Stacy Johnson-Klein vs. CSUF
(Gender Discrimination & Title IX)

A Fresno State women's basketball coach sued Fresno State for wrongful termination, gender discrimination and violation of Title IX. Plaintiff, Stacy Johnson-Klein claimed that she was terminated for exposing the university to its unequal treatment of female athletes while she coached Division 1 basketball at Fresno State. A jury agreed and awarded Stacy Johnson-Klein 19.1 million dollars for wrongful termination and gender discrimination. The 19.1 million dollars is the largest employment verdict against a public entity in the United States. Stacy Johnson-Klein's case had significant national ramifications in regard to gender discrimination for women's sports across the country. This case received national attention and had a significant impact in regard to unequal treatment regarding female athletes.

Result: $19,074,673 Verdict in Fresno County

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Jane Doe & John Doe vs. Concrete Pumping Truck Company
(Wrongful Death/Personal Injury)

The plaintiffs, ages 26 and 27, were traveling in a vehicle with their two young daughters, ages 2 and 7. A concrete pumping truck, owned by the defendant, collided with plaintiffs’ vehicle. As a result, the plaintiffs’ daughters were killed.

Result: $9,000,000 Settlement

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Auto vs. Truck
(Personal Injury)

A 30-year old hairdresser from Kingsburg was six months pregnant when her vehicle was struck by a truck on Golden State Boulevard.  The injury caused a premature abruption of the mother’s placenta and the baby was delivered by C-section two days later.  The baby suffered injuries related to her prematurity.

Result: $4,300,000 Settlement

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Solo Vehicle Rollover
(Personal Injury)

A forty-seven year old sales representative became an incomplete quadriplegic in a solo motor vehicle accident on a hunting trip. There was limited insurance coverage on the vehicle she was riding in, but innovative advocacy was able to secure over a 4 million dollar settlement from the land owner and other insurance policies.

Result: $4,000,000 Settlement

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Auto vs Pedestrian
(Personal Injury)

A 53-year old auto dealer from Fresno was injured when his foot was run over by a vehicle driven by defendant’s driver at an auto auction.  Plaintiff developed a severe injury to his foot and reflex sympathetic dystrophy.  Plaintiff’s wife made a loss of consortium claim.

Result: $3,250,000 Verdict in Alameda County

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Auto vs. Truck
(Wrongful Death)

A 28-year-old single, unemployed mother of three was killed in an auto vs. truck accident in San Bernardino County.

Result: $3,000,000 Settlement

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Auto vs. Truck
(Wrongful Death)

The plaintiff, age 42, was involved in an automobile accident. The plaintiff’s 15-year-old daughter, who was riding in the passenger seat, was killed when their vehicle ran into the rear of a tractor that had slowed down for a dead dog in the road.

Result: $2,417,701 Verdict in Madera County

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Dangerous Condition-Premises Liability
(Wrongful Death)

One plaintiff, a mother of two children, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the defendant, a cemetery district. Her two daughters were buried alive in a pile of dirt. Another plaintiff was a 9 year old girl that was also buried but survived, suffering serious injuries. The children were playing in a 30-foot pit dug by the defendant when a wall of the pit collapsed. The pit was directly across the street from an elementary school.

Result: $2,400,000 Settlement

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Jane Doe vs. Car Manufacturer
(Products Liability/Personal Injury)

The plaintiff, age 30, was traveling in her vehicle that overturned causing severe injuries to the plaintiff. A lawsuit was filed against the auto manufacturers.

Result: $2,400,000 Settlement

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Malos v. Big Fresno Fair
(Dangerous Condition)

A fair agreed to pay $2.2 million to settle a case involving a girl who was allegedly infected by bacteria at a petting zoo. On Oct. 13, 2005, Angela Malos, then age 2, allegedly contracted a strand of E.Coli at the Big Fresno Fair. The bacteria reportedly entered her blood stream and kidneys, causing mini-strokes. Her parents asserted that the fair was aware of E.Coli outbreaks at other petting zoos months before, but failed to warn Big Fresno Fair patrons. The lawyers also contended that the hand washing stations did not provide adequate water and soap. The defense argued that Angela didn't even contract E.Coli as another type of bacteria caused her illness. Counsel also contended that her neurological defects would resolve.

Result: $2,200,000 Settlement

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Pedestrian vs. Truck
(Wrongful Death)

The plaintiff’s child, age 9, was riding his bicycle to school when the defendant’s driver, driving a 64 foot tractor trailer, struck and backed over the child. A wrongful death suit was filed.

Result: $2,065,000 Settlement

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Yosemite Bus Accident
(Personal Injury)

A 56-year-old passenger on a Yosemite National Park tour bus was injured as a result of a bus driver’s negligence. She suffered neck, back, and shoulder injuries requiring expensive medical care.

