$5.8 Million - Chemical Plant Explosion

MOSES LAKE – The client was severely burned externally and internally when a high-pressure gas line exploded and released several extremely hazardous chemicals. Hagens Berman contended that the gas line had suffered corrosion and cracking and was not of sufficient thickness to contain the high-temperature, high-pressure gasses. After arguing that the plant operator grossly neglected the gas pipe, trial counsel secured a multi-million dollar settlement for the three plaintiffs.

$3.3 Million - Personal Injury/Medical Malpractice

KITSAP COUNTY – A Hagens Berman client was injured in a motor vehicle accident. Upon investigation, it was determined that his subsequent medical care was grossly negligent resulting in life long and life altering injuries and damages. Hagens Berman secured a combined multi-million dollar settlement for the plaintiffs from two automobile insurance policies and from the negligent care facility.

$2.8 Million - Dept. of Corrections/Wrongful Death

UTAH – Hagens Berman represented two women injured when a former inmate supervised by the Washington State Department of Corrections went on a shooting spree. Hagens Berman reached the $2.8 million settlement right before trial after extensive negotiation with the State of Washington.

$2.6 Million - Elder Care Negligence 

In this landmark decision, the Washington State Court of Appeals addressed the issue of negligent case management by a government social worker. Jay Caulfield suffered from multiple sclerosis and required 24-hour care. The jury determined that a government social worker owes a duty of reasonable care to protect her disabled client from foreseeable harm. Here, Mr. Caulfield was abandoned by the social workers assigned to protect him, leading to severe and life-threatening injuries, including several Class IV bedsores that cut through to his bones. The jury returned a verdict for more than $2.6 million. The entire verdict was upheld on appeal. Caulfield v. Kitsap County & DSHS, 108 Wn. App. 242 (2001).

$2.5 Million - State of Washington Sexual Assault, DSHS

SPOKANE – Our client, a disabled woman, was a patient at Eastern State Hospital. The hospital assigned a male nurse to provide one-on-one care and supervision for our client. The nurse trapped our client in a laundry room and raped her. Hagens Berman determined that the nurse, a state employee, had been reprimanded and accused on previous occasions of sexual assault of vulnerable patients. HBSS initiated a negligence and civil rights lawsuit against the hospital and its administrators for failing to protect our client from a known sexual predator and for allowing that predator to remain on staff with the responsibility to care for vulnerable patients.

$2.4 Million - Dept. of Corrections/Wrongful Death

CHELAN COUNTY – Hagens Berman represented the husband of and the estate of a 22-year-old woman who was murdered by an unsupervised parolee. Hagens Berman attorneys secured a combined multi-million dollar settlement for the plaintiffs from the State of Washington Department of Corrections.

$1.3 Million - Child Fall

RENTON – A Hagens Berman client's child was learning to walk when the toddler leaned against a glass window. The door gave way and the child fell two stories, suffering a brain injury. Hagens Berman filed suit against the glass installer as well as the condominium association claiming negligence among other claims. Hagens Berman received a $1.3 million settlement on behalf of our clients.

$1.2 Million - Emergency Vehicle Collision

RENTON – The client was struck and seriously injured when an emergency vehicle that ran a red light hit her vehicle. Upon investigation, Hagens Berman discovered that the emergency vehicle had outpaced a system designed to allow the emergency vehicle to receive green lights at each intersection by electronically manipulating the signals. Hagens Berman settled the case with the municipality that operated the emergency vehicle for $1.2 million.

$1.2 Million - Personal Injury

EVERETT – A Hagens Berman client was injured while traveling in his truck under a freeway overpass when a logging truck lost its load from above, crushing our client’s truck, causing severe injuries including post-traumatic stress disorder. After rejecting defendants’ pre-trial settlement offer of $250,000, a jury awarded $1.2 million to our clients.

$1 Million - Construction Site Accident

BELLEVUE – The client was injured when a trench in which he was working collapsed. After an independent investigation, Hagens Berman concluded that the construction company and the engineering design firm failed to design and maintain a safe work environment. A trial judge dismissed parts of our claim, but Hagens Berman appealed the decision and won. Shortly after the appeal victory, Hagens Berman resolved the matter for $1 million.

$600,000 - Police Pursuit / Wrongful Death

SNOHOMISH COUNTY – Hagens Berman represented the estate of a 22-year-old college student. The student was traveling in his vehicle when a vehicle in the midst of an unrelated, high-speed pursuit struck his car, killing the young man. Upon investigation, Hagens Berman learned the officers were pursuing a vehicle because it had expired license tabs. Hagens Berman claimed that the pursuit was unnecessary and unlawful, and the officers' actions were a direct cause of the wrongful death. The case settled with the municipalities for $600,000.

$500,000 - Construction Site Accident

MOSES LAKE – The client was working on a construction site when he fell through an unsecured roof opening and landed on a steel beam. He suffered significant injuries and spent several months recovering. Hagens Berman filed suit against the construction companies involved, claiming that they failed to provide a secure workplace. Hagens Berman reached a $500,000 settlement of behalf of our client.