The Los Angeles personal injury law firm of Carpenter, Zuckerman & Rowley understands the magnitude of the American Association for Justice (AAJ), a highly influential organization that has been dedicated to promoting a fair and effective justice system and supporting attorneys since 1946, and how important it is to have people of great knowledge and skill in charge of the organization. As such, we support Simona A. Farrise, Esq., LL.M founder of the Farrise Law Firm, in her bid for Vice President of AAJ.

From 2004 through 2012, Ms. Farrise has been selected for inclusion in Northern California Super Lawyers® and has received numerous rewards and recognitions throughout her career. Ms. Farrise received the Distinguished Alumnus Award of Golden Gate University School of Law in 2007 and has been recognized as one of the top 50 female lawyers in California.

If elected as Vice President, Ms. Farrise looks to strengthen and grow AAJ’s membership in order to be effectively mobile against attacks targeting hardworking citizens. AAJ’s membership has declined over the past decade and Ms. Farrise is dedicated to growing the organization’s members, bringing focus through leadership, and unifying all of the segments that make up the Association. Additionally, Ms. Farrise proposes instating an AAJ Member Bill of Rights that includes:

1. “One member/one vote.” This would allow dues-paying members to vote in AAJ elections, whether or not they also pay the “poll” tax of registering for and traveling to the annual convention.
2. Equal treatment, valuing time and talents equally with check writing.
3. Unified leadership to integrate local, state, and national organizations.

To vote in the 2012 AAJ elections, you must sign up for or renew your AAJ Membership by June 27. Every vote counts and will help shape the future of the AAJ.

At Carpenter, Zuckerman & Rowley, our LA County personal injury lawyers are dedicated to justice for all Southern California citizens and our legal team has years of experience winning proper compensation, no matter how large or small the case, for injured clients. To learn how we may be able to help you, call us at (310) 273-1230.

For those who wish to access additional information about Simona A. Farrise, please visit her law firm website as well as her candidacy website.

The legal team at Carpenter, Zuckerman & Rowley understands the importance of experience, skill, and knowledge for those appointed as judges throughout Southern California. As such, we would like to show our support for Ben Brees, a dedicated personal injury attorney who has 21 years of experience in Los Angeles Superior Court and various Southern California Courts, who is running for the position of Los Angeles Superior Court Judge.

Mr. Brees was originally trained as a defense attorney, but has spent the last 14 years representing victims through personal injury lawsuits and has also served as a mediator, settlement officer, and arbitrator with the Los Angeles Superior Court Alternate Dispute Resolution Office. Mr. Brees has a long history of serving in the legal system, even prior to becoming an attorney. He has worked as a probation officer and pre trial release officer, gained his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Notre Dame, and graduated number two in his class from the University of La Verne Law School.

Today, Ben Brees lives in the San Fernando Valley and represents injured clients at the Law Offices of John C. Ye, APLC in Wilshire. His extensive experience in law, dedication to hard-working victims and undeserved communities, and devotion to seeking justice make him an ideal candidate for Superior Court Judge. To learn more, visit www.brees4judge.com.

Election Day is June 5, 2012 and is a Countywide race, with all Los Angeles County voters able to vote for this election. To donate to Ben Brees’ campaign, go to www.brees4judge.com/?page_id=16 today.

At Carpenter, Zuckerman & Rowley, Los Angeles County personal injury attorneys are dedicated to finding justice for those injured by the negligent actions of others and we proudly support those who search for justice in all areas of the law. For more information on how we can help you in your case, call us today at (310) 273-1230.

Women’s cancers take thousands of lives across the United States and are diagnosed in thousands more every year, and while medical advancements have greatly improved women’s chances to fight against these diseases, much more has to be done to combat cancer. As such, the Entertainment Industry Foundation Revlon Run/Walk for Women will be happening this year in Los Angeles on May 12 and the law firm of Carpenter, Zuckerman & Rowley is proud to have some of its members, Candice S. Klein, Nicholas C. Rowley, and Tiffany Chung, participating in the event.

Since its start in 1994, the EIF Revlon Run/Walk has distributed more than $65 million from fundraisers to aid researchers and treatment services for under-served women diagnosed with various forms of cancer. Participants raise funds leading up to the event which will go to a variety of cancer research and support centers and take part in a 5K run or walk on the day of the event. This year the event will be starting at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum at Exposition Park at 7:00 am.

Participants from Carpenter, Zuckerman & Rowley will be taking part in the 5K as part of Team CAALA (Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles) and our law firm will be donating $1,450 to the cause. Without events like the Revlon Run/Walk, many centers and researchers would not have the funds to continue supporting cancer victims and finding new and better ways to combat this widespread disease.

