Personal Injury Results and Settlements

As personal injury attorneys, the members of The Cartwright Law Firm, Inc. are proud of our record in achieving notable settlements and verdicts in all types of personal injury and wrongful death cases. Please take a few minutes to read about some of our recent San Francisco personal injury case settlements and case verdict results. You will see that The Cartwright Law Firm fights aggressively and wins for its clients.

Accidental injury occurs in so many situations: automobile accidents, unwitting use of faulty products, aviation disasters, dog bites, falls. When an accident is caused by someone’s deliberate disregard for the law or sheer negligence, the very least the injured party deserves is firm, compassionate legal counsel capable of negotiating a generous settlement or bringing litigation to a successful conclusion.

Past case settlements and recent verdicts show that The Cartwright Law Firm’s credo of providing our clients with care, commitment and concern produces outstanding results at the negotiating table or in civil court.

OUR MOST RECENT SETTLEMENTS/VERDICTS (2009):

Muni Bus Drags & Injures Plaintiff- $555,000 The plaintiff was riding a San Francisco Muni bus, and while exiting was caught in the door of the vehicle and dragged under the bus.  The vehicle ran over him causing serious bodily injuries.

Vioxx Settlement:  A retired, married man in perfect health, had five children, and took Vioxx.  As a result of the drug, he had a heart attack and died.  His family received a settlement of $319,200.

Dangerous Condition of Property-$199,000 Our client suffered serious injuries as a result of landscape negligence on a property where a dangerous condition existed and the landowner knew about it, but failed to notify our client. 

Lead Paint Exposure-$100,000 A case of environmental exposure in a dwelling where lead paint was used in the residence.  The defendant told the residents that there was no lead present on the property, yet we proved otherwise and our clients were compensated for their injuries. 

Vioxx Settlement: The plaintiff was a San Mateo resident who suffered a massive heart attack after taking Vioxx for only 2 months.  She died leaving a husband, four sons and grandchildren.  We obtained an award of $615,600 for her family.

Pedestrian vs. Automobile- $150,000 A nurse was in a clearly marked crosswalk and was struck by a taxi cab and severely injured.  Our client was thrown fifteen feet onto the asphalt pavement and was harmed by the impact.

Vioxx Settlement: Plaintiff was a man from Alameda County in his 50’s who took Vioxx for osteoarthritis.  He had a heart attacked as a result of using the drug, but fortunately survived. He received $326,800 as a result of our work on his behalf.

Defective Bicycle Helmet-$137,500 Our client received a settlement after riding his bicycle while using a newly purchased helmet.  He crashed his bicycle, and his helmet was shown to be defective and failed to protect his head as it was supposed to do.

Vioxx Settlement: A retired postal worker, who took Vioxx, had a massive heart attack as a result.  Our client is now permanently disabled.  He was awarded $267,900.

Defective Ladder Caused Serious Injury-$125,000 The plaintiff bought a ladder from a major retailer that was defective. When he used the product in the manner which it was intended, it failed and caused him severe injuries. 

Vioxx Settlement: Our client was a volunteer teacher from Lake County who was married to a medical doctor. She took Vioxx for 6 months, and as a result had a heart attack while driving her car to school.  She subsequently died at the wheel of her automobile, though had no discernible injuries from the auto accident.  We received $621,300 for her family.

Pedestrian vs. Automobile- $100,000 A client was struck by an automobile when she was in a crosswalk and the driver was inattentive.  Our client received serious personal injuries as a result of the collision.

Pedestrian vs. Automobile- $100,000 Our client, a gentleman on vacation in San Francisco, was in a clearly marked crosswalk and was struck by an inattentive driver. Thrown onto the roof of the vehicle upon impact, our client sustained serious injuries due to the driver’s carelessness.  

Vioxx Settlement: The plaintiff, a cardiologist, had taken Vioxx for approximately 2 years.  One morning he realized that he was having heart attack symptoms and he drove himself to the hospital.  While there he had a heart attack and was revived by hospital staff that used a defibrillation device to bring him back to life.  We achieved an award of $248,500 on his behalf.

Rear-end Car Accident-$100,000 In this vehicle vs. vehicle car accident, our client was rear-ended by defendant’s car.  Plaintiff suffered serious back injuries as a result of the defendant’s negligence.

