Dentist pulls out all of woman's teeth
Award: $1,179,000

A woman claimed that her dentist failed to provide her with accurate information regarding the condition of her teeth and all available options. Plaintiff's counsel reports that this may be the largest dental malpractice verdict against a general dentist in California history (Jeffery v. Gordon, Los Angeles County Superior Court).

Food worker claims disability discrimination
Award: Defense

A food production supervisor in his 50s claimed that an airline caterer did not hire him because of his age, because he was disabled due to diabetes-related vision problems, because the caterer perceived him as disabled and because he had filed a discrimination charge (Gonzalez v. Dobbs International Services Inc., Northern District Federal Court).

Retiree falls in food store
Award: $200,000

A 74-year-old retiree shopping at a Vons grocery store caught his foot on a metal rack that protruded into the aisle and fell down, breaking his femur. He claimed that Vons negligently maintained the premises and that the rack was a dangerous condition (Miulli v. Vons Grocery Co., Los Angeles County Superior Court).

Burned passengers claim design defect in GM auto
Award: $926,811

Three passengers in a 1979 Chevrolet Monte Carlo claimed that the fuel system in the car was defectively designed and resulted in their being burned when the vehicle burst into flames following a rear-end collision (Navarro v. General Motors Inc., Los Angeles County Superior Court).

Patient says tests misread
Award: $251,580

A patient monitoring his T-cell count alleged that defendant physician misread his blood test result and prescribed a drug which caused a severe allergic reaction (Sherman v. Rutman, Los Angeles County Superior Court).

Victim claims store owners ignored assault
Award: $1,100,108

A woman who was accosted and raped and then taken to Laurel Liquors claimed that the owners of the store had a duty to call the police because they knew or should have known that she was being threatened by an assailant (Stewart v. Soubra, Alameda County Superior Court).

Officer shot while playing role of terrorist in training
Award: $3,250,000

A reserve police officer was accidentally shot with a supposedly unloaded weapon during a training exercise for the North County Regional SWAT team. The City of Mountain View has appealed (Brassinga v. City of Mountain View, Santa Clara County Superior Court).

Woman claims hostile work environment
Award: $1,000,000

A building manager claimed that the female employees at a real estate company were subjected to sexual harassment and innuendo. She also alleged that after her complaints, a hostile work environment resulted and she was subjected to conduct that was designed to force her termination (Potter v. CB Commercial Real Estate Group Inc., Los Angeles County Superior Court).

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