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Personal Injury Litigation Victories

For every client, a favorable result, whether it be a jury verdict or settlement is a journey that originated in a catastrophic event thereby changing our client’s life. 

Thousands of individuals have come to us and began their case with a consultation. A common question is to know what the result may be, and so we have compiled a list for you to read should you choose. 

The results are to help people just like yourself who may be viewing our website for the first time, to be able to see if your case is similar in nature and see examples of the resulting jury verdict or agreed to settlement. 

Click here to view our medical malpractice-specific settlements page. 

Please understand that many of the details are confidential and must be omitted, and several of our cases in which the outcome was exponential or record-setting, may not be disclosed publicly.

If you have a question or if you would like a consultation, we encourage you to call us. Thousands of individuals have found themselves in a difficult situation possibly similar to yours and understanding your legal rights and time limits is an important first step. When ready and comfortable, call us seven days a week at (949) 264-5189.

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Featured Case Results

Settled for

$17,250,000


Man Suffers Large Posterior Circulation Stroke After Kidney Function Misdiagnosis

Settled for

$11,400,000


Twin Babies Display Cognitive Issues After Car Accident Leads to Premature Birth

Settled for

$7,900,000


Infant Requires Lifetime Care After a Birth Injury

Noteworthy Victories on Behalf of our Clients

$17.25 Million Settlement | 39-Year Old Man Suffers Stroke After Kidney Function Misdiagnosis

Daniel Hodes of Hodes Milman represented a then 39 year-old LAUSD substitute teacher who underwent surgery to excise a 5 cm subcutaneous neurofibroma from his right rectus muscle on July 18, 2019. His creatinine readings preoperatively indicated he was suffering from an acute kidney injury superimposed on his existing chronic kidney disease. In the peri-operative period, he suffered a large posterior circulation stroke. It was argued that this elective surgery should not have gone forward given his compromised kidney function. Had surgery not gone forward, he would not have suffered the stroke. 

Kaiser offered $4,000.000.00 to resolve the case. The Arbitrator, Thomas Weaver, awarded $17,250,000.00.

$11.4 Million Settlement | Twins Require Lifetime Care After Premature Birth

Plaintiff, a 35-year-old woman, was 25 weeks pregnant with twins. On March 16, 2016, a police cruiser traveling in the opposite direction of traffic struck her and her husband.

Plaintiff reported several uterine contractions and was then admitted to Mercy Hospital with evidence of a chorioamnionitis, an infection. She gave birth soon after at 26 weeks gestation. Both twins weighed less than 2 pounds and spent three months in the NICU. The fetal medicine expert’s opinion was that the automobile collision caused a leak of amniotic fluid which set in motion the events leading to the early delivery.

As the twins developed, they displayed difficulty with speech and language, and showed cognition deficits. It was argued that, on account of their speech/language/cognition issues, the twins will require extensive therapies throughout their lifetime, and will be limited in their vocational opportunities. The case resolved for $11.4 million.

$10.9 Million Record Jury Verdict | 34-Year-Old Woman - Failure to Diagnose Cancer

In an HMO negligence lawsuit, two large HMOs failed to collaborate and share medical information resulting in improper follow up on a patient with cervical dysplasia. After 20 months had passed, the woman was diagnosed with Stage IV cervical cancer. In a $0 offer for her case from the HMO’s defense attorneys, Dan Hodes successfully recovered a record breaking $10,960,000 jury verdict on her family’s behalf. To date, this was the largest medical malpractice wrongful death verdict in Orange County.

$7.9 Million Settlement | Infant Requires Lifetime Care After a Birth Injury

Dan Hodes and Steve Heimberg represented a 35 year-old-woman who presented to the hospital at 41 weeks gestational age, having been diagnosed that morning with oligohydramnios. Over the next 23 hours, fetal monitoring strips showed recurrent variable and late decelerations of the fetal heart rate that were not appreciated. So rather than delivering the fetus by way of C-section, labor progressed to the point that at birth, fetal distress caused hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. The infant, now 3 ½, will require lifetime care. The case resolved for $7,900,000.00

$6.0 Million Settlement | 51-Year-Old Woman Injured After Surgical Error

Daniel Hodes and Jacob Brender from Hodes Milman represented a 51-year-old woman who, on August 13, 2020, underwent a coiling and stent procedure for an intracerebral aneurysm. During the procedure, a guidewire perforated a distal branch of the middle cerebral artery which was not immediately appreciated. This caused a stroke, leaving her severely neurologically compromised. The case resolved at mediation with Jay Horton for $6,000,000.

