Landmark Cases

Our attorneys have worked on some of the most important cases in the country. Our mission is to make a difference, and our cases make America safer.

• Safer Fuel Tanks
  In one of the largest recoveries in U.S. history, a jury found General Motors guilty of negligently designing the fuel tank in a family station wagon, driven by the McGee family, that exploded after a low speed crash. The McGees suffered horrible burns and young Shane McGee died. After discovering secret design documents that General Motors had hidden for years, our efforts lead to expanded public access to these secret design documents, which General Motors turned over only after the threat of criminal prosecution and contempt. The McGee case and the information in these secret documents was covered by the New York Times, USA Today, CNN and 60 Minutes.
• Safer Pharmaceuticals
  Baxter International, Inc. is a global healthcare company with worldwide subsidiaries and annual sales of $9.5 billion. It sells medical devices, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology. Baxter manufactures and sells a medicine called Gammagard for patients with compromised immune systems. Baxter chose not to utilize a viral inactivation process and many of the Gammagard lots became contaminated with an active Hepatitis C virus. Hepatitis C kills 10,000 Americans every year and is a leading cause of liver failure. After the infection of our clients and many others, Baxter introduced Gammagard S/D. The S/D marking reflects that the product was treated with solvents and detergents that kill viruses, including HIV and hepatitis.
• Defective Equipment for Firefighters Recalled
  A Broward County Firefighter was conducting routine maintenance on his oxygen equipment when it exploded, burning over 32% of his body. These LSP oxygen regulators had exploded many times before, igniting firefighters, paramedics and patients from coast to coast. Allied, the manufacturer of the regulators, settled the case during trial after our interrogation of Allied’s representative. The LSP regulators were recalled after the Williams fire.
• Safer Seatbelts
  Seatbelts sometimes unlatch or fail during collisions. When the occupant is ejected, the police (and even the victim’s family) assume that the seatbelt was never worn. These cases are notoriously hard to prove and win, but we did just that for a man whose seatbelt unlatched during a crash, leaving him paralyzed. He was working the night shift as a favor to a friend and coming home the morning of the Fourth of July to barbecue for his family when he was struck by a car that ran a red light. The automotive manufacturer and seatbelt maker settled for an unprecedented amount.
• Better Medical Care and Less Power for HMOs
  A young girl’s mother brought her to the doctor. Her pediatrician suspected a brain tumor and ordered a CT scan of the brain. Her HMO overruled that decision and denied the CT scan. We successfully moved the Court for an order allowing a claim for “punitive damages” which are intended to punish intentional misconduct. The HMO and other defendants settled prior to trial. Now, the HMO no longer requires pre-approval for CT scans.