Laborer, two others die in fall at construction site
Published: August 23, 2010
Date: April 9, 2010
Amount of settlement: $2.63 million

A laborer was working on a mast-climber-type scaffold at a high-rise building construction project approximately 130 feet above the ground. The foreman removed the ties from the building once the scaffold was  no longer required believing that the cantilevered beam would hold without the scaffold, although the scaffold manufacturer states in its manual that the ties should not be removed without a crane in place to hold the scaffold steady. Once the ties were removed, the scaffold and platform fell to the street below, killing the worker, his foreman and a bystander on the ground. The worker's family brought suit against the general contractor, the scaffold manufacturer and the company that erected the cantilevered beam.

Motorcyclist's leg amputated following collision with limo
Published: August 09, 2010
Date: June 2010
Amount of settlement: $1 million

The plaintiff was operating a motorcycle when he collided with a limousine at an intersection. The motorcyclist suffered extensive damage to his left leg, which eventually had to be amputated.

Candle sparks condo fire; college student, tenant die
Published: February 08, 2010
Date: September 2009
Amount of settlement: $3.5 million

A college student and a tenant died in a fire at a Boston condominium. Power was out in the neighborhood due to an underground electrical fault and candles were being used for illumination. In the early morning hours, after the occupants of the condominium had gone to sleep, a fire broke out. The college student and one of the tenants died in the fire, while another occupant was injured. There was evidence that the condo building alarm did not sound in time to alert the occupants and that the smoke detector did not sound at all. The plaintiffs brought suit against the tenant, the condominium owner and the building owner and management.

Despite economic woes, large verdicts hold steady
Published: January 26, 2009
Amount of Settlement: $1.15 million

Drunk driver paralyzes friend in car wreck

Largest Verdicts & Settlements of 2007
Published: January 28, 2008
Date: October 2007
Amount of Settlement: $4.5 million

The civil suits alleged that improper actions on the company's part led to an explosion that caused severe injuries to two people. The negligence occurred when the propane delivery person for the company failed to check for an open gas line and failed to conduct an adequate leak check, which would have revealed an open gas line. The explosion occurred when one of the plaintiffs tried to light a cigarette, not knowing that propane sinks to the floor and loses its odor over time.

Largest Verdicts & Settlements of 2007
Published: January 28, 2008
Amount of Settlement: $6.5 million

The whistleblower became aware of fraudulent conduct by his employer. The relator and two others filed a False Claims Act complaint and participated in undercover operations against their employer. The relators were entitled to share in a percentage of the proceeds obtained by the government from the civil claim. The government also obtained a criminal indictment against the employer, resulting in a substantial fine. The relators challenged the allocation between the criminal fine and the civil recovery, alleging that the government unfairly increased the criminal fine and reduced the civil recovery to reduce the recovery to the relators.

'Misuse' of Pitocin results in delivery of stillborn
Published: January 07, 2008 Date: August 9, 2010
Amount of Settlement: $800,000

The plaintiff presented to the hospital in labor, had an artificial rupture of the membranes and was placed on an electronic fetal heart monitor. The plaintiff did not feel the sensation to push due to the strong epidural, so the epidural was stopped. She then developed a temperature of 101.2 degrees, and the defendant obstetrician ordered antibiotics and Pitocin to enhance her contractions and assist in delivery, but her temperature increased to 102 degrees, at which time she was given Tylenol. Shortly thereafter, a Caesarean section was performed because the fetal heart tracings demonstrated non-reassuring signs. But the baby was delivered stillborn. The defendant alleged that there was good variability in the fetal heart tracings and that pathology found evidence of chorioamnionitis and placental abruption several hours before delivery. The plaintiff retained experts to counter that evidence who said the defendant failed to recognize non-reassuring fetal signs; failed to diagnose an arrest of labor and descent; and misused Pitocin, resulting in uterine hyperstimulation and other matters.