Jury Verdicts & Settlements

Latest jury verdicts, settlements, and legal outcome analysis

No Negligence Found in Capitola Whole Foods Injury Case

Dorinda Barnes filed a civil lawsuit against Whole Foods Market California, Inc. following an incident at the company’s Capitola store. Barnes alleged that both the store’s maintenance and the actions of an employee, Jacqueline Lequigan, were negligent and served as a substantial factor in causing her harm. In response, the defense argued that the company exercised ordinary care and that any injuries Barnes sustained were the result of prior or subsequent conditions unrelated to the store. Following a trial in the Santa Cruz Superior Court in early 2026, a twelve-person jury returned a unanimous verdict finding no negligence on the part of the supermarket or its employee. Consequently, the Court entered a judgment in favor of the Defendant, ruling that the Plaintiff would take nothing from the action.

Premises Liability

$200,000 Verdict in Boca Raton Walmart Slip and Fall

The Defendant had actual knowledge of the dangerous condition as another WALMART customer slipped and fell in the exact same subject area, approximately 10 minutes prior to the subject incident involving the Plaintiff, in the presence of a WALMART employee, thereby being foreseeable and avoidable.

Premises Liability

Florida Jury Rules Against Insurer in Bad Faith Lawsuit

After a 2015 shooting at a Fort Pierce lodge took the life of Tanya Renee Oliver, a multi-million dollar legal battle erupted over who would pay for the tragedy. While a state Court awarded the victim's estate over $3.3 million for negligent security, the lodge’s insurer refused to cover more than a $50,000 sublimit. A federal jury later determined that the insurance company had acted in bad faith. The jury found that the company failed to settle the claim when it had the opportunity, leaving the policyholder exposed to a massive financial judgment.

Premises Liability

Cruise Line Liability: Jury Awards $300k in Alcohol Lawsuit

Diana Sanders, a California resident, sought a relaxing getaway aboard the Carnival Radiance in January 2024, but her vacation ended in a medical emergency. After ship staff served her approximately fourteen alcoholic drinks in less than nine hours, Sanders lost her balance and suffered a severe fall down a staircase. The resulting lawsuit alleged that Carnival’s "Cheers!" drink package and "party atmosphere" encouraged dangerous over-consumption. While Carnival argued that Sanders’ intoxication was an "open and obvious" risk she chose to take, a Miami jury determined that the cruise line’s failure to monitor its service was a primary cause of her traumatic brain injury. The jury awarded $300,000 in damages, though they reduced the final payout by 40% to account for the Plaintiff's own negligence in the incident.

Premises Liability

Shopping Aisle Injury Leads to $4.1M Home Depot Verdict

What began as a routine trip to a Home Depot in Los Angeles turned into a life-altering disaster for shopper Gerard Dunn. While he was navigating the store's aisles, unsecured heavy merchandise plummeted from a high shelf, striking him and causing significant physical and neurological damage. Mr. Dunn filed a negligence lawsuit against the retail giant, arguing that the store failed to maintain safe shelving practices. Despite Home Depot's attempts to shift the blame, a jury found the company fully liable, awarding Dunn over $4.1 million to cover his extensive medical bills, lost wages, and ongoing pain and suffering.

Premises Liability

Grocery Store Slip and Fall: $947K Connecticut Verdict

Theodora Sirota visited The Crown Market in West Hartford to purchase groceries on October 1, 2020. As she pushed a shopping cart toward the store's entrance, the cart's wheel caught on a large rubber floor mat that was folded over and not lying flat against the ground. The sudden obstruction caused the cart to flip, throwing Ms. Sirota violently onto the pavement. She sustained life-altering injuries, including a complex femur fracture that required surgery, as well as heart and nerve complications. While the store denied negligence and blamed the Plaintiff for failing to watch her step, a jury found the business 83% liable for the hazardous entryway. The legal proceedings concluded with a nearly $1 million final award to cover her extensive medical bills and ongoing physical suffering.

Premises Liability

Dog Bite Lawsuit Wins $100K Verdict Under Strict Liability

A San Bernardino County jury awarded $100,000 to a woman who suffered permanent disfigurement after a dog tore her lip apart at a Fontana residence. The verdict found liability under California's Dog Bite Statute while rejecting negligence and premises liability claims against all three Defendants.

Premises Liability

LA Teen Pedestrian Struck at Dangerous Intersection Settles

In August 2019, a 15-year-old boy was struck by a vehicle while crossing near the intersection of Maple Avenue and East 37th Street in Los Angeles, suffering catastrophic and life-altering injuries. The teenager, through his mother and Guardian ad Litem, filed suit against the City of Los Angeles in February 2020, alleging that the intersection constituted a "trap" for pedestrians and drivers due to poor visibility, the absence of proper traffic signals, non-reflective stop signs, inadequate lighting, missing speed limit signage, and a lack of traffic-calming measures such as speed bumps. The collision left the young Plaintiff with permanent orthopedic injuries that severely restricted his mobility, multiple fractures, second- and third-degree burns across his body, and a possible traumatic brain injury, alongside significant emotional distress and mental anguish. The lawsuit sought compensation for emergency and lifelong medical treatment, lost future earning capacity, and pain and suffering. Following extensive discovery into the City's records of prior accidents and neighborhood complaints, the parties reached a conditional settlement, formally noticed with the Los Angeles County Superior Court on April 9, 2024, with dismissal anticipated by October 31, 2024. The settlement funds were structured to provide for the Plaintiff's ongoing medical care and long-term needs into adulthood, reflecting the permanent nature of his injuries and diminished earning capacity.

Premises Liability

West Covina Patio Fall Lawsuit Ends in Good Faith Deal

A routine afternoon visit to a West Covina home turned into a life-altering ordeal for Dennis Brown when he fell from a dangerously high patio step at the Fusaro residence on South Meeker Avenue. The homeowners had recently renovated their outdoor space with new stone pavers, but they skipped the city permit process, leaving a nine-inch drop where a standard seven-inch step should have been. With no handrails or visual markers to warn guests of the change in floor height, Brown stepped through the doorway expecting solid ground and instead pitched forward onto the hard pavers below. The fall caused severe injuries that left him with chronic pain, reduced mobility, and mounting medical bills. Brown sued for negligence and premises liability, while the Fusaros pushed back with claims of comparative fault and argued the step was open and obvious. After nearly four years of litigation, the parties reached a conditional settlement in May 2025, and the Court later approved a good faith settlement that shielded Victoria Fusaro from any further claims tied to the case.