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VerdictSearch
The National Law Journal's largest verdicts of 2001
Also: Top Defense Wins
Where case names are hotlinked, click to see the full case report from VerdictSearch.com.
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Boeken v. Phlllp MorrisInc.
Ll"J" . '
Md.la i
1 $3,006,000,000 Products liabnity
2 $1,060,000,000Environmental Damage
3 $540,000,000 Breach of contract dass action
4 $480,000,000 Products liability
5 $454,500,000 Breach of contract
6 $388,910,000 Fraud
I. $312,710,000 Nursing home negligence
II. $256,000,000 Personal injury
III. $150,000,000 Asbeslos personal injury
9 $150,000,000 Malicious prosecution
99 $140,000,000 Palent infringement
100 $139,700,000 Breach of contract
101 $130,000,000 Asbestos personal injury
102 $116,000,000 Paten! Infringement
103 $114,870,000 Medical malpractice
16 $108,240,000 Fraud
Los Angeles Super. Cl, No. BC 226593 (June 6, 2001)
Grefer v Aloha Technical
Orleans Parish, La., Dist. Ct., No. 97-15004 (May 22, 2001)
Allaoanah Service• v. Enon
S.D. Fla., No. 91-0986 (Feb. 20.
2001)
Cassoutt v. Cessna Aircraft Co Escambia Co., Fla., Cir. Ct, No. 91 2939-CA-01 (Aug. 15, 2001)
COC Services Ltd. v. CompUSA
In&.
Dallas Co., Texas. Dist Ct., No.
8358-f (Feb. 8, 2001)
Univeraa,1 ExpfiM Inc y. Select Capital Advisors Inc.
Miami-Dade Co., Fla., Cir. Ct, No. 98-08358 CA01(July 25, 2001)
Fugua y Horizon/CMS Healthcare Corp
N.D. Texas, No. 4-98CV1087Y (Feb. 9, 2001)
Jenkins v. Ranger Construction
Palm Beach Co., Fla., Cir. Ct., No. 98009025AN, No. CL0000169AN (July 11, 2001)
John9 n v. A &S Manufacturln
Holmes Co., Miss.• Cir. Ct., No. 2000-181 (Oct. 27, 2001)
Potamkln v Reinke
Phlladelphia Ct C.P., Sept 1998 Term. No. 0005 (Sept 24, 2001)
Cardiac Pacemakeni ID!j v SI. Jude Medical Inc.
S.D. Ind., No. IP96-1718-CH/G (July 3, 2001)
Marls Distributing Co. v.
Anheuser-Busch Inc. Alachua Co., Fla., Cir. Ct., No. 97CA22 (Aug. 3, 2001)
Ben v prgs!uu Industries Inc. Orange Co., Texas, Dist. Ct., No. A 920,961-SC19 (Sept. 12, 2001)
X-lt Products v. Watter Kidde Portable Equipment Inc.
E.O. Va., No. 2:00.CV-513 (Aug.
17, 2001)
Evans y St Mary's Hospl!a1 of Brooklyn
New Yori< Co., N.Y., Sup. Ct, No.
