» 2017

$51 million wrongful-death judgment affirmed

Shinedling v. Sunbeam Products, Inc. (9th Cir. 2017) 692 Fed.Appx. 902, 903 Affirmance of $51 million wrongful-death judgment. Read More

$14 million insurance bad-faith judgment affirmed

Madrigal v. Allstate Indemnity Co. (9th Cir. 2017) 697 Fed.Appx. 905 Affirmance of $14 million insurance bad-faith verdict in failure-to-settle claim. Read More

Reversal of summary judgment in case brought by quadriplegic plaintiff

Lichtman v. Siemens Industry Inc. (2017) 16 Cal.App.5th 914 [224 Cal.Rptr.3d 725], reh’g denied (Nov. 28, 2017), review denied (Jan. 17, 2018) Obtained reversal of summary judgment in favor of contractor whom City hired to maintain the City’s battery-backup system for traffic signals. Held that contractor owed plaintiff (and other drivers) a duty of care in maintaining the back-up system. Read More

Reversal of dismissal of wrongful-death claim resulting from dog mauling

Devitt v. Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control (Cal. Ct. App., June 14, 2017, No. B270577) 2017 WL 2570661, review denied (Sept. 20, 2017) Obtained reversal of dismissal of plaintiff’s wrongful-death claim against L.A. County arising from its failure to impound pack of stray dogs that fatally mauled decedent, holding that County had mandatory duty under relevant ordinance, and was therefore not immune as a matter of law. Read More

Reversal of summary judgment in case brought by client whose hand was caught in meat grinder

Ramirez v. ITW Food Equipment Group, LLC (9th Cir. 2017) 686 Fed.Appx. 435 Reversal of summary judgment in favor of manufacturer of meat grinder in products-liability action. Plaintiff’s hand was yanked into grinder when that failed to turn off when lid was lifted, despite having “failsafe switch” that was supposed to cut power. Read More

Reversal of dismissal where plaintiff’s attorney inadvertently dismissed main defendant

Benn v. Fairmont Hotel Company-San Francisco L.P. (Cal. Ct. App., Nov. 2, 2017, No. A147502) 2017 WL 4988169 Obtained reversal of trial court order refusing to set aside a voluntary dismissal that had inadvertently dismissed the main defendant, which was similarly named to the subsidiary defendants being dismissed. Read More