Product Liability Case Results

We think results speak louder than words and just a few examples of our results in product liability cases, include:

$60 Million

In 2015, Arash Homampour tried a product liability case in Orange County Federal Court and obtained a $60 million (general damages only) verdict on behalf of a family when a mother/wife died in a house fire caused by a Sunbeam heater.

This was a very tough case in that it was admitted that a home space heater was used in a way where the warning to keep clothing 3 feet away was not complied with. The defense argued that the heater was safe when used properly, met all UL standards, the Consumer Product Safety Commission did not tell them to recall the product, and after selling 10 million of these radiant heaters there was no history of any other significant fires.

We established that the heater’s automatic safety switch would not work in a foreseeable misuse situation where clothing could get inadvertently closer than 3 feet in front of or touching the front lower grill of the heater and start a fire. We proved that the warnings did not tell the user not to leave the heater on while sleeping and did not tell the user that the auto safety switch would not always work. We uncovered that Sunbeam knew the safety device might not work and that consumers had no idea.

$32 Million

Some people ask us if we really make a difference. The answer is a resounding YES. Arash Homampour and Danielle Lincors recently helped a young brain-injured client on her challenging journey from a coma in intensive care to ultimately attending college. While she has still has serious injuries that require constant supervision, we now live in a world where individuals with disabilities are more able to live a full life (especially when they have the resources to do so.) The currency of justice, the $32 million we recovered in her premise and product liability case, will ensure that her today and tomorrow are filled with all the care she needs and opportunity she wants.

$11 Million

In 2010, Arash Homampour settled a product liability action for $11 million against a Defendant in a very difficult liability case.

$5.5 Million

In 2010, Arash Homampour settled a product liability action for a 72 year old Plaintiff for $5.5 million where there was significant evidence of both Plaintiff and employer negligence.

$3 Million

In 2013, Arash successfully tried another case in Federal Court. This was product liability lawsuit where a father and son were using an extension ladder when the father fell while climbing down the ladder. The father suffered a very serious brain injury and later died. Arash took on this difficult case where the ladder manufacturers win virtually all of time and across the country. In fact, the ladder manufacturer refused to settle the case stating that it had a corporate policy of never settling.

Well, Arash uncovered some other interesting corporate policies. He proved that the ladder manufacturers have known for years that these ladders can get into what is called a false locked position where a user will mistakenly think the ladder is locked but it really is not. The ladder manufacturers had a safety device and better warnings to address this defect but chose not to use them on his clients’ ladder. The case went to trial in Federal Court and, despite the enormous obstacles faced in the case and a federal trial, a jury unanimously found that the ladder was defective, that the manufacturer was negligent and ordered it to pay $3 million in damages to our clients.

$3 Million

In 2008, Arash Homampour obtained a $3 million settlement for a Plaintiff in a product liability case where an explosion from a dust collector caused him serious burns. OSHA investigated and cited Plaintiff’s employer for the incident finding the Plaintiff improperly handled combustible materials with a vacuum and the employer failed to properly handle the materials. Plaintiff denied he used the vacuum, but the circumstantial evidence against him was strong. The vacuum’s manual clearly warned the user to not use the vacuum with combustible materials. Many attorneys declined the case because no one could figure out how to prove Plaintiff did not use a vacuum and because of the overwhelming evidence of employer negligence.

Arash Homampour pursued a Defendant manufacturer of a machine that was not the vacuum. By retaining the top experts across the country, aggressive discovery and lots of fun explosions, Arash was able to convince the Defendant that their product was defective and caused Plaintiff’s injuries. Whether or not the machine caused the initial explosion, the way it was designed vented the explosion and fire at Plaintiff.

This result was especially gratifying because Plaintiff was a manual laborer who could no longer work because of his serious, disfiguring burns to his body. He was a husband and father who had sunk into a serious depression. With the settlement funds, he was able to restore some dignity knowing he could provide for his family.