Vioxx Settlement: A retired man, who just bought 20 acres of land in Northern California, had a heart attack due to having taken Vioxx.  As a result, he died from a heart attack and his family received a $735,300 settlement.

Pedestrian vs. City-Owned Automobile- $100,000 A pedestrian was struck while crossing a city street. She was injured by the vehicle which struck her and she suffered serious bodily injuries.  The vehicle was owned and operated by a Northern California city worker, and our client was not at fault.

Truck Passenger Received Settlement-$95,000 Our client was a passenger in a truck driven by in a reckless driver.  The plaintiff suffered substantial injuries and the defendant was shown to be impaired while driving.

Dangerous Condition of Public Business Property-$95,000 Our client was buying granite and while in the warehouse, a large slab of granite smashed his foot and leg causing severe damage and permanent injuries.  We helped him receive a fair settlement for his injuries.

AND OTHER SMALLER SETTLEMENTS/VERDICTS...

NOTABLE SETTLEMENTS/VERDICTS FROM 2008:

Stepping on Spike/Possible Amputation - $1.35 Million settlement
Plaintiff suffered a foot injury after stepping on a submerged snap tie at a Northern California sulfur prilling plant. The snap tie was allegedly left behind following a construction project near the sulfur pit, wherein the incident occurred. Plaintiff was performing maintenance on a sump pump located in the sulfur pit, which had 1-2 feet of standing water. Plaintiff, a diabetic, faced a likelihood of leg amputation from the knee down.

SF Muni Bus Collision/Wrongful Death - $555,000 settlement Decedent, an 89-year old man, became trapped in the rear door of a San Francisco Muni bus when the door closed on his jacket and pulled away from the curb. He was spun around and dragged a short distance before being run over by the back wheels of the bus. The plaintiffs were his two adult daughters who were not financially dependent on decedent and did not reside with him.

Golf Cart Crash/Facial Scar - $325,000 settlement Plaintiff, a 12 year old girl, sustained a substantial laceration to her face when the golf cart she was driving at Bay Area golf course crashed into a tree. Plaintiff was riding in the golf cart with her friend and her friend's grandfather, who was the Course Marshall, who was on the job. Plaintiff was left with a 4-inch scar on her forehead, which can be improved with scar revision surgery, but will not be performed for several years due to hormonal changes in the teenager.

U-Haul Accident/Broken Femur - $200,000 settlement Plaintiff, a 59-year old woman, was run over by a U-Haul truck that she had rented while she was exiting the vehicle. Plaintiff intended on moving some items from the U-Haul to her car and left the engine running and had not set the parking brake. Plaintiff thought she had put the car in park, but because the dash lights were either not functional or in the off position, she was unable to see. The police found Plaintiff to be 100% at fault for the accident. Discovery did not reveal any defects with the truck.

Home Improvement (Ladder Fall)/Broken Orbital Bone - $200,000 settlement Plaintiff, a 34-year old illegal immigrant from El Salvador, was hired off the streets of South San Francisco by a homeowner to help with home repairs. After being brought to the house to perform some spackling in a light well, the plaintiff fell 15 feet when the ladder that was set up for him failed. The homeowner and the plaintiff did not speak a common language and had difficulty communicating. TCLF alleged that the homeowner was negligent for hiring an unlicensed contractor to perform sophisticated work and for creating an unsafe work environment.

Pedestrian Injury/Rotator Cuff Tear - $150,000 settlement Plaintiff, a 51-year old woman, was hit in a cross-walk by a San Francisco taxi and suffered a torn rotator cuff that required surgery. Plaintiff was a registered nurse and missed 5-6 months of work as a result of the accident.

AND OTHER SMALLER SETTLEMENTS/VERDICTS...

OUR MOST SUCCESSFUL SETTLEMENTS/VERDICTS (LAST 10 YEARS):

Vioxx Litigation/Heart Attack and Stroke - $4.85 Billion settlement
The Cartwright Law Firm (TCLF) helped broker the biggest settlement in the history of drug litigation for as many as 20,000 plaintiffs nationwide that were injured or killed after ingesting Vioxx, an anti-inflammatory medication that was made and marketed by Merck. Robert Cartwright and Matthew Quinlan served on the Plaintiff's Steering Committee for the California coordinated actions, which consists of several thousand plaintiffs, several dozen of whom are represented by TCLF. TCLF was one of the first firms in the country to file a products liability suit against Merck, et. al., in 2002.

