Labor Code violations Award: $22,000,000
Current and former employees of Smart & Final brought a class action suit
for failure to pay overtime and provide meal or rest breaks (Olivas v. Smart
& Final Stores Corp., Orange County Superior Court).
Reverse discrimination Award: $540,000
A men’s basketball coach at a California State University claimed that
he was terminated from his position because an African-American candidate had
been earmarked for his job (Terpstra v. The Board of Trustees of California
State University, Stanislaus County Superior Court).
Elder abuse Award: Defense
The family of an Alzheimer’s patient alleged that his death at a nursing
facility was due to abuse and neglect (McRaven v. Waterman Convalescent
Hospital, San Bernardino County Superior Court).
Chain-reaction accident Award: $4,479,733
Three members of a family were injured when their vehicle was struck by an
18-wheel big rig during a chain-reaction freeway accident (Modica v. Riddle,
Alameda County Superior Court).
Sexual orientation Award: $300,000
Two high school students alleged that they were repeatedly subjected to harassment,
discrimination and intimidation by students, staff and faculty on the basis
of their actual or perceived sexual orientation (Donovan v. Poway Unified
School District, San Diego County Superior Court).
Industrial accident Award: $8,000,000
A 40-year-old worker repairing a street sign in a bucket truck was injured
when a tractor-trailer struck the bucket and knocked him 15 feet to the pavement
(Nguyen v. El Modena Gardens, Orange County Superior Court).
Dog bite Award: $211,325
A woman was attacked by a dog in the home of a man who invited her in after
their first date (Burd v. Fierravanti, Santa Clara County Superior
Court).
Disability discrimination Award: Defense
A manager at a Red Robin restaurant alleged that his employer refused to accommodate
his requests for changes in working conditions due to chronic pancreatitis (Cipolletti
v. Top Robin Ventures Inc., Los Angeles County Superior Court).
Racial discrimination Award: $1,640,945
A 23-year veteran police officer alleged a long pattern of harassment and discrimination
by the Riverside Police Department based on his race (Sutton v. City of
Riverside Police Department, Riverside 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.
|