$5.7 Million Settlement | Severe Birth Injuries From Lack of Oxygen

In April of 2021, Jeffrey Milman and Benjamin Ikuta of Hodes Milman settled a birth injury case against a hospital and OBGYN for $5,700,000. Hospital nurses violated their own hospital policy in administering Pitocin to promote labor despite clear contraindications. The nurses then failed to notify the attending OBGYN of strips clearly showing fetal distress for well over an hour. When the child was born, the OBGYN was shocked and dismayed to deliver a moribund, unresponsive child. The infant suffered from severe brain damage as a result of lack of oxygen. The hospital paid $4,000,000 and the OBGYN and her group paid $1,700,000.

$5.3 Million Jury Verdict | 39-Year-Old-Male - Medical Negligence

A 39-year-old male walked into an urgent care clinic with a new onset of chest pain at rest and was diagnosed with gastritis. The physicians at Urgent Care felt that our client’s symptoms were not typical for unstable angina and placed him on a treadmill. 40 minutes after being discharged, our client died from cardiac complications. After a 10 day trial, the jury awarded our client’s favor, including noneconomic damages of $3,000,000 and economic damages of $2,339,037.

$5.0 Million Settlement | Woman’s Uterine Ruptures and Infant Sustains Hypoxic Brain Injury Due to Childbirth Error

Daniel Hodes represented a woman who was admitted to a hospital on July 7, 2020 for the delivery of her second child. Her previous delivery was by way of C-section. The plan was to attempt a vaginal birth after C-section (VBAC). 

Plaintiff claimed the fetus was in distress for many hours and a C-section should have been performed. As a result, she suffered a uterine rupture, and the baby suffered a hypoxic brain injury. The case resolved for $5,000,000.00

$4.3 Million Settlement | Mis-Programming by Doctor leads to Brain Injury

A young man suffered oxygen deprivation leading to severe brain damage after a physician allegedly mis-programmed his cardiac defibrillator. The man, now 30-years-old, cannot speak and will need around-the-clock assistance for the rest of his life. He is cared for by his parents, who are both in their 60s. The man was born with a heart condition and had corrective surgery when he was an infant. The condition and corrective surgery made him predisposed to irregular heartbeats. In 2004, he had a defibrillator implanted to detect any irregular heartbeats and return his heart to normal rhythm. Five years later, the device’s battery was running low and a physician replaced it, but did not correctly reprogram the device. When the man suffered a heart rhythm disturbance the following month, the defibrillator did not respond properly, leading to severe brain injury. Daniel Hodes, of Hodes Milman and Ken Sigelman, of the Law Offices of Kenneth M. Sigelman, represented the man and his family. The case resolved following mediation.

$4.1 Million Settlement | Infant Suffers Seizures Due to Ventilator Mismanagement

Our firm handled a case involving an infant who suffered seizures due to hospital negligence. Hospital staff mismanaged ventilator and breathing tube equipment for the infant, resulting in seizures. Settled for $4,100,000.00

$3.6 Million Settlement | 78-Year-Old Man Injured by Falling Tree Branch

Daniel Hodes and James Chortanian from Hodes Milman represented a 78-year-old semi-retired swim coach who was struck by a falling 50-foot-long Eucalyptus tree branch on October 6, 2021. The previous day, a tree trimming company cut down an adjacent Eucalyptus tree that had supported the subject branch. The company did not appreciate that removing the tree created a substantial risk that the branch could snap and fall.

Plaintiff suffered several fractured ribs, an acute T-12 compression fracture, required a knee replacement, and was diagnosed with a mild traumatic brain injury.

