Past Cases
These are a few examples of the kinds of cases we have litigated in the past:
Oregon Federal District Court Case No. CV01-1348-HU
Fifty construction workers were exposed to a toxic chemical while constructing a chemical weapons incinerator. They were working within a few hundred yards of a large stockpile of aging chemical weapons, some of which were known to be leaking. However, the workers were told that there was no danger of exposure. After the event air monitoring indicated detections of chemical agent in the building where they were working. The case against the corporate defendants settled for a confidential amount.
Oregon Federal District Court Case No. CV06-1603-KI
Four salesmen at a local automobile dealership were repeatedly exposed to racial discrimination by co-workers and managers while their employer failed to adequately respond to repeated complaints. The employer allowed the behavior to continue and actually promoted one individual who had made racist remarks. The case was tried in federal court where a jury returned a unanimous verdict for $19 million, in large part to punish the company and prevent it from continuing this conduct in the future. The case settled before appeal for a confidential amount.
Multnomah County Circuit Court Case No. 0907-09422
A twenty-three year old logger was critically injured when an 80 foot tall log was dropped on him. Contractors working on the job site failed to follow Oregon OSHA safety training guidelines or ensure that safe tree cutting practices were being followed. As a result of his injuries, the injured worker incurred over $1.4 million in medical bills. He will need medical care for the rest of his life and will be unable to return to work to support his family. The case settled before trial for a confidential amount.
Multnomah County Circuit Court Case No. 0612-12662
A woman was critically injured and suffered a brain injury when a piece of industrial equipment caused a massive vehicle collision. The equipment had not been fixed or taken out of service after the manufacturer and the owner of the learned of the dangerous defect. Instead, it continued to be operated on a public roadway in a condition known to be dangerous. The case settled for a confidential amount.
Unfiled Motor Vehicle Crash Claim
A young man was standing on the side of a road when he was hit by a drunk driver. He was partially paralyzed and unable to work for an extended period of time. The case settled before a lawsuit was filed for $1,370,000.00. This money was used to pay his large amount of past and future medical bills and the remainder was placed into a trust fund to support him and his family to allow him to get training for a job that he is physically capable of doing.
Washington County Circuit Court Case No. C08-7421CV
A young man lost his lower leg and sustained other severe injuries when an intoxicated driver struck the vehicle in which he was a passenger. The case settled for a confidential amount, allowing him to pay his past and future medical bills and continue his education.
Unfiled Automobile Insurance Coverage Case
A young woman was seriously injured in an automobile crash caused by someone else. She is unable to work or care for herself. The insurance coverage involved five different companies in separate states. Through negotiations, she received a waiver of over $700,000.00 in medical insurance reimbursement and obtained $600,000.00 in insurance proceeds that were placed into a trust fund to pay for her future medical care and cover her lost wages.
Multnomah County Circuit Court Case No. 0403‑02830
An overhead cable technician was injured when his employer sent him to work on a line that had been attached to a telephone pole in a dangerous manner that violated state and federal safety standards. He was not warned of the dangerous condition. The worker suffered a permanent injury when the cable detached from the pole, causing the worker to fall and badly break his hip. He required surgery and was unable to return to work for an extended period. At trial, the jury returned a verdict for $618,000.00. As a result, the worker was able to pay his large amount of medical bills, obtain training for a new job that he was physically capable of doing, and care for his family.
Unfiled Hit And Run Driver Claim
A young mother of two was injured when a hit and run driver struck her from behind. As a result of the crash she required surgery on her back and neck and was unable to return to work for an extended period of time. Her claim against her insurance company settled for $250,000.00 so that she could pay her past and future medical bills and care for her children.
Multnomah County Circuit Court Case No. 0904-04938
A thirteen year old girl was seriously injured by glass that contained wire within it while at school. The school district administration was aware of the extreme danger presented by the glass because of where it was located. They had been warned of the dangers of wire glass by state officials. However, the administration never bothered to warn the school's principal, teachers or custodians so that the danger could be minimized or avoided. The jury returned a total verdict of $222,000.00 so that the girl could pay her past and future medical expenses and move on with her life.
Multnomah County Circuit Court Case No. 0502-01565
A woman fell over a portion of partially destroyed sidewalk in front of a business located by a bus stop. The danger was not visible to pedestrians walking from a bus stop. The woman suffered a badly broken arm and a torn rotator cuff in her shoulder that required surgery. As a result, she couldn't return to her job as a housekeeper in an assisted living facility so that she could support her large family. The case settled before trial for $175,000.00 in insurance proceeds, allowing the woman to pay her medical bills and make up for her lost income.
Multnomah County Circuit Court Case No. 0612-12535
A woman’s hip was broken and required surgery when she fell off of an unmarked step at the dark entrance of a local restaurant where there was no handrail. She incurred substantial medical bills and was forced into assisted living for a time when she was caring for her ill husband. During the three years prior to this injury at least three other people had fallen and been injured because of the dangerous step. In spite of this, the restaurant chain failed to simply fix the step to make it safer. The case settled before trial for $105,000.00 in insurance proceeds. It wasn't until after this lawsuit was filed, and after yet another patron was injured, that the step was finally corrected to make it safe for employees and customers.
Multnomah County Circuit Court Case No. 0501-00708
A woman was injured when a driver fell asleep at the wheel and crashed his truck into her car. The at-fault driver had a documented history of chronic sleepiness and ignored professional advice against driving tired. The case settled for the insurance policy limits of $100,000.00 so that she could pay her medical bills.
Multnomah County Circuit Court Case No. 0702-01849
A young woman suffered a badly broken femur because of a vehicle crash caused by another person. She required surgery and was unable to work for several months. Her insurance company, however, was unwilling to pay her the full limits of her insurance policy so that she could pay her medical bills and recover her lost wages. Through a pre-trial settlement she recovered over $75,000.00 in insurance benefits that had been denied by her insurance company so that she could pay her medical bills.