Disability accommodation Award: $6,500,000 A 52-year-old employee of the County of Sonoma was denied job accommodation
for his panic attacks, despite nearly 25 years of excellent performance reviews (Alberigi
v. County of Sonoma, Sonoma County Superior Court). Motorcycle fatality Award: $2,000,000 A 29-year-old motorcyclist sustained fatal injuries when he collided with
a vehicle that negotiated a left turn in front of him (Turner v. Wu,
Los Angeles County Superior Court). Husband poisoned Award: $106,000,000 The family of a 26-year-old man who was poisoned by his wife brought a wrongful
death action after her first-degree murder conviction (de Villers v. Rossum,
San Diego County Superior Court). Hypoxic brain injury Award: Defense A woman in premature labor alleged that the anesthesia she was given for an
urgent C-section was contraindicated and resulted in brain damage to her newborn (Johntee
v. Jefferson, Los Angeles County Superior Court). Elder fraud Award: $4,719,436 Over a period of several years, an attorney and his wife defrauded a 69-year-old
Beverly Hills retiree out of virtually all of her considerable assets (Lederman
v. Schwarcz, Los Angeles County Superior Court). Dangerous highway Award: Defense A 41-year-old motorcyclist’s death was blamed on a dangerous condition
of highway after he lost control of his bike and was thrown 85 feet on the
shoulder of the road (Abouelfittouh v. County of Fresno, Fresno County
Superior Court). Ophthalmologist negligence Award: $4,565,000 A 53-year-old man with a torn retina sustained permanent vision impairment
as a result of faulty diagnosis and treatment (Wade v. Babad, Santa
Cruz County Superior Court). Worker electrocution Award: $1,175,000 A construction worker suffered third-degree burns over 30 percent of his body
after coming into contact with a live power line (Portillo v. Duvar Inc.,
Los Angeles County Superior Court).
Editor's Note: California Bar Journal publishes this abbreviated summary of important trials in California provided by Trials Digest, a Thomson West business. To report your case results, go to west.thomson.com/trialsdigest/form.asp or call 415-344-6000.
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