4038191 (Nov. 9, 2001)
de Ayala v.Brlnlngham
Webb Co., Texas, Dist Ct., No. 98- CVQ-01092-03 (May 17, 2001)
Reduced. on appeal
On appeal
On appeal
On appeal
Part reversed, on
appeal
Pending collection
SetHed
Part settled
In motions
Seeking collection
In motions
Remitted, on appeal
On appeal
In motions
In motions
Reversed
• $107,800,000 Medical malpractice
• $100,000.000 Productsliability
• $96,400,000 Breach of contract
• $94,500,000 Breach of contract
• $90,010,000 Employment dass action
22 $88,500,000 Civil RICO
97 $85,640,000 Personal injury
98 $82,000.000 Nursing home negligence
99 $80,000,000 Products liability
100 $78,430,000 Nurs'1ng home negrigence
101 sn,500,000 Breach of contract
102 $75,400,000 Securi6es fraud
103 $75,ooo.ooo Medical malpracUce
29 $75,000.000 Breach of contract
31 $73,760,000
Breach of contract class acUon
32 $73,400,000 Breach of con\ract
33 $71,270,000 Fraud
95 $64,500.000 Breach of contract
96 $56,550,000 Products liability
97 $55,500.000 Asbestos personal injury
98 $55,320,000 Products liability
99 $55,000,000 Medical malpractice
38 $55,000,000 Products liability
4D $51,640,000 Personal injury
Burch v. Children's Hgsp!tal of - Orange County Thrift Stores Inc;
Orange Co., Calif., Super. CL, No. OOCC00620 (May 24, 2001)
Service Vending Co y Wal-Mart
41 $51,500,000 Tortious interference
42 $50,800,000 Fraud
43 $50,690,000 Fraud
44 $50,030,000 Nursing home negligence
45 $47,500,000 Fraud, breach or contract
45 $46,580,000 Patent lnfringemen\
47 $45,000,000 Consumer fraud class action
45 $44,730,000 Personal injury
88 $44,610,000 Wrongful death
89 $44,040,000 Medical malpracUce
90 $44,000,000 Personal injury
Lawrence Co., Mo., Cir. CL (June 20, 2001)
LncksbiJWy G09drich Cgm.
Orange Co., Calif., Super. Cl, No. OOCC05238(May18, 2001)
Youd v. Western International Modia
Los Angeles Super. Ct, No. BC
195853 (March 23, 2001)
Copeland v. Dallas Hgme for Jewish Aged Inc.
Dallas Co.. Texas, Dist Cl., No. 9
04690 (May 21, 2001)
GATX/Alriog Co. v. Evergreen International Airlines Inc.
N.D. C31if., No. C gs-2494 (March
1, 2001)
Honeywe!l lntematlonal I nc. v. Ham!lton Sundstrand Com
D. Del., No. 99 CV 309 (Feb. 16,
2001)
Peten;on v. BASF Cgm
N01TT1an Co., Minn., Dist CL, No. CS-98-656 (Dec. 6, 2001)
Ram°' v. Bav Inc.
Jim Wells Co., Texas, Dist Cl,No. 98-02-36425 (Dec. 13, 2001)
Bay Co., Fla., Cir. CL, No. 98-2818 (April 16, 2001)
OkebM v. Ramenqfr;!sy
Kings Co., N.Y., Super. CL, No. 6466197 (June 5, 2001)
Manes v. DalmlerChrysler Corp. Knox Co., Tenn., err. Cl., No. 2- 537-00 (Sept 20, 2001)
On appeal
On appeal
On appeal
Part seWed, on appeal
On appeal
In motions
Pending motions
Seeking collection
No liability for defense
In motions
Chandlen.Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
91 $43,800,000 Environmental property damage Hale Co., Ala., Cir. CL, No. CV 97-
071 (Oct 3, 2001)
In motions
92 $43,500,000 Personal injury
Becker v T!d!!Wj!ler Inc;
W.D. La., No. 99-1198(July19, 2001)
On appeal
54 $43,000,000 / Products liability / Sanchez v Parke-Davis Co. Nueces Co., Texas, Disl Cl,No. / Settled00-6523-F (Dec. 21, 2001)
Stinson y Boc!dn' W Trucking
55 $41,680,000 / Wrongfuldealh / Harris Co., Texas, Dist Ct, No. 98 / Remitted, resolved
08458 (March 16, 2001)
barrav.G H
86 $41,100,000 Personalinjury
In motions
87 $40,330,000 Asbestos personal injury
88 $3g,QOO,OOO Trade name infringement
89 $37,120,000 Personal iljury
90 $37,000,000 Medical malpracUce
91 $36,700,000 Breachofcontract
92 $35,200,000 Asbestos personal injury
Cargllav. ACandSI nc
Baltimore City Cir. CL, No. 24-X- 00000381 (Dec. 5, 2001)
NEON Systems Inc. v. New Era ofNAfwor1!;s Inc
Fort Bend Co.. Texas, Dist CL, No. 109,470 (June 1, 2001)
Morrlson v. Ahmad
New York Co.. N.Y., Sup. Ct., No. 108369/96 (Aug. 23, 2001)
Fallon v. Patel
Philadelphfa CL C.P., No. 9712- 0881 (Sepl 16, 2001)
Tedesco v. Paul Ravam Life
M.D. Fla., No. 8:99CV2552-T- 27MAP (June 24, 2001)
Wells v. Gasket Holdings Inc. fka Flexltalllc Inc.
