California Bar Journal
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE STATE BAR OF CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 1998
spacer.gif (810 bytes)

TRIALS DIGEST

spacer.gif (810 bytes)
Manager fired for reporting illegal conduct
Award: $21,900,000

A high-level manager at a Fortune 100 company was terminated after reporting potentially illegal conduct (Darghous v. Johnson Controls Inc., Los Angeles County Superior Court).

Patient's bladder wrongfully removed
Award: $581,000

A woman claimed that an oncologist wrongfully prescribed the removal of her bladder during treatment of cervical cancer (Plunkett v. Spaulding, Sacramento County Superior Court).

Trip and fall at Pasadena convention center
Award: $544,111

A 62-year-old woman fell down the stairs at the Pasadena Convention Center and sustained a mild traumatic brain injury (Lowder v. City of Pasadena, Los Angeles County Superior Court).

Dangerous condition at Ventura intersection
Award: $1,106,110

The absence of a left-turn phase at an intersection created a dangerous condition which caused an accident (Smith v. People of the State of California, Ventura County Superior Court).

Conduct causes cancellation of deal
Award: $2,185,000

Defendants' conduct caused cancellation of a proposed deal, and the cloud on title of plaintiffs' assets precluded other financing (Orthopedic Solutions Inc. v. California Orthopedic Sports Medicine Assoc. Inc., Los Angeles County Superior Court).

Negligent arthroscopy leads to amputation
Award: $723,000

An orthopedic surgeon's negligence during a diagnostic arthroscopy resulted in amputation of the patient's intact functioning PCL (Wilson v. Kanel, Santa Clara County Superior Court).

Arco Arena barricade falls on patron
Award: $669,000

A metal barricade fell on a patron, causing his preexisting spondylolisthesis condition to become symptomatic (Devriend v. Arco Arena, Sacramento County Superior Court).

Developers claim insurer commits bad faith
Award: $27,000,000

The general partners of a developer claimed that Reliance Insurance Company's handling of an underlying claim constituted bad faith (Pershing Park Villas Homeowners Association v. United Pacific Insurance Company, Southern District Federal 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.