Wrongful Death

Mother developing pneumonia calls Kaiser nurse advice line, is not seen by docs until it is too late. $2.74 million award. Alameda County.

Mother of two young children develops pneumonia-like symptoms and repeatedly calls Kaiser's nurse advice line. She is not seen by doctors until it is too late. Wrongful death due to medical negligence.

Case Name: Doe v. Kaiser
Date of Verdict or Judgment: Friday, May 22, 2015
Type of Case: Medical Malpractice, Wrongful Death

Wrongful death UIM arbitration award of $399,269. Sacramento County.

Sister says her deceased brother's UIM insurer isn't paying enough for his wrongful death in a vehicle accident.

Case Name: Susan Lee, et al. v. Hagerty Insurance Agency, LLC, et al.
Date of Verdict or Judgment: Monday, September 22, 2014
Type of Case: Vehicles - Auto vs. Auto, Wrongful Death

Doctor dies after heart treatment at Kaiser. $2.6 million net arbitration award. Los Angeles County.

Doctor, 56, is treated with stents at Kaiser, later dies of sudden cardiac death.

Case Name: Doe et al. v. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc.
Date of Verdict or Judgment: Monday, June 09, 2014
Type of Case: Medical Malpractice, Wrongful Death

Mesothelioma causes death of auto parts worker: $11 million gross verdict for family. Alameda County.

Decedent was exposed to asbestos dust through his work with vehicle brake parts. This trial was for damages only.

Case Name: Emily Bankhead, Tammy Bankhead, and Debbie Bankhead-Meiers v. ArvinMeritor, Inc., et al.
Date of Verdict or Judgment: Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Type of Case: Asbestos, Toxins, Wrongful Death

Family's SUV slams into 18-wheeler parked on side of freeway. $150 million for wrongful death. Los Angeles County. (JNOV/new trial granted)

SUV pulling a trailer slams into tractor-trailer truck parked off freeway; mother, father and one child die; two surviving children witness deaths. $150 million in non-economic damages, plus costs and interests.

JNOV granting new trial to determine the comparative negligence of plaintiffs' decedent driver and defendant trucking company.

Case Name: Asam v. Rudolph Ortiz, Bhandal Bros.Trucking
Date of Verdict or Judgment: Friday, October 25, 2013
Type of Case: Wrongful Death

Out-patient gynecological surgery results in death of 40-year-old. Defense. Fresno County.

Woman is discharged home after surgeon punctures left internal iliac artery; bleeds to death. Surgeon settles out; defendant anesthesiologist says there were no signs of a problem when he discharged her.

Case Name: Thomas Caruso v. Hoa V. Pham, M.D., Community Regional Medical Center
Date of Verdict or Judgment: Tuesday, October 01, 2013
Type of Case: Medical Malpractice, Wrongful Death

Laborer doing electrical work is electrocuted on job site. $14.3 million awarded. Fresno County.

A laborer instructed to work on a door bell is electrocuted on job site; no workers' comp coverage. Developer/contractor is held liable.

Case Name: Consuelo Martinez, individually and as Successor In Interest to Francisco Martinez Moreno; Trinidad Moreno; and Sophia Martinez, a minor, by and through her Guardian Ad Litem Consuelo Martinez v. Herndon Partners, LLC, Amador Electric, Does 1-100
Date of Verdict or Judgment: Thursday, May 30, 2013
Type of Case: Construction Site Accident, Premises Liability, Wrongful Death

Unarmed robbery suspect shot by Culver City police. Minor children awarded $8.8 million. Los Angeles County.

An unarmed robbery suspect is shot by a Culver City police officer. Other officers on the scene did not perceive the suspect as a threat. $8.8 million awarded by Federal jury.

Case Name: Kandace Simplis, et al. v. Culver City Police Department, et al
Date of Verdict or Judgment: Thursday, May 09, 2013
Type of Case: Civil Rights, Excessive Force, Police Shooting, Wrongful Death

$27 million awarded against assisted-living facility for negligence in care of Alzheimer's patient. Sacramento County.

Alzheimer's patient, 81, suffers a severe decline in her physical health after only three months in assisted-living facility. Jury awards $27 million, mostly punitive damages.

Case Name: Joan Boice, et al v. Emeritus Corporation
Date of Verdict or Judgment: Friday, March 08, 2013
Type of Case: Elder Abuse, Wrongful Death

$5 million awarded to elderly parents when scuba diver dies due to defective equipment. Los Angeles County.

Scuba diver dies off Catalina Island when breathing apparatus fails; diver had pre-existing heart condition. Defense offered $93K, but jury awards $5 million to decedent's elderly parents.

Case Name: Horace Myers, Joanne Myers v. Förvaltningsobolaget Insulan AB dba Si Tech
Date of Verdict or Judgment: Friday, February 01, 2013
Type of Case: Products Liability, Wrongful Death

$10 million verdict when wheelchair harness strangles disabled boy on school bus. Orange County.

School bus driver improperly secures disabled child into wheelchair on bus; shoulder harness strangles the boy who suffered from Angelman Syndrome and could not move or cry out for help.

Defendant, before admitting liability and causation on eve of trial, had sought an offset of $3.7 million based on the future medical cost plaintiff parents would not incur owing to their child's early death.

Case Name: Cisler v. Capistrano Unified School District
Date of Verdict or Judgment: Friday, December 07, 2012
Type of Case: Wrongful Death

$8.75 million verdict in L.A. Sheriff excessive force/wrongful death case. Los Angeles County.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies, in an unmarked car, pursued plaintiffs' decedent as a DUI/robbery suspect. When decedent's car crashed, he was surrounded by multiple sheriff's cars. Decedent backed his vehicle into a sheriff's car and deputies opened fire, killing him.

Case Name: Montalvo v. County of Los Angeles
Date of Verdict or Judgment: Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Type of Case: Civil Rights, Excessive Force, Police Shooting, Wrongful Death

Jury verdict of $3.5 million for parents of 18-year-old bicyclist killed by tractor-trailer. Los Angeles County.

Tractor-trailer hits 18-year-old on bicycle, killing her.

Case Name: Juan Medina and Ramona Medina v. Pile Trucking, Inc., Earl Pile Trucking, and Alvin Flynn
Date of Verdict or Judgment: Friday, November 02, 2012
Type of Case: Bicycle Accident, Vehicles - Intersection, Vehicles - Right Turn, Vehicles - Tractor Trailers, Wrongful Death