Wrongful Termination

Cancer surgeon sues Kaiser medical group for firing and defaming him; awarded $1.75 million before confidential settlement. Orange County.

Cancer surgeon obtains confidential settlement from SCPMG after $1.75 million verdict reached by jury.

  • Case Name: Wascher v. Southern California Permanente Group; Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. and Kaiser Foundation Hospitals
  • Date of Verdict or Judgment: Thursday, June 18, 2015
  • Date of Settlement: Friday, June 19, 2015
  • Type of Case: Defamation, Employment, Wrongful Termination

Long-term female executive claims wrongful termination against Playboy Enterprises. $6 million. U.S. District Court.

Corporate controller claims Playboy asked for accounting entry that violated Sarbanes-Oxley Act; when she refused they retaliated against her and later wrongfully terminated her employment.

  • Case Name: Catherine A. Zulfer v. Playboy Enterprises Inc., and Does 1 through 10, inclusive
  • Date of Verdict or Judgment: Wednesday, March 05, 2014
  • Type of Case: Employment, Wrongful Termination

Bus driver with health issues repeatedly misses work, is fired. $1.9 million. Los Angeles County.

Bus driver with chronic health conditions is fired for repeated absences, but he claims that he is disabled and L.A. Metro failed to make reasonable accommodations. Offer of $100,000 before trial, but jury says $1.9 million.

  • Case Name: Raphael Vasquez v. Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
  • Date of Verdict or Judgment: Tuesday, November 12, 2013
  • Type of Case: Employment, Wrongful Termination

Wrongful termination of prison doctor results in $3.3 million verdict. Madera County.

Prison doctor of 15 years is fired and not told why; unanimous verdict on breach of contract against California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Plaintiff surgeon had treated females in two state prisons.

  • Case Name: Muhammad Anwar, M.D. v. State of California, Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
  • Date of Verdict or Judgment: Thursday, November 08, 2012
  • Type of Case: Employment, Wrongful Termination

Hollywood creative director wrongfully terminated for reporting boss's coke use; $450,000 verdict; settlement before punitive phase. Los Angeles County.

Plaintiff is terminated after he complains of his boss's drug use at work. Plaintiff contends that his boss's connections to lucrative clients and involvement in a company merger was major factor in plaintiff's being terminated.

  • Case Name: Andrew MacDonald v. Ascent Media Group, Inc., et al
  • Date of Verdict or Judgment: Tuesday, October 23, 2012
  • Type of Case: Employment, Wrongful Termination