A guest at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles was injured in a fall in a parking lot that lacked adequate lighting and signage (Herron v. Nederlander-Greek Inc., Los Angeles County Superior Court, Plaintiff’s attorney: Gregory James Owen).

Cable car derails

Settlement: $2,026,848

A passenger was seriously injured in San Francisco when a cable car lost control traveling downhill and derailed (Del Bosque v. City and County of San Francisco, San Francisco County Superior Court, Plaintiff’s attorney: Douglas S. Saeltzer).

Roof collapse

Settlement: $9,000,000

A 58-year-old attendee at a public vocational school was catastrophically injured when the roof collapsed during a class session (Confidential v. Confidential, Orange County Superior Court, Plaintiff’s attorney: Joel Krissman).

Caustic beverage

Verdict: $3,254,308

A patron at a Lake Tahoe casino who asked a bartender for a bottle of water was given a bottle marked “drinking water” that contained a caustic cleaning agent (Ellis v. Harrah’s Operating Co. Inc., San Francisco County Superior Court, Plaintiff’s attorney: Christopher B. Dolan).

Pedestrian struck

Settlement: $3,400,000

A 54-year-old pedestrian suffered head injuries when he was struck in a marked crosswalk by a left-turning vehicle (Lewis v. Shumate, Los Angeles County Superior Court, Plaintiff’s attorney: Robert S. Fink).

SUV rollover

Settlement: $1,500,000

Two passengers were killed and two injured when their SUV went out of control and rolled over as a result of another driver passing them and maneuvering his car directly in front of theirs (Lee v. Powell, Riverside County Superior Court, Plaintiff’s attorney: Shawn Steel).

Mental health care

Settlement: $1,800,000

A resident of a mental health recovery center allegedly suffered a diabetic coma, resulting in a persistent vegetative state, as a result of negligent care (Young v. Crestwood, Solano County Superior Court, Plaintiff’s attorney: Rebecca Freeman).

Finger amputation

Settlement: $664,000

A worker attempting to clean a box-gluing machine lacking point-of-operation guards had her hand entrapped between rollers for 15 minutes (Confidential v. Confidential, Tulare County Superior Court, Plaintiff’s attorney: Andrew C. Bryman).

Trip and fall

Verdict: $1,054,459

A woman was diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome as a result of injuries sustained when she fell down a 15-step flight of stairs that was negligently maintained (Chavez-Bello v. Solinas, Santa Cruz County Superior Court, Plaintiff’s attorney: Timothy J. Schmal).

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.