Bicycle v. bus Award: $4,500,000
A bus driver who was not wearing his required corrective lenses squeezed a bicyclist into a parked car and ran over her after she fell from her bike (Reilly v. Asia America, San Francisco County Superior Court).
Breach of contract Award: $1,514,535
The owner of a staffing business who entered into a merger agreement with another company was terminated without notice in breach of an employment agreement (Fowler v. CSI Personnel Services Inc., Los Angeles County Superior Court).
Cumulative injury Award: $2,454,425
A brakeman/conductor suffered cumulative injuries to his lower back as a result of 25 years of unsafe working conditions (Gonzalez v. Southern Pacific Transportation Co., Sacramento County Superior Court).
Construction accident Award: Defense
A woman who was paralyzed when an 800-lb Bobcat attachment fell on her alleged multiple design defects (Reaves v. South Coast Bobcat Inc., Los Angeles County Superior Court).
Dangerous highway Award: $10,107,413
A married couple in their 30s were both rendered quadriplegics after their car plunged down an embankment on a steep, winding road lacking a guardrail (Beck v. County of Santa Clara, Santa Clara County Superior Court).
Elder neglect Award: $300,000
An 80-year-old resident of an elder care facility who suffered from dementia wandered away, fell and broke a hip, and subsequently died (Perry v. Tuazon, Los Angeles County Superior Court).
Runaway vehicle Award: $4,125,000
A 53-year-old optometrist was killed at the bottom of a steep grade when his vehicle was struck by an overloaded dump truck with defective brakes (Larkin v. Peterson Brothers, Orange County Superior Court).
Medical malpractice Award: Defense
A 29-year-old patient alleged that her orthopedic surgeon negligently lacerated a tendon during knee surgery, leaving her with permanent disabilities (Rogers v. Helgager, San Diego County Superior Court).
Patent infringement Award: $8,960,000
Microsoft was held liable for infringement of a patent for a software program linking its Excel program to an Access database (Amado v. Microsoft Corp., Central 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.
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