Lineman electrocuted Award: $29,000,000 A 36-year-old cable lineman suffered catastrophic injuries when he came into
contact with a 7,200-volt power line (Tuiaki v. Adelphia, San Francisco Co.
Sup. Ct., Plaintiff attorney: Timothy G. Tietjen). Unsolicited faxes Award: $253,813,500 A class action lawsuit was brought for unlawful advertising in violation of
the Tele-phone Consumers Protection Act of 1991, which prohibits unsolicited
facsimile advertising (Amkraut v. Pacific Coast Office Products, Los Angeles
Co. Sup. Ct., Plaintiff attorney: Jamie R. Schloss). Pregnancy discrimination Award: Defense A 7-months-pregnant job applicant alleged that she was asked inappropriate
questions about her family planning goals during her interview, and, ultimately,
not offered the job, despite being told that she was the number one candidate
(Brady v. California State University Channel Islands, Ventura Co. Sup. Ct.,
Defense attorney: Eddie L. Washington). Passenger injury Award: $4,057,354 A 42-year-old aspiring architect was injured by a deploying airbag when a
car driven by her employer went into an unmarked three-foot ditch in a wood
supplier's parking lot (Confidential v. Confidential, Alameda Co. Sup. Ct.,
Plaintiff attorney: James G. Butler Jr.). Investment advice Award: $17,375,000 An elderly and ailing husband and wife alleged they were victims of a "Ponzi" scheme
perpetrated by investment advisors (Hammermueller v. North American Co. for
Life and Health Ins., River-side Co. Sup. Ct., Plaintiff attorney: Paul R.
Fine). Child struck by car Award: $23,295,000 A 6-year-old child was seriously injured when struck by a car as she crossed
the street after making a purchase from an ice cream truck (Moua v. Vardanyan,
Fresno Co. Sup. Ct., Plaintiff attorney: Otto L. Haselhoff). Nursing home death Award: Defense A 74-year-old resident of a skilled nursing facility died after falling from
her bed (Simon v. Sierra Madre Skilled Nursing Facility, Los Angeles Co. Sup.
Ct., Defense attorney: Alexander F. Giovanniello). Disability discrimination Award: $428,450 The SFPD refused to re-hire a police officer who had been cleared to return
to work following a disability leave, in violation of FEHA (Tarver v. City
of San Francisco, San Francisco Co. Sup. Ct., Plaintiff attorney: Lawrence
D. Murray).
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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