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Circumcision botched
Award: $1,429,000
Defendant admitted that it negligently performed
the procedure on infant plaintiff, but denied that it negligently
failed to diagnose hypopituitarism, that it failed to obtain the
parents' consent or that the scars and buried penis would be
permanent. (Gordon v. Regents of the University of California,
Sacramento County Superior Court).
False imprisonment claimed
Award: Defense
A sales associate, who was accused by his
employer of giving improper discounts to customers, and was
subsequently arrested, sued for false imprisonment and malicious
prosecution. (Lorenzana v. J.C. Penney, Ventura County Superior
Court).
Foreign object in patient
Award: $200,750
A patient who underwent bladder surgery claimed
that her surgeon left a piece of a broken surgical instrument inside
of her, causing extreme pain and discomfort in addition to fear that
she had a cancerous lump. (Lopez v. Patel, Los Angeles County Superior
Court).
Worker develops RSD
Award: $1,350,000
A maintenance worker was injured when he tripped
and fell over a piece of pipe left on the floor of a storage shed,
causing a broken elbow and then widespread reflexive sympathetic
dystrophy. (Gardner v. Therma Corporation, Sacramento County Superior
Court).
Tenant burned in explosion
Award: $490,000
A tenant suffered first- and second-degree burns
over 21 percent of her upper extremities plus post-traumatic stress
disorder after her malfunctioning electric cooktop burner exploded. (Stepanian
v. Lincoln Manor Apartments, Los Angeles County Superior Court).
Fired for fighting
Award: $681,900
An employee, who was fired after defending
himself from a co-worker's physical attack, sued for assault and
battery and wrongful termination. (Escalante v. Wilson's Art Studio,
Orange County Superior Court).
Construction delayed
Award: $6,198,157
Plaintiff construction company claimed that
delays in completion of a water treatment plant project were caused by
defective and incomplete plans, specifications and drawings furnished
by defendant and by the poor construction management of defendant's
construction manager. (Zurn Constructors Inc. v. Castaic Lake Water
Agency, Los Angeles County Superior Court).
Pedestrian killed
Award: Defense
A 76-year-old man was struck and killed by a
truck in a crosswalk with a dispute as to whether the pedestrian
started crossing with a green light. (Lim v. Harris Ranch, San
Francisco 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. |
