Jurimatic: Verdicts and Settlements

Following a high-stakes trial in Los Angeles Superior Court, a jury held the State of California and a government employee responsible for a devastating 2022 freeway collision. The legal battle centered on a motor vehicle accident that left the plaintiff with permanent physical impairments and staggering medical costs. The final judgment, totaling more than $32.8 million, reflects the jury’s assessment of severe physical trauma and the lifelong loss of earning capacity suffered by the victim.

The legal battle began following a violent encounter on March 2, 2019, that claimed the life of Justin Garza. His parents, Joseph and Sarah Garza, initiated a civil lawsuit against Randy Kutchuwah Windwalker Jones in the Superior Court of California, County of Fresno. The litigation sought to hold Jones accountable for the fatal shooting of their son during a dispute over a debt in a Motel 6 parking lot. Despite defense arguments claiming comparative fault, a Fresno jury reached a unanimous decision on April 10, 2025, finding Jones liable. The Court awarded the Plaintiffs a total of $11 million in compensatory damages for the past and future loss of their son's love, companionship, and moral support.

Ross Byer, a former police officer for the City of La Palma, alleged that he faced a hostile work environment and racial discrimination under the supervision of Sergeant Koh. Byer, a Caucasian officer, claimed that Koh openly expressed a desire for an "all-Korean police force" and pressured him to engage in unethical policing, including profiling minority suspects. After Byer reported these concerns to department leadership, he faced intensified scrutiny and poor performance reviews, which he argued were retaliatory. The legal battle culminated in a jury finding that the City's actions led to Byer's constructive discharge and that racial bias was a motivating factor in his treatment. On December 9, 2025, an Orange County jury awarded Byer $8.4 million for past and future emotional distress, marking a significant victory against municipal workplace discrimination.

Since at least January 2019, Allstate has been overcharging California policyholders by inflating the square footage of their homes in premium calculations. Specifically, the company allegedly included built-in garages in the 'Total Finished Living Area'—space typically meant for human occupancy—and then added it again to reach the 'Total Living Area'. This 'double-counting' method led to thousands of policyholders paying higher premiums than required by their actual home size. For the lead plaintiff, this resulted in her 1,154 square foot home being billed as 1,438 square feet.

The legal battle began after what was supposed to be a routine medical procedure at Sharp Memorial Hospital on January 26, 2023. Phuong Ho sought treatment for a benign pituitary tumor. Her neurosurgeon, Dr. Sohaib Kureshi, recommended surgical removal, and the team utilized a computer guidance system to navigate the delicate area near the brain. However, during the operation, the surgical instruments struck Ms. Ho’s carotid artery. This catastrophic error immediately triggered a severe stroke, fundamentally altering her life. The surgical accident left Ms. Ho with permanent and profound physical and cognitive disabilities. She emerged from the procedure with impaired speech and restricted physical movement, including paralysis and spasticity on the right side of her body. Simple tasks like gripping or holding objects became impossible. Beyond the physical limitations, she suffered from aphasia, memory loss, and significantly diminished cognitive abilities. On December 18, 2025, a San Diego jury found Dr. Sohaib Kureshi negligent. The jury determined his actions were a substantial factor in causing the harm and awarded total damages of $18,056,888 to Ms. Ho and her husband for medical expenses, lost earnings, and loss of consortium.

The legal battle between Pilot Thomas Logistics (PTL) and the City and County of San Francisco began after a persistent oil sheen appeared on the San Francisco Bay in August 2020. Federal investigations by the EPA traced the leak to an underground pipeline near Hyde Street Harbor, which PTL operated but the Port of San Francisco had designed decades earlier. PTL alleged that the city provided a defective facility and failed to maintain a functional leak-detection system, leading to a massive red-dye biodiesel spill. This incident forced the closure of PTL’s marine fuel terminal and triggered extensive cleanup and remediation costs. While the city argued that PTL was responsible for the leak due to operational negligence, the parties ultimately reached a $55,000,000 settlement to resolve claims of breach of contract, negligence, and environmental indemnity.