Jefferson Co.. Texas, Dist Ct., No. A·161,745 (Feb.13, 2001)
In motions
Settled
Pending appeal
Setued
lnmolions
On appeal
78 $35,000,000 Medical malpractice
79 $33,000,000 Breach of contract
80 $32,160,000 Actuarial malpractice
81 $32,120,000 Insurance bad faith
82 $31,020,000 Medical malpractice
83 $30,700,000 Productsriabilily
84 $30,500,000 Employment, retaliation
70 $30,200,000 Medical malpractice
71 $30,000,000 Medical malpractice
71 $30,000,000 Insurance coverage
73 $29,740,000 Asbestos personal injury
74 $29,000,000 False daims
75 $28,600,000 Commercial fraud
76 $28,000.000 Wrongful death
IT $27,740,000 Wrongful death
63 $26,320.000 Personal injury
64 $25,700,000 Products liability
80 $25,200.000 Breach of contract
81 $25,00o.ooo Medical malpractice
62 $24,600,000 Fraud
83 $24,500,000 Wrongful death
84 $23,000.000 Medical malpractice
85 $22,630,000 Medical malpractice
56 $22,400.000 Personal injury
57 $22,200.000 Fraud, misrepresentation
Lopez v. New York City Health and Hospltals Corp.
Queens Co., N.Y., Super. Cl., No. 12228Jg1(May11, 2001)
Stoddart y. Peccole
Clark Co., Nev., Dist CL, No. A-
353258, (Jan.17, 2001)
Famham v, Watson Wyatt Co.
D. Conn., No. 3:gg CV 00792 (Feb. 23, 2001)
Ballard v. Fire Insurance
Travis Co., Texas, Dist. Ct., No. 05252 (June 1, 2001)
Ley!nsky v. Painter
New York Co., N.Y., Sup. Cl,No. 115754/00(Feb.1,2001)
Jimenez v. Ford Motor Co
Miami-Dade Co.. Fla., Cir. Cl, No. 9g.14353 CAog (Sept. 20, 2001)
Jones v. Toro Co
El Paso Co., Texas, Dist. Cl No. 2000-2429 (Nov. 11, 2001)
Hoaue v Columbia/HCA Healthcare Coro
Dallas Co., Texas, Dist Ct., No. DV99-01417-L (Nov. 8, 2001)
Brvant v L..aG@nge Memorial
Cook Co., 111., Cir. CL, No. g5 L 11679 (Aug. 8, 2001)
lntemat!onal Insurance Co v
N.D. Texas, No. CA#3-00CV0250-
P (Aug. 27, 2001)
Doug1M v North American Refractories Co.
Orange Co., Texas, Dist. Cl., No. 920,961-SC(14) (April 25, 2001)
Tutor-Saliba-Perini J.V v. Los Angeles County MTA
Los Angeles Super. CL, No. BC12355g (Aug. 1, 2001)
Suncor Deyelopment Co v Bernstrom Corp.
Maricopa Co., Ariz., Super. Cl, No. CV96-114n(March 15, 2001)
S!lxrond v Iax35 Department of
IrillW!2!!0!!on
Collin Co., Texas, Dist Cl., No. 296-782-97 (April 27, 2001)
Rapp v. Singh
E.D. Pa., No. 00-2741 (May g,
2001)
Diaz v. Cltv ofNrwYork
Kings Co., N.Y.. Super. Cl, No. 34949192 (Jan.17, 2001)
Lamberty General Motorn com San Bernardino Co., Calif., Super. CL, No. RCV RCV 19570 (Jan. 19, 2001)
Raytheon Co. v LeadetI nc
Hunt Co., Texas, Dist CL, No. 62,284 (Dec. 10, 2001)
westerv Check
Philadelphia CL C.P., Nov. Term 1997, No. 3833(May10, 2001)
State of Alabama v. Hunt Petroleum Corp.