The case resolved for $3,614,999.00.

$3.1 Million Settlement | 58-Year-Old Father Becomes Quadriplegic Due to Faulty Tires

In 2004, a self-employed 58-year-old father of five, was driving his 1999 Black Ford Ranger when the tread on his tire separated causing the vehicle to rollover. Before the accident, he brought the car in to have one tire replaced under the warranty; however, after the accident, it was discovered that the tire had been patched, not replaced. It was also shown that the manufacturer of the tires used substandard materials which contributed to the premature aging of the tire. As a result of the rollover accident caused by the defective tire, he is now a quadriplegic and needs 24/7 care.

$2.1 Million Settlement | Fertility Clinic Error Leads to Wrongful Birth

Benjamin Ikuta of Hodes Milman settled a medical malpractice case in October of 2020 against a fertility clinic for $2,100,000. In 2004, the fertility clinic injected the wrong sperm in relation to an In Vitro Fertilization procedure. Fourteen years later, in late 2018, after conducting a genetic testing history through a popular service, the parents learned that the child was not related to the father in any way.

Top Medical Malpractice Settlements | Orange County Lawyer

View our medical malpractice-specific settlements page here

Twin Child Suffers From Spastic Quadriparetic Cerebral Palsy After Negligence Related to Other Twin’s Death During Pregnancy Term; Settled for $6,000,000

Larry Eisenberg and Daniel Hodes of Hodes Milman secured a $6,000,000 settlement on behalf of a 10-year-old brain-injured child. His mother was pregnant with monochorionic twins in 2009 who shared one placenta. Twin B was growth restricted, due to unequal placental share, a velamentous cord insertion, and reverse end-diastolic
flow in his umbilical artery. The plaintiff alleged that once the pregnancy reached viability, the standard of care required hospitalization, close monitoring, and early delivery. Instead, monitoring was eased. Two weeks later, Twin B, the smaller of the two, was found to have expired. His death caused a hypoxic injury to Twin A, which was discovered at age six months. That twin now suffers from spastic quadriparetic cerebral palsy.

Pregnant Woman Sustains Permanent Brain Damage Resulting from Improperly Managed Respiratory Issues; Settled for $5,700,000

A 17-year-old pregnant woman suffered profound and permanent brain damage resulting from the hospital staff’s alleged failure to properly manage her respiratory issues. The woman, who was 34 weeks pregnant at the time, was admitted to the hospital with back and abdominal pain. Over the next few days, her condition deterioriated and she was septic in addition to developing respiratory problems. To manage these conditions, the patient was intubated and put on a ventilator. After giving birth to her daughter, her condition further worsened and she ultimately lost consciousness. Upon resuscitation, she was found to have suffered a severe global hypoxic brain injury resulting in significant diffuse cognitive impairment. Due to alleged improper monitoring of her respiratory status and the resultant lack of oxygen to her brain, the patient was severely impaired both cognitively and physically and will require constant medical care for the remainder of her life. Daniel M. Hodes represented the plaintiff through her conservator. After two years of litigation and two sessions of mediation, the case resolved for $ 5,700,000.

Infant Sustains Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy Birth Injuries; Settled for $4,250,000
Daniel Hodes of Hodes Milman represented a 4-year-old boy who was born on March 22, 2016. Labor was protracted – 33 hours. During that time, Pitocin was given, allegedly in excessive dosages, causing uterine tachysystole and hypertonus. This allegedly resulted in hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. The case resolved as to two defendants for 4,250,000.
Infant Suffers Seizures After Hospital Mismanages Ventilator and Breathing Tube; Settled for $4,100,000

After multiple visits to the emergency room because of minor seizures, the hospital arranged to have the 9-month old infant transported to a different facility for a higher level of care and was placed on a ventilator in anticipation of the transport. When the transport team from the second hospital arrived, it was discovered that there was an airway problem and the infant was not receiving adequate ventilation due to a mucus plug that was blocking the tube. After arriving at the second hospital, the infant suffered extensive continuous seizure activity due to a lack of oxygen to the brain. Representing the plaintiff’s family, attorneys Jeff Milman and Dan Hodes obtained a settlement of $4 million with the first hospital and $100,000 with the second hospital, resulting in a total settlement of $4.1 million.

