Largest California non-punitive verdict for a single individual (San Francisco County, Zivic v. Winterland).

We represented a 56-year-old woman who was injured when her car was struck by a truck. The driver of the truck claimed that his brakes failed at the last minute. She was admitted to the hospital and several months later she had recovered except for some residual cognitive deficits including memory, concentration, and the ability to perform multiple tasks simultaneously. She was very intelligent but claimed to be unable to perform certain demanding aspects of her job. The defense contended she should be able to work and that the brake failure could not have been anticipated. The defendant offered $6,000,000 in settlement before trial, which was rejected. The jury awarded $19,631,000. The judgment was entered for this amount plus past interest and costs for a total of $21,000,000. Our investigation indicates this was the largest net compensatory (non-punitive) award of its type for an individual in California state history as of 2000.

Settlement for a brain-injured baby.

This is believed to be the largest medical malpractice recovery, either by settlement or jury verdict, for a medical malpractice case in California history. In this case, our client developed a routine infection during pregnancy that wasn't treated by her health care providers. The infection worsened and she became septic. She was hospitalized and nearly died. She recovered; however, her baby sustained a severe brain injury from the mother's infection and requires 24/7 attendant care for life.

Surgery error on a 3-day old child resulted in brain injuries.

This case involved a 3-day old child with a medical condition that the defendant decided needed surgery. Laparoscopic surgery was performed at a major California university hospital. The needle that was used to insufflate the child’s abdomen was placed in the umbilical vein and the gas went straight to the child’s heart and then the brain, causing a serious brain injury. The case settled for $14 million, the largest medical malpractice settlement in California at the time (2018).

Birth injury resulted in Cerebral Palsy.

The defendants failed to monitor a fetus during critical times before the birth and when they did resume monitoring the child was found to be in distress. The baby suffered a profound brain injury resulting in cerebral palsy and will require 24-hour care for the remainder of its life. The value of the confidential settlement is based on its present value - the cost of an annuity to fund the settlement amount plus the cash agreed upon. This was the largest birth injury settlement in California as of 2010.

Neonatal blindness injuries to premature triplets after failure to diagnose the condition in a timely manner.

This case involved neonatal blindness injuries to premature triplets from retinopathy of prematurity. Retinopathy of prematurity can be treated if timely diagnosed and is a common problem in premature infants. We contended that the hospital, neonatologist, and pediatricians failed to diagnose the condition in a timely manner. The defendants contended that the mother failed to obtain an eye exam in a timely fashion after the triplets were discharged from the hospital. This 2000 confidential settlement was the largest of its type in the history of Hawaii.

This California birth injury settlement is a state record.

The defendants failed to monitor this fetus during critical times before the birth and when they did resume monitoring the child was in distress. The baby suffered profound cerebral palsy and will require 24 hour care for the remainder of its life. The value of the confidential settlement is based on the cost of an annuity to fund the settlement amount plus the cash agreed upon.

Record settlement for a birth injury case.

Our birth injury specialists settled a case for $10,000,000 for birth injuries to a child. We contended the attending doctors failed to promptly deliver the child when fetal monitoring showed potential problems. The child is a spastic quadriplegic, tube fed with global delays, including severe cognitive deficits. The defense contended life-expectancy was limited. Plaintiffs contended life expectancy would be lengthy. This was a record settlement for an obstetrical case in the state where it was obtained.

This case against UCSF Medical Center was the largest medical malpractice settlement in California history in 2002.

Our wrongful death attorneys in San Francisco settled a case involving the death of an athletic 38-year-old executive, who stopped at a UCSF clinic at the airport complaining of chest "tightness". The EKG was normal; there were no cardiac risk factors. The doctor diagnosed chest muscle strain and allowed the decedent to fly to Colorado and then Mexico where he died 7 days after the clinic visit. Defendants argued that the decedent appeared healthy and in no distress and therefore the clinic symptoms were not cardiac.

Failure to treat sepsis and excessive medication led to the loss of limbs.

This case involved a 25-year old woman who developed MRSA pneumonia and then became septic. The defendants failed to diagnose and treat her sepsis promptly. When they did treat the sepsis, an excessive administration of medication intended to improve blood pressure caused her to lose both her hands below the forearm and both legs below the knees. The case settled in 2018 for $9,750,000 - this was the highest settlement for amputation in California history.

Record settlement for amputation of multiple limbs.

We resolved a case involving a jail inmate who had a skin infection and was not promptly sent for emergency care by the corrections facility personnel. He developed septic shock and suffered multiple amputations of hands and feet. This was a record amputation result in the state where it was obtained.