To show your support of the event, donate to the cause, or find out other ways that you can take part in the event, visit http://do.eifoundation.org/site/TR?fr_id=1080&pg=entry. Women’s cancer affects hundreds of thousands every year, but proper screenings and medical care can save the lives of countless women. With your help, greater advancements can be made in the field to save even more lives.

At Carpenter, Zuckerman & Rowley, our Los Angeles personal injury lawyers are dedicated to helping Southern California citizens both in and out of the courtroom. For more information about our law firm, please visit http://czrlaw.com. We are armed to win.

At Carpenter, Zuckerman & Rowley, we understand that protecting Los Angeles County residents goes beyond representing victims in personal injury cases and that many families suffer every day from not having enough food. As such, our law firm is participating in the L.A. County food drive “Food from the Bar 2012” throughout the month of May to help those who do not have the resources to properly feed themselves and those that depend on them.

Individuals who participate in the food drive help to raise funds to support L.A. families, collect food and other supplies, and donate time at the Food Bank to help the organization send out to those in need. Summer is an especially difficult time for struggling families as children are out of school and are not receiving a regular supply of food as they would normally get from the school they attend. Food from the Bar helps to raise additional supplies and funds to help families receive the food they need as they struggle to make ends meet.

This year, Food from the Bar looks to raise $375,000, receive 15,000 pounds of food, and help the Food Bank with 450 shifts from volunteers. Participating law firms have food donation boxes at their locations to collect food from anyone willing to lend a hand, with the Food Bank coming and collecting the food whenever needed, and each member can volunteer his or her time and donate funds as they see fit.

The Los Angeles Food Bank distributes approximately 60 million pounds of food and product every year, with the majority of recipients being young children and the elderly. Without the generous contributions from food drive members and other charitable organizations, distributing food to the needy would be much more difficult and could not reach as many people.

The Los Angeles personal injury lawyers at Carpenter, Zuckerman & Rowley understand that there are those who go without nourishment they need every day in Los Angeles County. Generous organizations like the Food Bank strive daily to make the lives of these individuals better and our legal team is proud to be a part of the ongoing efforts to help the needy throughout Los Angeles. For information on how we can help you in your legal case, call us at (310) 273-1230.

The Southern California personal injury law firm of Carpenter, Zuckerman & Rowley is proud to announce that three of their verdicts in California court cases during 2011 have been named as part of “California’s Million-Dollar Verdicts” by The Recorder. The publication lists the top verdicts that were awarded at least $1 million and brings attention to some of the most prolific law firms in the state every year. In having not just one, but three verdicts included in this prestigious report, Carpenter, Zuckerman & Rowley stands as an example of what a law firm being armed to win really means.

Carpenter, Zuckerman & Rowley’s Wall v. Miramontes trial was ranked at number 39 with an award of $7,553,000 for a San Diego County motorcycle crash. Due to the accident, the motorcyclist, who was a U.S. Navy Veteran, suffered a penile injury. No compensation was offered by the defense before the trial began, which disputed the liability of the crash.

Next, our law firm’s $2,250,000 verdict in Alvarez v. SCS Engineers on September 1, ranked at number 86 saw compensation awarded to a plaintiff that suffered chronic back pain from a spinal fracture due to being involved in a rear-end crash in Los Angeles County caused by another’s negligence.

Finally, the $1,000,000 verdict on December 8 for Charles v. Mountain View Mobile Home Estates was ranked at 130. The case centered on a child who was severely injured after falling 16 feet into an open trench at a mobile home park in San Bernardino County.

At Carpenter, Zuckerman & Rowley, our lawyers are dedicated to winning justice and compensation for all of our clients, no matter how big or small the case and no matter what amount is being sought. Our tenacious legal team has years of experience successfully seeking compensation for all manner of injury accidents. For more information about the many accomplishments of our firm and how a San Diego personal injury attorney at our law firm can assist you in your case, visit http://czrlaw.com/ or call our offices today at (310) 273-1230.

The San Luis Obispo Tribune Reports on Nick Rowley & Robert Ounjian’s $77,225,000.00 for the victim of a birth injury.

Click Here to reach the original story

Parents awarded $74 million in malpractice lawsuit against doctor

Andrew and Jennifer Blunt sued the local doctor who delivered their daughter after the baby developed cerebral palsy

A jury awarded a San Luis Obispo couple more than $74 million against a doctor Friday on behalf of their baby daughter — finding that the physician was negligent in the delivery of the baby girl who developed cerebral palsy.

After two days of deliberation, a jury of eight women and four men found that Dr. Kurt Haupt was responsible for a botched delivery on April 19, 2009, at Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center.

The jury awarded damages that mostly cover medical costs that the family will incur during the course of Sofia’s lifetime.

Judge Charles S. Crandall has the authority and discretion to reduce the damages, a ruling that is likely in this case, according to lawyers involved.