Deck Collapse - $12 million settlement
Plaintiff fractured her femur when a deck upon which she was standing collapsed injuring her, as well as numerous other persons and killing one person. Combined judgment for all plaintiffs was in excess of $12 million. Plaintiff sued the landlord claiming negligent maintenance and construction of the deck.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - $9 million settlement
Multiple flight attendants sued multiple manufacturers in connection with hand, wrist and arm injuries, primarily carpal tunnel syndrome, related to these food and beverage carts manufactured by a German manufacturer.

Hand Injury - $5.2 million settlement after verdict
Plaintiff, an experienced craftsman, accidentally amputated his right hand by using a radial arm saw. The hand was successfully re-attached. Plaintiff successfully alleged the saw lacked appropriate warnings and a lower blade guard. A jury awarded punitive damages against both the seller and the manufacturer.

Will Contest/Trust Litigation/Breach of Contract - $4.5 million settlement
Plaintiff, in a cross complaint alleged her uncle failed to execute a Will based upon a promise he made to her while still alive. Plaintiff sued to reform the Will. Defendant countersued claiming she was not entitled to funds contained in the decedent's bank accounts. She was a joint tenant.  This settlement was a post-tax amount.

Wrongful Death - Big Rig Collision - $3.5 million settlement
Plaintiffs were the wife and three children of the truck driver who was killed in a head-on collision with another big rig. Plaintiff alleged the opposing driver was negligent in handling his tractor trailer rig, which when he lost control on wet pavement, then skidded into the oncoming lane.

Seat Belt Injury - $2 million settlement
Plaintiff claimed major abdominal injuries "chance" fracture related to injuries sustained by a lap only seat belt. The case was brought against the manufacturer of the automobile.

Delivery Truck v. Pedestrian/Wrongful Death - $1,825,000 verdict
Plaintiff was the husband of decedent who was struck while a pedestrian in an intersection by a delivery truck.

Product Liability Burns - $1.4 million verdict
Plaintiff was left with a quarter size burn on his heel after chemicals leaked from a medical device. Against a zero offer, plaintiff obtained a $1.4 million jury verdict against Baxter Pharmaceutical.

Jet Ski Injury/Internal Injuries - Confidential settlement
Plaintiff received massive internal injuries when she fell directly off the back of a watercraft and into the jet stream of a dangerously designed high performance jet ski. Plaintiff sustained massive internal injuries to her rectum and vagina, but fortunately made a favorable physical recovery with her body returning to full working order, save a few residual symptoms, including substantial emotional damage and a 8-inch scar from a laparotomy.

Automobile Accident/Multiple Pelvis Fractures - $1,275,000 settlement
Plaintiff fractured her pelvis in multiple places after the driver of the car she was in fell asleep, swerved off the road, and crashed into a tree. Plaintiff was not seat-belted at the time and was seated in the middle backseat, so that the driver's family dog could sit next to the window. Plaintiff, although very active, was 68 years old. The three other people in the car were seat-belted and suffered no serious injuries.

Super Shuttle v. Pedestrian/Wrongful Death - $1.1 million settlement
Plaintiffs were three adult children of a single mother decedent who was struck and killed while a pedestrian by a Super Shuttle van. It was alleged that decedent was wearing dark clothes on a rainy night, crossing against the red light, with her jacket over her head, while under the influence (.23 blood alcohol).



OTHER PAST SETTLEMENTS/VERDICTS OF NOTE/INTEREST (LAST 10 YEARS) :

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - $950,000 judgment
Plaintiff tried and obtained a binding judgment against a zero offer in the amount of $950,000 for chronic fatigue resulting from a head on collision that the plaintiff was involved in.

Defective Knee Implant/Replacement - Confidential Settlement
Plaintiff underwent a knee implant procedure, with an initial excellent result. Plaintiff developed very severe pain in the right knee. The knee device failed and plaintiff was suffering from massive structural damage to her bones and surrounding tissues in the vicinity of the implant.

Vehicle Collision - Fractured Ankle, Emotion Distress, Lacerations - $809,000 settlement
Plaintiff was the right front seat belted passenger in a 1986 Volvo Sedan, driven by her deceased fiancé, which collided with an AC Transit bus where the traffic lights were out, due to the negligence of PG&E.