Result: $2,000,000 Settlement

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Medical Negligence Case
(Medical Malpractice)

OB-GYN and hospital failed to perform timely Cesarean Section on high risk mother resulting in serious injuries to the infant.

Result: $2,000,000 Settlement

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Employment Fraud Case
(Fraud)

The plaintiff, a 43-year-old parts manager, was wrongfully terminated by the defendant. He sued the car dealership for alleged fraud, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligent misrepresentation. The plaintiff was awarded compensatory and punitive damages at trial.

Result: $1,950,913 Verdict in Fresno County

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Medical Negligence Case
(Medical Malpractice)

The plaintiff, a 54-year-old bank manager suffered a severe spinal cord injury as a result of medical negligence during an anterior cervical fusion.

Result: $1,900,000 Settlement

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Premises Liability/Electrocution Case
(Wrongful Death)

The defendant drove his tractor trailer to the plaintiff’s home. The plaintiff’s husband, a 29-year-old horseshoer, was electrocuted and killed when he raised the bed of the truck the defendant had parked under a power line. The plaintiff sued for wrongful death.

Result: $1,700,000 Settlement

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Auto vs. Bulldozer
(Personal Injury)

The plaintiff, a 16-year-old high school student, was driving her vehicle southbound when she came upon a construction site. The site was operated by the defendant’s construction company. At that time, a large earthmoving truck struck the plaintiff's vehicle, severely injuring her.

Result: $1,612,000 Settlement

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Jane Doe vs. Hospital
(Medical Malpractice)

A 19-year-old college student was undergoing a kidney transplant procedure at the University of California Medical Center in San Francisco. Post operatively plaintiff experienced a succession of seizures that were not properly treated.  Plaintiff suffered brain damage as a result.

Result: $1,600,000 Present Value Verdict in San Francisco

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High School Abuse Case
(Abuse)

Plaintiff, Jane Doe, age 16 at the time of the incident, was a high school student and began to have a romantic relationship with a 26-year old female employed by the School District as an instructional aide and who was also the women’s assistant basketball coach. Plaintiff through her Guardian ad Litem, filed an action against the School District for negligence. As a result of Defendant’s negligence, Plaintiff suffered severe psychological and psychiatric damage. Plaintiff successfully tried her case against the school district and obtained one of the largest verdicts in Kings County history.

Result: $1,548,000 Verdict in Kings County

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Jane Doe vs. Doctor
(Medical Malpractice)

The plaintiff and her husband filed a medical malpractice suit against a San Diego Doctor for failing to diagnose a cancerous lump found in plaintiff’s left breast.

Result: $1,514,000 Verdict in San Diego

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Jane Doe vs. Roe
(Wrongful Death/Auto Accident)

Plaintiff, age 25, was married to her husband for approximately 5 days when he was tragically killed in an automobile accident. The case was settled for the insurance policy limits.

Result: $1,500,000 Settlement

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Wrongful Death Case
(Wrongful Death/Auto Accident)

An unmarried 30 year-old female died in a collision between the vehicle she was a passenger in, and a stalled big rig.

Result: $1,500,000 Settlement

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Mold Case
(Personal Injury)

Approximately 24 families brought actions for fraud, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and breach of implied warranty of habitability claims against the defendants. Plaintiffs claimed that defendants failed to inform plaintiffs that a number of apartments were infested with mold. Plaintiffs suffered from asthma, respiratory problems, headaches, and flu like symptoms.

Result: $1,440,000 Settlement

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Refrigeration Malfunction
(Products Liability)

A fruit packing company in Sanger suffered a loss to their grapes held in cold storage and their business reputation due to the failure of a recently installed refrigeration system.

Result: $1,325,000 Verdict in Fresno County

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Welding Accident
(Wrongful Death)

A 48-year old welder fell to his death through a hole in a roof of a building under construction in Fresno County.

Result: $1,305,020 Verdict in Fresno County

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Medical Negligence Case
(Medical Malpractice)

A 42 year-old woman was brain damaged due to operating room misintubation.

Result: $1,285,000 Verdict in Tulare County

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Motor Vehicle Accident
(Wrongful Death)

A mother and her infant child were involved in a traffic collision when another vehicle crossed over the center divider and collided with their vehicle head-on. The mother died and the infant survived. The child’s grandmother sued on behalf of the child for the wrongful death of her mother.

Result: $1,260,000 Settlement

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Motorcycle Accident Insurance Suit
( Insurance Bad Faith)

A 43-year-old mechanic from Fresno was injured in a motorcycle accident.  The defendant’s insurance company acted in a bad faith by not protecting its insured by paying plaintiff the $15,000 available in policy limits.  Plaintiff went to trial in the underlying case and obtained a verdict of $368,000.  The defendant assigned his rights against his carrier to the plaintiff.  Plaintiff then sued the insurance company for bad faith.