“Damage to this little girl happened, and the evidence showed us that, more likely than not, the doctor was negligent,” said Melody Eltrich, the jury foreperson. “Nobody wants to make someone pay for no reason. This was a life-changing event.”

The standard of probable wrongdoing used in civil court is less demanding than the standard that must be met to convict a defendant in criminal court: proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

The Blunts’ attorney, Nicholas Rowley, who specializes in medical malpractice cases, presented evidence during the trial that the baby’s heart rate was fluctuating wildly and the doctor didn’t hasten the birth or conduct a proper examination of cord blood.

Defense attorney Peter Bertling argued that a blockage of mucus in the baby’s airway, not the heart rate, caused the loss of oxygen to Sofia Blunt’s brain that led her to develop cerebral palsy.

The Blunts, along with the lawyers on both sides of the case, greeted many of the jurors outside the courtroom.

Many hugged the couple, whom their lawyer called “the victims of medical malpractice.”

“I’m glad it’s over,” Andrew Blunt said. “I’m glad we got answers. Nobody was telling us anything when we first started this process. If we didn’t do this, we never would have had justice.”

Andrew Blunt said that part of the reason he brought the lawsuit is that he wanted his daughter to be taken care of medically, even if his wife and he aren’t around one day to do it.

Juror Daniel Harris said that the case, to him, was about an American family overcoming an injustice to “come out on top.”

“The doctor was complacent,” Harris said. “He did his best, but he had too much too handle, I guess.”

Bertling defended his client, saying that Haupt has practiced medicine successfully for more than 34 years and said he plans to appeal.

Bertling said he wanted the background of an expert witness called by the plaintiff to be admitted as evidence, because it would have called the expert’s credibility into question. But Crandall ruled against him.

Sierra Vista, previously named a party in the case, settled 2½ weeks into trial for an undisclosed sum.

Rowley said he plans to file a lawsuit against Tenet Healthcare Corp., Sierra Vista’s parent company, on behalf of the Blunts because of decisions he said the corporation made as part of the case.

Rowley handed a letter to jurors saying that Bertling’s insurance company will be “responsible for 100 percent of the jury verdict.”

Attorneys Nicholas C. Rowley, Robert J. Ounjian, and Rod Ritner of Southern California-based law firm Carpenter, Zuckerman & Rowley have won one of the largest medical malpractice verdicts in the history of California with a verdict of $74,525,000 for the plaintiff. The verdict aids the family of a child who now suffers cerebral palsy after suffering serious birth injuries at the Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center in 2009.

While the plaintiffs did not wish to seek a lawsuit originally for this San Luis Obispo brain injury, the responsible doctor and hospital refused to provide any answers, compensation, or apologies for what they had done. The now-three-year-old child suffered brain trauma when being born after an over four hour second-stage of labor and prolonged pushing and crowning. The obstetrician responsible for the birth acted negligently in several instances, including not assessing contractions for 30 minutes, not performing an episiotomy, not attempting to vacuum, and not using forceps to assist in delivery.

After the delivery, hospital staff did not properly intubate or ventilate the child and disposed of the baby’s cord blood, which can prove that there was brain damage during the delivery. Additionally, it was proven that evidence was destroyed and medical records were falsified to cover up the errors that occurred during the birth.

The verdict is believed to be the first medical malpractice jury verdict against a doctor in San Luis Obispo in more than 20 years. While the defendants originally offered no compensation to the plaintiffs for their losses, and later offered a $2 million settlement, the $74,525,000 verdict will pay for future medical expenses for the injured child throughout her life, past damages, and future non-economic damages, as well as pain and suffering experienced by the child’s parents due to the incident.

Medical malpractice, especially incidents that cause birth injuries, can result in lifelong, serious disabilities for victims. Often, these injuries require extensive and prolonged medical care which results in enormous expenses for a family. At Carpenter, Zuckerman & Rowley, our dedicated San Luis Obispo medical malpractice attorneys have years of success and are determined to help victims deal with their injuries and losses to the best of their abilities without suffering economic damages caused by another’s negligence. For more information on how we can aid you in your case, call us today at (310) 273-1230.

On April 20, attorney Candice S. Klein of the southern California personal injury law firm of Carpenter, Zuckerman & Rowley was successful in her personal injury case for a slip-and-fall victim in helping the plaintiff win $282,500 for injuries and related losses. The case centered on a slip-and-fall accident that occurred at a Food 4 Less in Moreno Valley caused by a juice spill near the front of the store.

The incident occurred on August 29, 2008 at 11:50 am when the plaintiff slipped while walking through the store, suffering a horizontal tear to the mid-segment of the lateral meniscus of the left knee. Additionally, the plaintiff suffered soft tissue injuries to the lower back during the fall. To treat the injuries, the plaintiff had to undergo chiropractic treatment and physical therapy, as well as arthroscopic surgery on her the knee.