Mobile Co., Ala., Cir. CL, No. CV· gg.2526 (Dec. 13, 2001)
Beddlngfleld v. Mercer Trucking Inc.
Jefferson Co., Ala.. Cir. CL, No. CVOD-0391 (Nov. 9, 2001)
Johnston v. Jackson HMA Inc. Hinds Co., Miss., Cir. Cl,No. 251- 99-1113 CIV(Oct. 5, 2001)
Washtenaw Co., Mich., Cir. Ct., No. gg.5226-NH (May 22, 2001)
Mosca v. Farallon Decatur Meadows Ud.
Clark Co., Nev., Dist. Cl, No.
.A.378165 (Dec. 17, 2001)
Laguna RHoursu Inc y Semlnole Electr!c C90gerat!ve
In<.
Walker Co., Ala., err. CL, No. CV g5.551 (June 25, 2001)
Settled
Reduced on
·udgment
Increased, resolved
On appeal
Net $15.4M, on appeal
In motions
Reduced, in motions
No liability for defense
lnmoUons
Judgment stayed
On appeal
Reduced, setUing
On appeal
collections
Settled
On appeal
Pending appeal
In collections
moUons
On appeal
On appeal
Resolved
Pending appeal
On appeal
49 $21,560.000 Wrongful death
50 $21,100,000 Personal injury
90 $21,050,000 Wrongful death
91 $21,000,000 Wrongful death
91 $21,000,000 Legal malpracce
93 $20,980,000 Peisonal injury
$20,800,000 Medical malpractlce
34 $20,500,000 Asbestos personal injury
35 $20,300,000 Products liability
Bonton v. Copperas Cove L.LC.
Bell Co., Texas, Dist CL, No.
183,293-8 (Dec.11, 2001)
Klmball v. Southern Callfmla Edison
Los Angeles Super. Cl.. No. BC
210020 {July 13, 2001)
Whitener v Aon Cqm
Cook Co., Ill., Cir. CL, No. 97 L
13636 {Jan. 23,2001)
Lopez v. Three Rivers Electric Cooperative
St. Louis City Cir. CL, No. 952·
09491 (June 5, 2001)
Wlltv.Durst
Orange Co., Calif., Super. CL, No.
810918 (Oct. 5, 2001)
Miami-Dade Co., Fla., Cir. Ct., No. 01-13370 CA 30 (Dec. 14, 2001)
Young v. Zllomer
Phlladelphla CL C.P., Maren Term 1999, No. 001993 (Nov. 16, 2001)
Hardcastle v. J-M AJC Pipe Corp.
Alameda Co., Calif., Super. Cl., No. 830058-2 (April 6, 2001)
In re Gramercy Planl Exploslon
at Kaiser
SI. James Parish, La., Disl Cl., No. 25975(Nov.19, 2001)
Reduced by caps
Net $16.g million
Net 15,g5 M, on appeal
On appeal
Seltled
Settled
In moUons
On appeal
NoliabilityfOI' defense
23 s20.ooo,ooo Products liability
24 $19,860,000 Asbestos personal injury
11 $19,700,000 Negligence, nuisance
12 $19,400,000 Breach cfrontract
iiM!"#
Borvszewskl v. Burke
Hudson Co., N.J.. Super. Cl,No.
HUD-L-972&-98 {Nov. 19, 2001)
Harlowv. Hapeman Brothers
Batumore City Cir. CL, No. 99- 001607 (March 20. 2001)
Seelke v. Buckeye Egg Fann LP.
Licking Co., Ohio, Cl C.P., No. 99 CV365 (SepL g, 2001)
Sonat Exploration Co. v. Cudd Pressure Control Inc.
