Helicopter crash
Award: $55,600,000
Four marines on a night training flight were killed when their helicopter crashed after colliding with utility lines owned and operated by San Diego Gas & Electric Company (Harris v. San Diego Gas & Electric Co., San Diego County Superior Court, Plaintiff attorney: Todd E. Macaluso).

Trade secrets
Award: $36,303,643
Manufacturer of a catheter-based medical robotics system claimed that its trade secrets were misappropriated by a former partner (Hansen Medical Inc. v. Luna Innovations Inc., Santa Clara County Superior Court, Plaintiff attorney: Arturo J. Gonzalez).

AIG bonus
Award: Defense
Senior executive of AIG subsidiary resigned, alleging that he did not receive a $14 million bonus promised in an oral agreement (Fair v. SunAmerica Affordable Housing Partners Inc., Los Angeles County Superior Court, Defense attorney: Michael A. Sherman).

Juvenile violence
Award: $7,000,000
Sixteen-year-old ward of the Los Angeles County Probation Department was rendered a quadriplegic after a severe beating by gang members in retaliation for refusal to carry drugs between units (Amande v. County of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Superior Court, Plaintiff attorney: Michael Louis Kelly).

Rollover accident
Award: $5,080,297
Out-of-control vehicle struck the left rear portion of a 20-year-old driver’s pickup, causing a rollover and permanent brain injury (White v. Denham, San Diego County Superior Court, Plaintiff attorney: Nicholas C. Rowley).

Homes damaged
Award: $6,125,000
Landslide resulting from sewer system leaks in Southern California destroyed or damaged approximately 20 homes (Tingzon v. City of

Helicopter crash
Award: $55,600,000
Four marines on a night training flight were killed when their helicopter crashed after colliding with utility lines owned and operated by San Diego Gas & Electric Company (Harris v. San Diego Gas & Electric Co., San Diego County Superior Court, Plaintiff attorney: Todd E. Macaluso).

Trade secrets
Award: $36,303,643
Manufacturer of a catheter-based medical robotics system claimed that its trade secrets were misappropriated by a former partner (Hansen Medical Inc. v. Luna Innovations Inc., Santa Clara County Superior Court, Plaintiff attorney: Arturo J. Gonzalez).

AIG bonus
Award: Defense
Senior executive of AIG subsidiary resigned, alleging that he did not receive a $14 million bonus promised in an oral agreement (Fair v. SunAmerica Affordable Housing Partners Inc., Los Angeles Oceanside, San Diego County Superior Court, Plaintiff attorney: John Schroeder).

False advertising
Award: $1,498,042
First manufacturer of pomegranate juice product in the U.S. sued a competitor for false advertising and unfair competition (Pom Wonderful LLC v. Purely Juice Inc., Central District Federal Court, Plaintiff attorney: Andrew S. Clare).

Semi v. minivan
Award: $12,100,000
Three deaths and three serious injuries resulted when a minivan in which two families were riding was struck by a runaway semi-truck tractor pulling two 27-foot trailers loaded with 78,000 pounds of rock. The semi’s brakes failed. This lawsuit involved one of the families. In a consolidated action, the other family received an award in excess of $25 million (Woods v. WMB Transportation Inc., San Bernardino County Superior Court, Plaintiff attorney: V. Andre Sherman).

ECounty Superior Court, Defense attorney: Michael A. Sherman).

Juvenile violence
Award: $7,000,000
Sixteen-year-old ward of the Los Angeles County Probation Department was rendered a quadriplegic after a severe beating by gang members in retaliation for refusal to carry drugs between units (Amande v. County of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Superior Court, Plaintiff attorney: Michael Louis Kelly).

Rollover accident
Award: $5,080,297
Out-of-control vehicle struck the left rear portion of a 20-year-old driver’s pickup, causing a rollover and permanent brain injury (White v. Denham, San Diego County Superior Court, Plaintiff attorney: Nicholas C. Rowley).

Homes damaged
Award: $6,125,000
Landslide resulting from sewer system leaks in Southern California destroyed or damaged approximately 20 homes (Tingzon v. City of ditor'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.

False advertising
Award: $1,498,042
First manufacturer of pomegranate juice product in the U.S. sued a competitor for false advertising and unfair competition (Pom Wonderful LLC v. Purely Juice Inc., Central District Federal Court, Plaintiff attorney: Andrew S. Clare).

Semi v. minivan
Award: $12,100,000
Three deaths and three serious injuries resulted when a minivan in which two families were riding was struck by a runaway semi-truck tractor pulling two 27-foot trailers loaded with 78,000 pounds of rock. The semi’s brakes failed. This lawsuit involved one of the families. In a consolidated action, the other family received an award in excess of $25 million (Woods v. WMB Transportation Inc., San Bernardino County Superior Court, Plaintiff attorney: V. Andre Sherman).

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.