Discontinuation of Antibiotic Medication Puts Women in Irreversible Coma; Settled for $4,000,000

After suffering from a fever for four weeks, a 49-year old woman was diagnosed with leukemia, underwent chemotherapy and was prescribed various antibiotics. During chemotherapy, she was taken off her antibiotics, and soon after her fever resumed. 24-hours later, she lapsed into a coma. If the doctors had followed the proper standard of care and kept her on the antibiotics, she would have avoided the neurologic insult.

Insufficient Emergency Room Diagnosis Leaves 30-Year Old Woman in a Vegetative State; Settlement of More Than $4,000,000

The emergency room diagnosed a 30-year old woman complaining of blurry vision and headaches with hyperventilation and anxiety. Three days later she returned to the hospital after being found unconscious at home. Her condition worsened but her pulmonologist was not notified until she was irreparably harmed. The woman remains in a vegetative state.

Failure to Diagnose Bacterial Infection Leads Women to Undergo Multiple Limb Amputations; Settled for $3,850,000

An emergency room physician failed to properly diagnose and treat a young mother of two who suffered from a bacterial infection. The doctor failed to administer antibiotics which resulted in toxic shock syndrome leading to her becoming septic. This caused her to lose blood flow to her hands and feet resulting in gangrene and eventually limb amputation. The woman is permanently disabled because of the physician’s negligence.

Multiple Sclerosis Misdiagnosis Causes Liver Failure and Neurologic Injury; Settled for $2,100,000

A 45-year-old woman was misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) and as a result, sustained injuries including neurologic damage and liver failure. The woman, who consulted her primary care physician because one of her legs was dragging when she walked was referred to a neurologist for care. She underwent a complete MS workup, including MRIs of the brain and spine; although the results were not indicative of MS, the neurologist began treating her condition as such, implementing a regimen that included the administration of MS medications. Less than six months after this treatment regimen began, the plaintiff was hospitalized with acute liver failure, necessitating a transplant. While in the hospital, it was discovered that the plaintiff was not suffering from MS, but rather a herniated disc which could have been treated with surgery. Following the transplant, she experienced two episodes of rejection and remains neurologically impaired. Daniel M. Hodes represented the plaintiff. The case resolved in mediation for $2.1 million.

61-Year-Old Veterinarian Suffers Disabled Hand Due to Negligent Surgery; Settled for $2,000,000
Daniel Hodes of Hodes Milman represented a 61-year-old cow veterinarian who developed a vascular problem in his left dominant hand in February 2018. He underwent an attempted brachial to ulnar bypass, but his left hand was noted to be pulseless postoperatively. A second surgery failed to correct the problem, and he was eventually declared disabled from working as a cow veterinarian. It was argued that the surgeries were done negligently. The case resolved for $2,000,000.

Auto Accidents Settlements

Wife and Mother of 5 Dies After Being Struck in an Auto Accident; Settled for $1,535,000

Benjamin T. Ikuta of Hodes Milman and John Hinman, Esq. of Hinman Law Group settled a case for $1,535,000 on behalf of the husband and 5 adult children of Decedent Rosa Salazar. On June 28, 2016, at an intersection in the City of Paramount, Asuncion Garcia turned left in front of Ms. Salazar without yielding while he was on his way to work. He was driving his personal truck, was not transporting any work supplies, and was not on any work errand. Ms. Salazar died of her injuries several weeks later. Garcia’s employer, Expert Plant Care, paid $1,500,000 as it was hotly contested between the parties as to whether Garcia was being paid for his commute.