Harrison Co., Texas, Dist.Cl., No. g9--0199-01(Aug.1,2001)
Top Defense Wins
Return to top
In motions
Reduced, on appeal
Seltled
On appeal
Aus!in v. Mon!ana Rail Link
Toxiclort D. Motil, No. CV 99-39-M-LBE (April 13, 2001)
Baker v Motorola Inc
Environmental damage Maricopa Co., Ariz., Super. CL, No. CV92·
02603 {May 22, 2001)
Products liability
Products liability
Ballinger v. Brush Wellman Inc.
Jefferson Co., Colo., Dist Cl., No. g5-ev. 2532 (June 26, 2001)
Benallides v !Jniroval G@drich Tire Co Jim Wells Co., Texas, Dist. Cl,No. 99-08- 37836 (Nov. 30, 2001)
In the first trial over claims of beryllium poisoning al the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant, Brush Wellman succeeds in holding the plant operators responsible.
Michelin wins a Ure-separation products defense in a plaintiff friendly county agalnstone ol the nation's hottest trial lawyer.>.
Violations of health care acl Tom Green Co., Texas, Dis!. Cl, No.
A991336-C (July 2, 2001)
Caban v Sedgwick Co Sheriffs Department
Civil rights
D. Kans., No. 98-1196-CM (May 21, 2001)
Cordts v E.I du Pont de Nemours Co
Enllironmental
E.D. Texas, No. 1:99CV85 (March 13, 2001)
Fontana v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.
In the first-ever trial over the Texas Health Care Uability Ac!, a jury finds a Texas HMO no! liable for the death of a patient who died after coverage was denied for a lung transplant.
Attorneys for a Kansas sheriffs department used the plaintiff's own testimony to convince a jury there was no racial harassment or hostile work environment.
A prominent family of Beaumonl, Texas, accuses DuPont of pollung family land, but DuPont defeats a
$170 million claim by educating the
jury on the geology of the locaUon.
The tobacco induslry wins the first secondhand smoke nigh! attendant
Products liability
Miami-Dade Co.. Fla., Cir. Ct.. No. 00- 01731CA (09) (April 5, 2001)
trial despile court findings that seltlemenl in class action constituted an admission of liability.
Patent infringement
Products liability
Intel Corp. v. Broadcom Corp.
D. Del.. No. 00-796RRM (Dec. 14, 2{)01)
In re Gramercy Plant Explosion at Kaiser St. James Parish, La., DisL CL, No. 25975 (Nov. 1g, 2001)
Lewis v. EGL Inc
In a bet the--company case covenng three-fourths of defendant
Broadcom Corp.'s product lines. a Delaware jury finds no infringement on either pa\ent al issue.
Multiple plaintiffs charge Thomas Betts wilh causing the electrical oulage that set off an explosion deslroying a plant, btJt after plaintiffs reject settlement a jury finds no liability.
The EEOC determines an African· American freight handler was
Employment discrimination W.D. Okla., No. Civ.-00-751-R (March 2g,
2001)
Mqier y Egrc:! Mo!or Co
subjected to harassment and discrimination and leads the civil
!rial, but a jury rejects the claim.
Despite adverse publicily over Ford Explorer rollover.; and Rrestone
Products liabllity
Invasion of privacy
Medical malpractice
Products Hability
Nur.iing home negligence
Breach of fiduciary duty
Products liability
Products liability
Civil rights
Hun! Co., Texas, Disl Cl, No. 58942 (April 4, 2001)
Marich v MGMNA Telecommunications Inc Los Angeles Super. Ct., No. BC176082 (Aug.
1. 2001)
Mauk v. Williams
Maricopa Co., Ariz., Super. CL, No. CV-99- 18707 (Mart:h 16, 2001)
Mt!rt:ado y Wamer-L.amberl Co.
Harris Co., Texas, Disl CL, No. 2000-42692
(Dec. 17. 2001)
Mgviqn v National Hea11h Cara Corn. Sarasota Co.. Fla.. Cir. CL, No. 20005138 CA
(Oct. 30, 2001)
0,3(Jand Raider.; v. National Football League Los Angeles Super. CL, No. BC 206388 (May 26,2001)
Palmer v Volkswagen of America Inc Hinds Co., Miss., Cir. CL, No. 251-gs-1112 (Marcil 27. 2001)