Dr. Matthew Heckman, a family physician specialized in obstetrics, filed a lawsuit against UPMC Susquehanna and North Penn Comprehensive Health Services following his termination in April 2020. Dr. Heckman, who had served as Chief Medical Officer, alleged he was fired for blowing the whistle on what he described as UPMC’s illegal corporate control over North Penn, a Federally Qualified Health Center. He claimed the health system prioritized profits over rural patient care, specifically regarding obstetric services and clinic closures during the pandemic. The Defendants denied these claims, asserting that Dr. Heckman was the one who breached his contractual duties. On December 4, 2025, a federal jury in Pennsylvania found that while a contract existed and a breach occurred, the Defendants' actions resulted in $40,000 in damages for the Plaintiff.

In a significant first-party insurance dispute, Carlex Glass America, LLC secured a $14.4 million jury verdict against Sompo America Insurance Company following a trial in the Middle District of Tennessee. The case stemmed from a tornado that struck the area surrounding a Carlex manufacturing facility, causing extensive damage to specialized float line equipment. While Carlex operated under a "Comprehensive All Risk" policy, Sompo denied full compensation, leading to claims for breach of contract and declaratory relief. The jury deliberated on whether Sompo had failed its obligations regarding both physical property damage and "time element" losses. Ultimately, the jurors found Sompo liable for the equipment damage but ruled in favor of the insurer regarding the business interruption claims, as Carlex did not sufficiently prove those specific financial losses were caused by the covered peril. The final judgment, entered on January 30, 2026, awarded Carlex the full $14.4 million for its property damage claims.

Fabiola Benison’s family outing to the Miami Seaquarium turned into a multi-year legal battle after she tripped on a vertically separated section of asphalt. The fall resulted in permanent injuries to her right hand, leading to a lawsuit against Festival Fun Parks, LLC and Palace Entertainment Holdings, LLC. While the defense argued the hazard was "obvious" and that Benison was at fault for not seeing it, the jury disagreed. They found the park 100% negligent for failing to maintain safe walkways, awarding Benison $520,000 for medical expenses and significant pain and suffering.

The legal battle between Cleber Barbosa Silva and Roberto Caldero concluded in the Hartford Superior Court following a dispute over a 2023 motor vehicle collision. Silva alleged that while he traveled south on New Park Avenue, Caldero abruptly changed lanes without signaling, causing a rear-end impact that sent Silva’s vehicle into a curb. Silva sought damages for neck and back injuries, citing medical expenses and a diminished quality of life. However, the defense successfully argued that Silva contributed to the accident through inattentiveness and following too closely. On December 19, 2025, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the Defendant, Roberto Caldero, awarding no damages to the Plaintiff.

On a clear morning in September 2019, Andre Cenous and his three passengers were stopped in traffic at a Miami intersection when a City of Miami vehicle, driven by Officer Calzadilla, struck them from behind. The impact led to a four-year legal battle as the occupants claimed the collision caused permanent physical impairments and significant mental anguish. While the City admitted the officer was on duty, the defense successfully argued that the minor impact did not cause the extensive medical issues reported by the Plaintiffs. In October 2025, a Miami-Dade jury agreed with the defense, finding that the accident was not the legal cause of the Plaintiffs' injuries and awarding zero damages.

In the matter of Janeen Duarte v. Rivera's Landscaping LLC and Mario Alberto Estrada-Macias, the Plaintiff sought damages following a two-vehicle collision on July 21, 2021, on Danbury Road in Wilton, Connecticut. Duarte alleged that while she was stationary and preparing to turn into a Shell gas station, Estrada-Macias—operating a vehicle for Rivera's Landscaping—struck her from behind. The Plaintiff cited negligence, including failure to keep a proper lookout and following too closely, claiming the impact resulted in cervical and lumbar strains, exacerbation of spinal disc conditions, and lost earning capacity. Despite Duarte's detailed medical testimony and claims of vicarious liability against the landscaping company, the defense challenged the extent of the negligence and the causality of the injuries. Following a trial in the Superior Court of the Judicial District of Stamford/Norwalk, the jury returned a verdict on January 28, 2026, in favor of the Defendants on all counts. Judge Bothwell accepted the verdict, resulting in no financial recovery for the Plaintiff.