Child injured in fall
Award: $6,344,425
Three-year-old child alleged broken neck, seizure disorder and brain
damage as a result of fall from jungle gym at HeadStart Program (Doe v. Roe HeadStart
Program, Los Angeles County Superior Court).
Neck pain misdiagnosed
Award: $27,573,922
A woman claimed that misdiagnosis of her neck pain by emergency room
personnel resulted in paralysis (Mejia v. Community Hospital of San Bernardino, San
Bernardino County Superior Court).
Same-sex harassment
Award: $70,000
A male employee claimed sexual harassment by an openly gay supervisor
in a company that allegedly had inadequate sexual harassment training (Clark v. Axium
Entertainment, Los Angeles County Superior Court).
ADD discrimination claimed
Award: Defense
Man claimed that dismissal from his job was a result of employer’s
failure to make reasonable accommodations for his attention deficit disorder disability.
(Davis v. Regents of the University of California, Los Angeles County Superior Court).
Architectural plans copied
Award: $7,700,000
An oil company alleged that architect and truck stop owner copied its
architectural plans for a truck stop, resulting in millions of dollars in damages (Flying
J Inc. v. Central California Kenworth Inc., Eastern District Federal Court).
Insurance rate raise invalid
Award: $33,250,000
Class of insureds alleged that rates were raised without valid
actuarial support (Barnicle v. American General Life Ins. Co., San Diego County Superior
Court).
Hazmat training inadequate
Award: $775,000
A UPS employee claimed asthmatic and chronic pulmonary symptoms as a
result of exposure to toxic chemicals leaking from a box he was moving (Laeng v. Johnston
Supply Inc., San Bernardino County Superior Court).
Unborn child injured
Award: $3,500,000
A pregnant psychiatric technician alleged she was kicked in the
stomach by an improperly restrained inmate, resulting in severe multiple and permanent
injuries to her unborn child (Fikes v. County of Alameda, Alameda County Superior Court).
Explosion injures man
Award: $970,000
A man claimed severe burn injuries when his barbecue exploded due to
an overfilled propane tank (Webber v. Texaco Refining and Marketing, Inc., Orange County
Superior Court).
EDITOR’S NOTE: California Bar Journal
publishes this abbreviated summary of important trials in California provided by Trials
Digest Publishing Inc. For a free complete trial report on any case listed, call
510/420-1800. |