Jet Ski Race/Sports Injury - $800,000 settlement
Plaintiff was badly injured in a "jet skiing" competition. Plaintiff was hit by another fellow racer. A claim was brought against the race organizer alleging that the flag was not raised in a timely fashion to warn other competitors that a racer was "down" in the water.

Vehicular Rollover - Cervical Fusion - $650,000 settlement
Plaintiff was traveling eastbound on I-80 when he was rear-ended by a tractor-trailer and ejected from his vehicle which necessitated cervical fusion surgery.

Bus Crash - Fractured Nose, Bruised Breasts - $600,000 settlement
Plaintiff was injured while the bus in which she was riding hit a tree. Plaintiff suffered a severely fractured nose, as well as a deep bruise to her breast which resulted in a partial mastectomy.

Wrongful Death - Pedestrian vs. Auto - $537,000 settlement
Plaintiffs were two brothers of the deceased sister who was struck by a car in a crosswalk.

Non-displaced Nasal Fracture - $535,000 verdict
Plaintiff, a rising fashion model, suffered a non-displaced nasal fracture while an un-seat belted rear seat passenger in a taxi cab. Plaintiff successfully sued the car that the cab rear-ended on the freeway, alleging that that vehicle made a dangerous stop. Plaintiff suffered damage to her career as a result of missing 4-6 weeks while her nose healed. The offer in the case was $18,000. Plaintiff has now resumed her career.

Asbestos Exposure - Mesothelioma/Wrongful Death - $500,000 settlement
Decedent was exposed to asbestos.

Tire Blowout - Dislocated Knee - $400,000 settlement
Plaintiff sued Bridgestone/Firestone for tire failure on a 1978 Cortez Motor Home which went over an embankment when its tire blew out.

BBQ Explosion/Burns - $400,000 settlement
Plaintiff received second and third degree burns to her face, arms, hands and legs when her BBQ exploded when she tried to ignite it. Defendant Weber, and all of its component parts manufactures, which were bought in via cross-complaint, were uncertain as to the reason for the explosion. Plaintiff had a complete recovery and had no visible scarring or disfigurement. Plaintiff had more than 100k in medical billing and spent 10 days in the hospital to treat her burns.

Intentional Infliction of Emotion Distress - $300,000 settlement
Plaintiff was led to believe that she tested positive for the HIV virus and Hepatitis C by a former boyfriend and an employee at the blood bank where she was donating blood.

Fortune Teller Fraud - $125,000 settlement
Plaintiff claimed fortune teller defrauded her former husband out of a large sum of money.

Wrongful Death - $100,000 settlement
Plaintiff obtained a settlement on behalf of husband and two daughters, whose wife and mother was killed instantly in a collision with a School District janitor who may have been having a seizure.

Falling Objects at Home Depot - Broken Toes - $90,000 settlement
Plaintiff was standing in front of a forklift preparing to load the lumber onto his truck at Home Depot when a heavy 6x6 post suddenly fell four feet from the forklift onto his left foot, splitting his big toe and crushing two of his other toes.

Moped Crashes in Bus Shelter - Fractured Ankle - $90,000 settlement
Plaintiff was a Texas eye doctor who, after signing a release, and indicating on the rental form that he had a valid motorcycle license, rented a scooter, passed a driving test in the garage and then failed to negotiate a right turn out of the garage, crashing through a bus shelter and severely fracturing his ankle. Defendants alleged that plaintiff assumed the risk.

Trip and Fall Shoulder Injury - $80,000 settlement
Plaintiff suffered a fractured right shoulder injury resulting from a trip and fall accident which occurred on the premises of Universal Studios.

Jones Act - Crushed Finger - $78,000 settlement
Plaintiff was seriously injured while serving as the third assistant engineer on the ship "MAHIMAHI" when a generator head fell on and crushed his finger.

Train Wreck - Minor Injury - $60,000 settlement
Husband and wife plaintiffs sustained personal injuries in the collision of an Amtrak train with a tractor and trailer at a private railroad crossing.

Contact The Cartwright Law Firm Today

Contact San Francisco personal injury lawyers at The Cartwright Law Firm today for more information about our practice. Representing clients in Oakland, San Jose, Sacramento, and Alameda, we provide free consultations and are available for evening and weekend appointments.