CASE RESULTS
Tad Shapiro - Verdicts/Settlements:
Motor Vehicle Accidents
$1,400,000 recovery for the death of husband and father in head on crash. Case involved issues of negligent entrustment of vehicle to defendants’ minor son
$2,100,000 recovery for the death of two vineyard workers who stopped on the shoulder of a state highway to help a friend whose car broke down. The case involved unique issues of recovery of damages to survivors outside the U.S.
$1,950,000 recovery for severe facial and brain injuries suffered by a young girl when an out of control van and vehicle chasing the van crashed into the car in which she was a passenger. The majority of the recovery came from the driver of the vehicle chasing the van as we proved he was in the course and scope of his employment during the chase.
$725,000 recovery for injuries suffered by Canadian tourist in the Napa Valley. This case involved severe orthopedic injuries suffered in a left turn collision. The case involved issues of Canadian insurance law as well as the usual issues of negligence, causation and damages.
$1,350,000 settlement for pedestrian hit in dark crosswalk in Vallejo. The investigating officer found our client to be primarily responsible but we proved that the defendant motorist and the City were primarily resonsible.
Trucking Accidents
$1,850,000 recovery for family members whose van was hit by a truck in Southern Oregon. The crash was caused by a freak hailstorm that deposited hail on the road moments before the crash. The defendant driver rounded a curve and lost control of his trailer. Despite the investigating officer’s opinion the driver could not do anything to avoid the collision, we were able to show the driver was in violation of Federal Regulations and the trucking company’s own documentation required by the ICC found the driver to be responsible.
$1,000,000 (policy limits) recovery for the death of a 22-year old college student killed in collision with commercial truck.
Bicycle Accidents
$1,700,000 recovery for 12 year-old client struck by two employees of nearby dry cleaners. who were racing at speeds of 65 miles per hour in a 35 mile per hour zone. The racing employees were allegedly done with work for the day. We proved time records so showing may have been falsified and the dry cleaners negligently supervised its employees. The settlement was funded primarily by the dry cleaners. Annuities purchased with the settlement funds provided for purchase of a home for client and will also provide for client’s future needs. She suffered orthopedic injuries and a mild traumatic brain injury.
$700,000 recovery for cyclist who struck unsecured utility line hanging beneath trees adjacent to roadway.
Motorcycle Accidents
$1,250,000 (policy limits) recovery for motorcyclist struck by left turning truck driver who never saw our client despite clear visibility. Our client suffered severe orthopedic injuries resulting in permanent disability.
$950,000 recovery for motorcyclist who suffered head injuries when he struck defendant's cow on state highway.
Dangerous Roadways
$5,265,000 recovery to client who suffered severe lower extremity injuries due to crash with vehicle that hydroplaned and crossed the center median on state highway. We showed the area had a decades long history of flooding and nearby drainage facilities were inadequate to handle expected water flow. The at fault driver contributed his insurance limits of $15,000. The remainder of the recovery was paid by the responsible public entity.
$1,950,000 recovery for the family of 21 year-old wife and mother whose car hydroplaned off a state highway into a ravine, causing her death. A review of thousands of documents, and taking numerous depositions, the defendant public entity admitted liability for the dangerous condition caused by water running across the highway caused by road construction. This is the only case we are aware of in which the State of California has admitted liability for a dangerous condition of its property in an unwitnessed, single vehicle accident.
In a second case involving the same location and same dangerous conditions we recovered $350,000 for a family who suffered various injuries.
Construction Accidents
$4,250,000 recovery for bystander who suffered head and brain injuries at a timber harvest site. All parties associated with the project contributed to the settlement. The case involved issues of timber harvesting safety, peculiar/special risk of harm and breach of non delegable duties
$750,000 recovery for a roofer who fell through a skylight on a commercial roofing project. The evidence we developed showed the client fell through an unmarked, unbarricaded skylight, which was inadequate under state law to withstand his weight. The general contractor and prime roofing contractor who employed our client’s employer funded the recovery.
$725,000 recovery for temporary worker severely injured when a forklift ran over and crushed his leg. The case presented unusual issues of the employment/independent contractor relationship of the parties.
Dangerous Premises
$650,000 recovery for orthopedic injuries suffered by equipment operator injured in bridge collapse. The property owner and easement holder contributed to the settlement for the condition of the bridge which had dry rot and had not been inspected in years.
$500,000 recovery for back injuries requiring surgery suffered by worker injured in slip and fall on icy ramp.
$487,500 recovery for bread delivery driver who slipped and fell at delivery stop. The case involved unusual issues of insurance coverage for a janitorial company defendant.
$400,000 recovery for customer of restaurant injured in slip and fall causing hip fracture and need for surgery.
Recreational Injuries
$2,000,000 recovery for injury on canopy tour in Hawaii. Our client suffered severe lower extremity orthopedic injuries requiring multiple surgeries. Case involved issues re: standard of care for operation, maintenance and inspection of canopy tour. We claimed the operators were common carriers requiring a higher duty of care owed to our client.
$500,000 (policy limits) settlement in wrongful death case arising out of the death of 25 year-old husband and father in single boat accident.
$500,000 recovery for bicyclist injured when unleashed dog chased him and caused fall resulting in orthopedic injuries. Recovery was funded by the dog’s owner.
Negligent Security
$750,000 recovery for client stabbed while watching a movie at defendant’s theater. Our client, fortunately, made a good recovery from near fatal stab wounds. Case involved issues of foreseeability of the attack and defendant’s failure to comply with its own rules regarding monitoring customers who entered the theater to obtain items from the concession stand.
Confidential seven figure settlement in case involving oil workers kidnapped off oil platform in Nigeria. Our three clients were held hostage by terrorists and their lives were threatened on a daily basis until they were released. We claimed the separate subsidiaries of the defendant oil company had inconsistent security protocol and were not equipped to respond to the attack on the platform at which our clients worked.
$250,000 recovery to clients attacked at apartment complex by ex employee of the complex who may have had a key to our client’s apartment.
Property Damage
$1,250,000 recovery for family whose new home was destroyed in a fire caused by illegal use of fireworks by neighborhood teenagers. The case focused on the lack of parental supervision of the teenagers and the significant losses including loss of heirlooms and emotional injuries suffered by our clients.
Santa Rosa, CA 95404-4445 Ph: (707) 544-5858