PRODUCT
LIABILITY -
PERSONAL INJURY & CONSUMER LITIGATION
Personal
injury, product liability and consumer litigation comprise a
significant proportion of our cases. Over the years, we have
refined our understanding of the fundamental questions at stake
in these cases and continually monitor trends in public opinion.
At the heart of this litigation is the issue of blame, bringing
into play jurors’ feelings about how to attribute responsibility
for the harm caused to others. Inevitably, jurors’ personal
experiences and values impact their views of the evidence and
influence their determination of who is at fault. In addition,
escalating concern over high damage awards has colored jurors’ perceptions
about litigation involving injury, products and employment.
Jurors wonder:
- To what degree does personal responsibility come into play?
- Are we placing too heavy a burden on businesses or corporations?
- Should plaintiffs get rich for harm suffered?
- How can we ensure safe products?
- How can we protect workers from unfair treatment in the
workplace?
- How can we hold insurance companies accountable?
Against
the backdrop of jurors’ concerns, we help shape
your case to speak to these questions. Side-by-side, we tackle
the tough issues present in any injury case to create compelling
and vital themes that persuade and touch jurors.
A sampling of our cases:
Restraint of Trade
Thirty-six state attorneys general and private class action attorneys sued three major pharmaceutical corporations and doctors for colluding to prevent consumers from purchasing products from low cost outlets instead of from their doctors. We assisted the trial team through mock trials and jury selection. At the conclusion of the plaintiffs' case, the case settled very favorably for the plaintiffs and the consumers they represented.
Catastrophic Injuries
A young, single, African American mother suffered third degree
burns over two-thirds of her body when an airplane malfunctioned
and slammed into her apartment. The airplane manufacturer agreed
to the largest personal injury settlement in the Central Valley
of California.
Consumer Class Action
In a groundbreaking class action lawsuit against an automobile
manufacturer, brought under the California Consumers Legal Remedies
Act, compensation was sought for millions of vehicle owners related
to defective ignition parts. The results included the first ever
recall of millions of vehicles by a state court judge and a national
settlement likely to provide over $2 billion in benefits to vehicle
owners.
Bad Faith
One of the
world’s
largest insurance companies refused to compensate a surgeon
under a professional services policy after he developed an
anxiety disorder that prevented him from operating on patients.
The jury awarded one of the top ten punitive damage awards
in that year against the insurer.
Sexual Harassment
A female
employee sued a large furniture retailer for failing to stop
the sexual harassment by a male manager despite repeated complaints.
The jury award in her favor was later increased in subsequent
settlement discussions that brought the case to a quick end.
OUR CLIENTS
Our
professional staff has consulted with some of the best firms,
big and small, including…
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