SIGNIFICANT CASES

Construction Cases

Carmichael and Mandelin, et al. v. Turner Construction Co., et al. - $6,550,000 settlement for two construction workers, one who was twenty six years old and another who was fifty one years old at the time of the incident. Each one had a leg amputated as a result of severe injuries that were caused by a wall collapse on a construction site.

Road Collisions

Automobile/Bicycle Collision

Jane Doe Pedestrian v. Doe Entity and Doe Driver - $3,000,000 settlement for a twenty four year old woman who was on her bicycle in a crosswalk when she was struck and run over by a truck. The plaintiff suffered debilitating injuries to her lower extremities and major physical disfigurement. Co-counsel: James Hennessey.

Automobile/Pedestrian Collision

Ma, as P.R. for the estate of Rebecca Qi v. John Doe Driver, et al. - $650,000 settlement for the estate of a sixty two year old woman who died when she was struck from behind by a vehicle while walking her dog.

Product Liability

Fire Starting Products

Bonicelli v. Puget Consumers Co-op, d/b/a PCC Natural Markets, a corporation, et al. - $1,500,000 settlement for a forty year old woman who suffered burns while attempting to start a fire with Eco-Char, an organic fire starter. Co-counsel: Dwayne Richards and Reed Schifferman.

Helmets

Gasseling v. Shoei Safety Helmet Corporation, et al. – Confidential settlement for a nineteen year old man who was wearing a motorcycle helmet that failed to protect him when his motorcycle hit another vehicle. The plaintiff sustained a severe and permanent brain injury.
Newton, et al. v. Olson’s Tack Shop - $1,000,000 settlement for the estate of an eleven year old girl who was wearing an equestrian helmet that slipped back on her head and failed to protect her when she struck her head on a tree while riding a horse. The girl suffered a traumatic brain injury and later died.

E. coli

Degel, as Guardian for the Estate of Chase Shield v. Doe Health Care Providers - $1,300,000 settlement for the estate of a three year old boy who died after he developed E.Coli poisoning from drinking unpasteurized Odwalla apple juice. Co-counsel: Ralph Brindley.
Sawchuck, et al. v. Odwalla, Inc. - Confidential settlement for a three and half year old girl and her family, after the girl developed E. Coli poisoning from drinking unpasteurized Odwalla apple juice. The girl suffered permanent kidney damage from the poisoning.
Shaffer, et al. v. Odwalla, Inc. - $650,000 settlement for a five year old girl and her family, after the girl developed E. Coli poisoning from drinking unpasteurized Odwalla apple juice. The girl sustained permanent kidney damage from the poisoning.

Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices

Hogan v. Bausch & Lomb, Inc. - $1,000,000 settlement for a forty year old man who underwent multiple eye surgeries, including three corneal transplants, after using Bausch & Lomb’s ReNu with MoistureLoc Multi-Purpose Solution for contact lenses.

Automotive Collision

Castaneda, et al. v. Aaron Trucking, et al. - $2,285,000 settlement for three plaintiffs, ages thirty one, forty, and forty five years old, who suffered extensive burns, fractures, and physical disfigurement when a semi tractor trailer rig caused a multi car collision that included the plaintiffs’ vehicle.
Jane Doe Driver v. Doe Trucking Company and Driver - $950,000 settlement for a twenty year old woman who was driving when she was struck by a large truck and trailer. The plaintiff was pinned and crushed in her vehicle. The plaintiff’s injuries included leg fractures, chest injuries, and facial lacerations.
Howell v. Rogers, et al. - $600,000 settlement for a twenty one year old man who was struck by a van while riding his motorcycle. The plaintiff suffered an arm amputation.
Taphouse v. Wight Marine Service, et al. - $650,000 settlement for the estate of a passenger, whose vehicle was struck by a truck, causing the decedent’s vehicle to move into oncoming traffic.

Medical Malpractice

Jane Doe, as P.R. of the Estate of John Doe v. Doe Health Care Providers - $2,000,000 settlement for the estate of a thirty four year old man whose heart condition was misdiagnosed. As a result of the misdiagnosed heart condition, the decedent died from a ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysm.
Katayama, et al. v. Doe Medical Care Providers - $1,500,000 settlement for a seventy six year old man and his family; the man’s spinal cord injuries were misdiagnosed twice, after he was in an automobile accident. Co-counsel: David Hoffman.
IM v. Doe Health Care Facility - $625,000 settlement for the parents of an eight day old infant who died when doctors failed to properly deliver the infant through a cesarean section.