Result: $1,111,500 Verdict in Fresno County

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Motor Vehicle Accident
(Wrongful Death)

A 49 year-old mother was killed in a motor vehicle accident.

Result: $1,100,000 Settlement

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Welding Accident
(Wrongful Death)

A 35-year farm worker, operating a tractor towing a trailer, died as a result of a collision with a truck.

Result: $1,050,000 Settlement

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Insurance Bad Faith
(Insurance)

A 40-year-old farmer from Dos Palos suffered a $29,000 crop loss as a result of an over spray of herbicide.  The responsible insurance company offered to pay only $9,600.  The plaintiff sued contending the insurance company acted in bad faith.

Result: $1,043,200 Verdict in Fresno County

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Medical Negligence Case
(Medical Malpractice)

A 60 year-old retiree suffered the loss of both legs due to his physician's failure to diagnose and treat an abdominal aortic aneurism.

Result: $1,000,000 Settlement

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Vehicle Accident
(Wrongful Death)

A five-year-old girl road her bike from a driveway into a residential street and was struck by a passing car. She died from her injuries.

Result: $1,000,000 Settlement

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Railroad vs. Automobile
(Wrongful Death)

A 62-year-old man was killed at a railroad crossing in an automobile accident.

Result: $1,000,000 Settlement

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Accounting Malpractice
(CPA Firm)

The plaintiff sued his accountants for accounting malpractice, fraud, misrepresentation, negligence, and trust mishandling.

Result: $1,000,000 Settlement

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Doe v. Roe
(Wrongful Death/Apartment Fire)

On January 18, 2006, Plaintiff's only son, age 8, was tragically burned in an apartment fire. Plaintiff sued for faulty electrical wiring, and the case settled.

Result: $1,000,000 Settlement

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Trip and Fall Case
(Personal Injury)

As a result of a trip and fall accident on a hotel stairwell, a 41-year old mechanic from Fresno suffered a herniated disc at L4-5 and underwent a Laminectomy.

Result: $973,000 Verdict in San Francisco

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Auto Accident
(Personal Injury)

The plaintiff, a 17-year-old high school student, was rear ended at approximately 40 miles per hour. He suffered severe injuries to his neck and back resulting in a discectomy to his cervical spine.

Result: $875,000 Settlement

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Jane Doe & John Doe vs, Helmet Manufacturer/Distributor/Retailer
(Wrongful Death/Products Liability)

A 55-year-old motorcyclist fell off his motorcycle at approximately 20 miles per hour when his “Boneyard” helmet came off his head prematurely. His head struck the ground, causing a severe fracture resulting in his death. His two adult children sued the helmet manufacturer, distributor, and retailer for a defect in design and manufacturing of the motorcycle helmet.

Result: $800,000 Verdict in Tulare County after prior settlement with other defendants for $1,235,000.00.

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Uninsured Motor Vehicle Accident
(Personal Injury)

The plaintiff, a 48-year old fire suppression system installer, severely injured his left foot in a motor vehicle accident with an uninsured motorist.  Plaintiff made an uninsured motorist claim with his employer’s insurance company.

Result: $800,000 Settlement

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Motor Vehicle Accident
(Personal Injury)

A 40-year-old truck driver and mechanic from Fresno was injured in a motor vehicle accident which required two lower back surgeries.

Result: $750,000 Settlement

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Pedestrian vs. Automobile
(Wrongful Death)

A 44-year-old unmarried man was killed while he was a pedestrian on a freeway and struck by a motor vehicle. His mother sued for his wrongful death.

Result: $750,000 Settlement

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Forklift Accident
(Personal Injury)

A 42-year-old forklift repairman from Fresno sustained injuries to both feet when he was stuck by a forklift in defendant’s cold storage facility.

Result: $750,000 Settlement

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Employment Action
(Employment)

The plaintiff, a 40-year-old sales representative, was terminated as a result of her sexual harassment complaints. She filed a lawsuit for wrongful termination, retaliation, and sexual harassment.

Result: $679,000 Verdict in Fresno County

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Civil Rights Case
(Strip Search)

The plaintiff and her daughter were arrested for a minor offense and later strip searched at the defendant’s jail facility. The plaintiff sued for intentional infliction of emotional distress and for violation of her civil rights.

Result: $300,000 Settlement

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Auto Accident
(Personal Injury)

This accident involved a low speed impact whereby the plaintiff was rear ended at less than 10 miles per hour by the defendant. The plaintiff suffered severe neck and back injuries.

Result: $200,000 Verdict in Alameda County

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