Defense verdicts happen, even in this era of nuclear verdicts and post-Covid distrust!
LJUK’s trial team of Scott Toomey, Keith Gibson, and Keith Sipprelle recently won a defense verdict in a bicycle helmet product liability design defect case after a trial that spanned four weeks in the Santa Cruz County Superior Court. Plaintiff, a former pilot for United Airlines, sustained a skull fracture and permanent disabling brain injuries in an unwitnessed single bike accident. Arguing the helmet’s energy absorbing material failed to prevent the injuries, Plaintiff’s counsel asked the jury for more than $20 Million. The 12-member jury rejected the argument outright. It unanimously found the helmet design contained no defect.
The outcome was not only a victory for the manufacturer, but also for LJUK’s ability to efficiently and effectively prepare and try cases with a team gathered from multiple offices. The team on this trial included lawyers from LJUK’s offices in Pennsylvania (Toomey), New York (Gibson), and California (Sipprelle).