80-Year-Old Man Severely Injured in an Automobile v. Pedestrian Accident; Settled for $1,250,000

Benjamin Ikuta of Hodes Milman settled an automobile v. pedestrian case on November 4, 2020 for $1,250,000. On August 27, 2019, 80-year old Kenneth Kaku was walking through a crosswalk at an outdoor shopping center in Rancho Santa Margarita when he was struck by Lisa Foto, who was driving a Lexus sedan. Mr. Kaku suffered a subdural hematoma, which resolved, and a leg injury that became infected and required debridement. Ms. Foto was insured by Nationwide.

$871,919 Settlement | Couple Seriously Injured and Woman Dies as a Result of Car Accident
A couple in their sixties were seriously injured, and the husband’s stepmother killed as a result of a collision where a driver struck their vehicle while making a lefthand turn. The three victims were leaving a restaurant after an early dinner when their car collided with the vehicle that was turning left, causing them to hit the base of a traffic signal. The 19-year-old driver of that vehicle was cited for failure to yield the right-of-way. Following the collision, all three victims were trapped in their vehicle for 30 minutes until emergency responders could extract them from the vechicle. All sustained multiple, critical injuries which resulted in the husband’s stepmother dying due to blunt force trauma. The couple suffered from rib and ankle fractures, requiring hospitalization and physical therapy. Daniel M. Hodes of Hodes Milman represented the husband and wife, and the estate of the decedent but not her heirs. Mediation resulted in a $871,919 settlement.
$800,000 Settlement | 71-Year-Old Man - Motor Vehicle Accident

A 71-year-old man, struck by a vehicle making an unsafe lane change suffered a cervical fracture. The following week, the man’s hands became numb and he was taken to a different hospital by his wife, where it was determined that he had suffered an acute compression fracture of the C7 vertebral body. The plaintiff has been unable to return to his full-time work as a senior aerospace engineer. Daniel M. Hodes represented the plaintiff resulting in a settlement of $800,000 for medical expenses, loss of income and pain and suffering.

$655,000 Settlement | 59-Year-Old Woman Sustains Serious Injuries Due To Car Accident
While driving in the course of her work as a drug and alcohol counselor, a 59-year-old woman was injured when a driver made an illegal U-turn directly into the path of her vehicle. The woman sustained multiple injuries, including a sprain of the left foot and ankle, a herniated disc and multiple fractures in her leg, foot and ribs. The woman had a workmen’s compensation lien of $192,344, and the workmen’s compensation carrier agreed to accept $105,000. Jeffrey A. Milman of Hodes Milman represented the woman, and mediation resulted in a $655,000 settlement, with $105,000 paid to the workmen’s compensation carrier.
$550,000 Settlement | 58-Year-Old Man Suffers Injuries in Car Accident

A 58-year old man suffered a spinal injury after being rear-ended in a car accident. He had previously been diagnosed with failed back syndrome, and had been undergoing pain treatment for years. At the time of the crash, he was periodically being treated with injections and opioids. As a result of the crash, the pain became worse, and he required an increase in opioids and epidural steroid injections to treat it. He also suffered significant financial loss, because he was unable to work. The defendant claimed that the man had already been compensated by the insurance company, and that the pain he suffered from before the accident had not changed. The man was represented by Jeffrey A. Milman, Esq. of Hodes Milman , reaching a settlement of $550,000.

$383,000 Settlement | Woman's Facial Surgery and Knee Replacement After Auto Accident

A women suffered facial lacerations and trauma to her knee after being struck in her vehicle at a stop sign. She underwent plastic surgery and arthroscopic surgery on her knee. She will require further facial surgery and a total knee replacement.

$375,000 Settlement | 34-Year-Old Motorcyclist Sues for Eye Laceration and Several Body Fractures
A 34-year-old plaintiff was riding his motorcycle behind a vehicle when the vehicle made a U-turn in front of him, causing the motorcyclist to be thrown over the hood of the defendant’s car. Ultimately, the accident caused the plaintiff to suffer an eye laceration and several fractures throughout the body. Further, the damage to the plaintiff’s left hand requires surgical fusion surgery. Dan Hodes represented the plaintiff and the case was settled with $375,000.
$250,000 Settlement | 38-Year-Old Motorcyclist Sustains Serious Injuries in Automobile Accident
A 38-year-old plaintiff was riding his motorcycle northbound on the I-5 freeway when a driver attempted to change lanes immediately in front of the plaintiff, forcing the plaintiff to move to the lane immediately to his left. As a result, the plaintiff struck a stopped vehicle, sustaining multiple severe injuries. These included traumatic hemorrhagic shock, a Grade IV liver injury with active bleeding, and multiple fractures in his ribs and left hand. As the plaintiff did not have liability insurance, he could not collect for pain and suffering; represented by Jeffrey A. Milman of Hodes Milman , he settled for policy limits in the amount of $250,000.

