Products Liability

Research scientist develops mesothelioma after years of working with lab equipment containing asbestos. $16.7M. Los Angeles County.

Supplier of lab equipment said to be liable for scientist's mesothelioma.

Case Name: Kudenov v. Thomas Scientific, Inc.
Date of Verdict or Judgment: Thursday, September 19, 2024
Type of Case: Asbestos, Products Liability

Yamaha Waverunner explodes on launch ramp, killing owner. $21.3M. San Bernardino County.

Maritime Law. Five-year-old Yamaha Waverunner explodes from built-up gasoline vapors. Battle of experts ensues at trial.

Case Name: Rosario Del Carmen Pineda, et al. v. Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., et al.
Date of Verdict or Judgment: Thursday, July 18, 2024
Type of Case: Boating Accident, Products Liability, Wrongful Death

Wrongful death due to mesothelioma. $8.87M. Los Angeles County.

Plaintiff was exposed to asbestos while working for the City of Newport Beach, where he was in close proximity to workers cutting asbestos cement pipe in the 1980s.

Case Name: John Dennis Metzger v. J-M Manufacturing Company, Inc. and George Dakovich & Son, Inc.
Date of Verdict or Judgment: Monday, June 26, 2023
Type of Case: Asbestos, Products Liability, Strict Liability, Wrongful Death

Design defect of pipe-grooving power tool claimed. $3.97M. San Francisco County.

Apprentice is injured on job site, says defective tool was to blame.

Case Name: Velasquez v. Ridge Tool Company
Date of Verdict or Judgment: Tuesday, May 02, 2023
Type of Case: Products Liability

Wrongful death of truck driver when fuel tanks explode. $12M. Los Angeles County.

Truck driver survives initial crash but is burned to death when fuel tanks explode.

Case Name: Courtney v. Daimler Trucks North America LLC
Date of Verdict or Judgment: Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Type of Case: Products Liability, Wrongful Death

Varsity football kicker's knee severely injured in trampoline park. $905K. Orange County.

Teenager falls on trampoline and his knee lands on a bolt. Negligence, products liability, premises liability.

Case Name: Justin Matlin v. Big Air Trampoline Park; Fun Spot Manufacturing, LLC
Date of Verdict or Judgment: Thursday, June 06, 2019
Type of Case: Emotional Distress, Negligence, Premises Liability, Products Liability

Monsanto's Roundup blamed for cancer. $2 billion. Alameda County.

Couple uses Roundup weed killer on their properties. This trial culminated in the third consecutive jury verdict against Monsanto in the Roundup cancer litigation.

Case Name: Alva Pilliod and Alberta Pilliod v. Monsanto Company
Date of Verdict or Judgment: Monday, May 13, 2019
Type of Case: Products Liability

Pressure cooker explodes, burns plaintiff. $4.95M. Los Angeles County.

Non-economic damages for burn victim are contested.

Case Name: Precious King v. Maxi-Matic USA Inc.
Date of Verdict or Judgment: Monday, October 22, 2018
Type of Case: Products Liability

2001 Nissan Xterra suddenly, unintentionally accelerates. $36M. Yolo County.

Laborer crashes his car on employer's lot; claims car accelerated when he was braking. Flaw in design of accelerator and brake pedals is blamed.

Case Name: Aguirre v. Nissan North America, Inc.
Date of Verdict or Judgment: Tuesday, September 11, 2018
Type of Case: Products Liability

Chemical in Monsanto weed killers said to cause terminal illness. $289M. San Francisco County.

Battle of expert witnesses over whether Monsanto's products cause cancer and what the company knew but did not warn of.

Case Name: Dewayne Johnson v. Monsanto Company
Date of Verdict or Judgment: Friday, August 10, 2018
Type of Case: Products Liability

Defective TV catches fire; plaintiff's daughter dies in fire. $3M. Los Angeles County.

Strict-products-liability claim against corporate apartment company for the television they supplied in unit when it catches fire and occupant dies.

Case Name: Shirley Oliver v. Worldwide Corporate Housing L.P.
Date of Verdict or Judgment: Tuesday, April 17, 2018
Type of Case: Products Liability

Worker dies operating rock-crushing machine. $30 million. Los Angeles County.

Employee dies after being pulled into rock crushing machine when guards are removed.

Case Name: Anaya v. General Equipment & Supplies. Inc, et al.
Date of Verdict or Judgment: Monday, March 19, 2018
Type of Case: Products Liability, Wrongful Death

Decedent's mesothelioma caused by father's employment. $12.9M. Alameda County.

Father brings asbestos fibers home from workplace on his clothing. Son dies as an adult.

Case Name: Lanette Louise Lopez, et. al., v. The Hillshire Brands Company
Date of Verdict or Judgment: Wednesday, August 16, 2017
Type of Case: Premises Liability, Products Liability

Defective wheelchair causes injury to disabled man. $9.8 million. San Diego County.

Wheelchair user claims he is injured by bolts on wheelchair after modifications are made on it.

Case Name: Toby Morin v. Sunrise Medical (US) LLC and National Seating & Mobility, Inc.
Date of Verdict or Judgment: Wednesday, June 28, 2017
Type of Case: Products Liability

Fatal highway accident blamed on faulty manufacture of motor home. Defense verdict. Sonoma County.

Family members killed when their car skids on fluid in roadway; fluid leak blamed on motor home found disabled nearby. Plaintiffs claim defective design and manufacture of motor home.

Case Name: Menera v. Country Coach Corporation & Mega RV Corp., et al., consolidated with Ayala, et al., v. Country Coach Corporation & Mega RV Corp., et al.
Date of Verdict or Judgment: Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Type of Case: Breach of Warranty, Negligence, Products Liability, Strict Liability, Vehicles - Freeway, Wrongful Death

Mazda's design of driver seat determined to be substantial cause of injuries. $14.9 million. Alameda County.

Driver's seatback fails in '95 Mazda Protege when rearended by truck.

Case Name: Gray v. Mazda Motor of America, Inc.
Date of Verdict or Judgment: Friday, April 01, 2016
Type of Case: Products Liability, Vehicles – rear-ender