Automotive Product Liability (Crashworthiness)

Olney, et al. v. John Doe Individuals and Entities - $3,537,500 settlement for a twenty four year old man, his wife, and daughter. Mr. Olney’s 1989 Toyota pickup truck was struck by another vehicle whose driver had run a stop sign. As a result of defective after-market lift high wheels and tire design, Mr. Olney’s vehicle spun and rolled when struck, resulting in Mr. Olney’s ejection from his truck. He sustained catastrophic brain injuries that have left him in a persistent vegetative state. Co-counsel: Larry Barokas.
Gates O’Quinn, as the P.R. of the Estate of John Doe Gates v. Ford Motor Company, et al. - $1,800,000 multi-defendant settlement (confidential as to percentage of allocation to each defendant) for the estate of a thirty seven year old man who died from suffocation due to the collapse of the roof in his 1998 Ford Expedition, after his vehicle struck a guardrail and rolled over multiple times. Co-counsel: Mikal Watts.
Arends v. Ford Motor Company – Confidential settlement for a forty six year old woman who was driving a 1995 Ford Escort Wagon when her airbag deployed during an automobile accident with such force that she sustained a spinal cord injury, resulting in quadriplegia. Co-counsel: Steve Fury.
Corral v. Toyata Motor Corporation, et al. – Confidential settlement for a twenty four year old passenger who was in an accident that resulted in the 1998 Toyota Tacoma pickup’s roof collapsing and the seat belt failing. The plaintiff suffered severe spinal injuries, resulting in quadriplegia. Co-counsel: David Beninger/ Paul Luvera.
Domingo, as the P.R. of the Estate of Gloria Domingo, et al. v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc., et al. – Confidential settlement for the estate of a sixty two year old woman who was a passenger in a vehicle that was driven into a rock wall. When the 1990 Honda Civic hit the wall, the seat belt failed to properly protect the plaintiff, resulting in fatal rib and spinal cord injuries. Co-counsel: James Bickerton.
Griesbach, et al. v. General Motors Corporation – Confidential settlement for an eighteen year old driver and her parents. The driver is now ventilator-dependent after she was catastrophically injured resulting in quadriplegia due to the collapse of the defective roof in her 1999 Chevrolet Suburban. The roof crushed when the plaintiff tried to pass a truck, lost control, and rolled over several times.
Hoogestraat v. General Motors Corporation, et al. – Confidential settlement for a sixteen year old man who was a passenger in a vehicle rollover accident. During the accident, the 2000 Grand Prix’s roof crushed, resulting in the plaintiff’s quadriplegia.
Keeley, et al. v. Ford Motor Company – Confidential settlement for a thirty five year old male driver, who was in a vehicle rollover accident. During the accident, Mr. Keeley’s was driving a 1996 Ford Explorer. The vehicle’s roof crushed over his head. The plaintiff was ejected from the vehicle, and he sustained quadriplegia and a brain injury. Co-counsel: Craig Schauermann.
McDonald v. Ford Motor Company – Confidential settlement for a twenty nine year old woman who was driving her 1989 Ford Taurus which struck a concrete pillar. When the plaintiff’s vehicle hit the pillar, her seat belt and door latch failed, resulting in the plaintiff being partially ejected and having her arm amputated. Co-counsel: David Bufalini.
McWain, et al. v. Chrysler Corporation, et al. – Confidential settlement for the estate of a seventeen year old, short-statured girl who was killed when her 1989 Dodge Daytona hatchback was involved in a low speed automobile collision, and her airbag deployed aggressively.
Nores v. Mazda Motor Corporation, et al. – Confidential settlement for a twenty four year old woman who was a passenger in a 1982 GLC Mazda Sedan that was driven into a utility pole. The plaintiff sustained serious kidney, liver, and stomach injuries when she jackknifed over the rear seat lap belt during the collision. There was no three-point belt. Co-counsel: James Bickerton.
Pelfort, et al. v. G.M.C., et al. – Confidential settlement for a fourteen year old girl who was a passenger in a 1993 Saturn SC2. The plaintiff suffered a serious brain injury when her seat belt inadvertently unlatched during an intersection collision. Co-counsel: Ira Leesfield.
Potts, et al. v. Daimlerchrysler Corporation; and John Doe and Jane Doe – Confidential settlement for the estate of a forty eight year old man who was killed in an automobile accident while he was driving a 1989 Dodge Caravan. The decedent was killed because the steering wheel protruded upward and struck him in the face. Co-counsel: Kim Weyer.
Ruder v. Daimler Chrysler Corporation – Confidential settlement for a seventeen year old boy who drove a 1989 Jeep Grand Wagoneer 4WD and lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle rolled over and the roof crushed, resulting in the plaintiff’s quadriplegia. Co-counsel: Paul Luvera/ David Beninger.
Jane Doe v. General Motors, et al. – Confidential settlement for a forty two year old woman who was a passenger in a 1989 Suburban that was struck by a semi tractor trailer rig that sent the plaintiff’s vehicle into a snow plow. When the plaintiff’s vehicle struck the snow plow its defectively designed frame compressed causing the plaintiff’s quadriplegia. Co-counsel: Jay Leipham.
Taddeo-Smith, et al. v. Ford Motor Co., et al. – Confidential settlement for a forty four year old woman and her family. The woman drove a 2000 Ford Expedition when she lost control and the vehicle rolled over. During the accident, the vehicle’s roof crushed, resulting in the driver’s quadriplegia.
Teruya v. Ford Motor Co. – Confidential settlement for a 25-year-old driver. The plaintiff drove a rented 1992 Ford Escort. He utilized the automatic shoulder belt but was unaware of the manual lap belt, which he did not engage. When the plaintiff was rear-ended, he lost control of his vehicle, and the vehicle rolled. The vehicle’s restraint system failed to restrain the plaintiff, he was thrown from his vehicle, and he sustained major injuries, including quadriplegia. Co-counsel: Lauren Hunt and Joseph Hunt.
Turcott, as P.R. of the Estate of Jane Doe Turcott v. General Motors Company - Confidential settlement for the estate of a seventy seven year old woman who was killed when her 1993 Corsica airbag deployed aggressively during a low speed automobile collision. Co-counsel: George Kargianis.
Young v. Mitsubishi – Confidential settlement for a twenty two year old driver. Ms. Young was driving a 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer when another vehicle pulled in front of her on the highway causing Ms. Young to lose control of her vehicle. The vehicle rolled over and the roof crushed. Ms. Young suffered traumatic brain injuries.
Evans v. Nissan - Confidential settlement for a thirty one year old woman who was driving a 2000 Nissan Frontier when the vehicle began to hydroplane and the plaintiff lost control. The plaintiff’s vehicle hit a concrete barrier, her airbag deployed and the plaintiff was blinded in the left eye.
Rivas-Rosales vs. American Honda Motor Co. - Confidential settlement for a thirty nine year old man who was driving a 1990 Acura Integra. The Plaintiff was hit by another vehicle that ran a red light. The plaintiff sustained quadriplegia, caused by the unsafe design of the vehicle’s seatbelt.