Product Liability Cases | Attorney Orange County CA

$220,000 Settlement | Man Riddled with Pain Due to Defective Hip Replacement

Hodes Milman represented a 54-year-old male who is riddled with pain and forced into early retirement after undergoing a right hip arthroplasty in 2007, where doctors inserted a defective hip replacement product. Hip replacement components were recalled in July 2008 after it was learned that the surgical parts did not work properly, forcing many patients to undergo painful and costly additional surgeries to correct the defect. Hodes Milman obtained a $220,000 settlement on behalf of the patient.

$92,500 Settlement | Defective Wine Carrier Causes Accident that Severs Woman’s Achilles Tendon;

A 77-year-old woman purchased six bottles of wine packaged in a paper wine carrier that broke upon removal from her car, causing the bottles to shatter on her driveway. The glass caused severe lacerations on the woman’s ankle, requiring 32 stitches. It was later discovered that her Achilles tendon had been severed. The woman underwent an Achilles reconstruction but continues to suffer from pain that prevents her from participating in activities she once enjoyed. The defendant, the grocery store that sold the wine, continues to make negotiations difficult, and Hodes Milman settled the case for $92,500.

Confidential Settlement | Motorcycle Cruise Control Failure Causes Uncontrolled Acceleration, Throwing Man from Vehicle

A man riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle was thrown off at high speed when a malfunction in the cruise control system caused the motorcycle to accelerate uncontrollably to a speed where the motorcycle became unstable and threw the rider to the pavement. The man suffered multiple injuries including a fracture of his left wrist and severe abrasions over much of his body. He was hospitalized for approximately six days. The uncontrolled acceleration and instability were attributed to defective product design.

Additional Case Results

$475,000 Settlement | Unlawful Misconduct of Orange County School District
Dissatisfied with board members from an Orange County School District, a group of concerned citizens launched a recall ballot initiative, gathered 177,947 signatures and submitted them to the Registrar of Voters. After certifying the petitions as insufficient, the registrar allowed the assistant superintendent to view the list and thereby create an “enemies list” of participants. The registrar, superintendent and assistant superintendent violated the Bane Act, which prohibits any person from interfering or attempting to interfere with the exercise of any constitutionally-protected rights.
$300,000 Settlement | Dog Attack Causes Facial Scarring

A 15-year-old high school student was invited to the home of a fellow member of his track team to skateboard. While there, the homeowner’s dog attacked him, biting him in the face and causing lacerations of his cheek, lip, and chin. The matter settled for the homeowner’s insurance policy limit of the dog’s owner.

View Two Client Video Testimonials

Recently Dan Hodes was nominated as the “Top Gun” for the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association, and two of our clients were gracious enough to tell their stories on video. This four-minute video includes brief stories as told by Mrs. Kirsnis and Mr. Clary.

Time Limits Apply

In every personal injury case, there are time limits which go into effect the day the incident occurred. As you consider your legal options, please keep this in mind, and perhaps make this the very first question to be asked when you speak with an attorney.

 

Contact a Personal Injury Attorney in Orange County, CA or Phoenix, AZ

If you have reached the bottom of this page and reviewed our verdicts and settlements, we wish to restate that this is only a partial list. Every month, we are representing families in need and building our list of successful outcomes. 

If you are still deciding on which lawyer to hire, we hope you will consider our firm. You can meet with us for a free consultation, without pressure, and we will be happy to answer all your questions. Schedule an appointment by calling (949) 640-8222.

 

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