While the defendants argued that the juice spill was obvious and the plaintiff’s flip flops caused the slip, Attorney Klein proved that a combination of dangerous conditions and employee negligence were responsible for the incident. Food 4 Less policy states that employees must inspect the store through sweeping the floors every hour and document it via a sheet, but Attorney Klein proved through evidence and testimony that it has been 70 minutes since the last sweep and that the next one was not until 1:20 pm.

Additionally, the juice was from a display that employees set up, making them responsible for noticing it, and employee testimony proved that the floors were very slippery when wet, making a spill even more hazardous. The lack of slip-resistant tile and the failure to follow employee procedure proved that there were many reasons behind the accident, all on the part of Food 4 Less. In total, the plaintiff received $32,500 for past medical expenses, $25,000 for future medical expenses, $175,000 for past non-economic damages, and $50,000 for future non-economic damages.

At Carpenter, Zuckerman & Rowley, our Los Angeles slip-and-fall accident lawyers have a long track record of success and can apply their experience and skills to your personal injury case. Such injuries can result in serious injuries and financial losses, and victims need compensation to recover from injuries and expenses caused by another party’s actions. For more information about how we can help you, call our offices today at (310) 273-1230.

California personal injury lawyer Sark Ohanian of Carpenter, Zuckerman & Rowley recently won just compensation for a 39-year-old photographer and Olympic snowboarder who was injured when he was attacked by a paddleboarder while surfing at Venice Beach. On June 5, 2010, the plaintiff suffered facial injuries after being hit by an oar swung by a paddleboarder after an argument in the water.

The injured man had gone to Venice Beach with his family and several friends, taking his surfboard with him to enjoy the summer ocean, but when he began to surf, he had to dive under a wave to avoid being run over by a man on a stand-up paddleboard (SUP), which is several feet larger than a surfboard.

After avoiding the SUP, the surfer and the paddleboarder were involved in a verbal argument while both treading water in the ocean. After exchanging words, the paddleboarder, still in possession of his six-foot-long oar, raised it out of the water, over his head, and struck the surfer in the face, which was witnessed by the head lifeguard in the area. The paddleboarder then immediately swam to shore and attempted to leave, but was found and arrested by police, which led to him eventually pleading no contest to an assault with a deadly weapon charge.

The injured surfer required immediate medical treatment for his injury, a horizontal cut on his nose that was deep enough to cause the tip of his nose to rest on his upper lip. He required stitches and suffered a permanent scar across his nose. While the defendant claimed that he did not intentionally strike the man with his oar and that he was in fear for his safety, the case was settled for $90,000.

Being attacked by another can cause serious and permanent damage to a victim that requires extensive medical treatment and may result in long-term pain and suffering. Beyond justice in a criminal case, finding proper financial compensation is needed to help a victim recover from their injuries and not suffer monetary burdens intentionally caused by another. At Carpenter, Zuckerman & Rowley, our Los Angeles assault injury attorneys understand the serious losses that can occur due to being attacked. For a free consultation on your injury case by our dedicated legal team, call our offices at (310) 273-1230.

More than ever, new bills and calls for reform are targeting the costs of medical malpractice lawsuits in both federal and state governments, with many stating that medical malpractice lawsuits harm health centers and raise the general cost of health care for everyone.

But who is behind the push to limit what medical malpractice victims can receive? Hospitals and insurance providers.

In 2010, a health care study found that medical malpractice lawsuits cost an average of $55.6 billion every year, with $45.6 billion of it actually due to defensive medicine. While this number seems to be incredibly high, this is actually only 2.4 percent of annual health-care spending. With such a small percentage of annual spending due to medical malpractice lawsuit payouts, the increasing cost of health care insurance is more due to inflation and other rising medical costs and not lawsuits meant to help injured victims cope with their losses.

Defensive medicine is the practice of doctors and hospitals to avoid potential medical malpractice lawsuits and avoid liability for any injuries or illnesses that may be blamed on them. Common examples of practices used in defensive medicine include procedures, tests, and visits ordered to simply prove that the doctor or hospital was not responsible for an injury. Preventative medicine can also include a doctor or hospital’s refusal to perform a procedure or avoid high-risk patients to reduce the chances of being liable for medical malpractice. In the end, these procedures cost great amounts of money and are often detrimental to a patient.

Medical centers and insurance providers will try their best to avoid paying compensation for medical malpractice lawsuits or to provide the smallest amount possible to a victim. These goals are to the detriment of medical malpractice victims everywhere, but are difficult to fight against without the aid of an experienced legal team.

At Carpenter, Zuckerman & Rowley, our San Diego medical malpractice lawyers understand the toll of such acts of negligence and the need of obtaining compensation for often life-long disabilities and other losses. For information on how our legal team can apply our years of experience to your case, call us today at (619) 814-9000. We are armed to win.