Clergy Abuse

J.A.B., J.C.B., J.K.C., J.L. v. Corporation of the Catholic Archbishop of Seattle, et al. - $1,595,000 settlement for four plaintiffs who had been sexually molested by a priest as minors.
T.A.B., R.A.P., and V.D.M. v. Corporation of the Catholic Archbishop of Seattle, et al. - $1,112,500 settlement for three plaintiffs who had been sexually abused by a priest as minors. The plaintiffs were fifty eight, fifty nine, and sixty years old at the time of the settlement.
Davis, as the P.R. of the Estate of John Doe, et al. v. Corporation of the Catholic Archbishop of Seattle, et al. - $600,000 settlement for the estate of a forty three year old man who committed suicide as a result of a childhood sexual abuse by a priest.

Nursing Home Malpractice

Becher, individually and as P.R. of the Estate of Jane Doe Turner v. Regency Pacific, Inc. - $700,000 settlement for the estate of a sixty seven year old woman who died of hypothermia after being locked out of her nursing home overnight.

Police Pursuit

Gabrielson v. City of Enumclaw, et al. - $750,000 settlement for a twenty two year old woman who received pelvic, liver, and lung injuries when her car was rear ended and forced into oncoming traffic by a driver in a stolen vehicle. The driver in the stolen vehicle was being pursued by a police officer in a high speed chase at the time of the collision.

School Negligence

Lewis, as the P.R. of the Estate of John Doe Shoff, et al. v. Longview School District No. 122, et al. - $690,000 settlement for the estate of a fifteen year old male high school student who killed himself with a gun shot to the head. A psychologist who worked for the school district failed to take reasonable preventative measures to stop the student, after he was informed that the student was suicidal.
Hintz, et al. v. Moses Lake School District, et al. – Confidential settlement for a thirteen year old female student and her family. The student received liver, nerve, and arm injuries after being shot in the back by a fellow student who killed other people during a shooting spree on school premises.

Premises Liability

Brettoner, et al. v. Neyhart, et al. - $1,250,000 settlement for a nine year old girl. The girl was kicked in the head by a horse, while on a horse farm, when she was negligently supervised by an employee. As a result of the kick, the girl has a severe brain injury. Co-counsel: Larry Barokas.
Medina, et al. v. Puget Sound Builders NW, Inc. - $750,000 settlement for a forty seven year old woman. The woman was waiting in line for coffee at an airport restaurant when a heavy sheet of glass fell on her foot causing fractures, and complex regional pain syndrome.

* Co-counsel indicates lawyers who have associated the Law Offices of James S. Rogers.