Top Settlements and Verdicts

Aviation Accident Settlements

For decades, our firm has represented victims in some of the worst aviation disasters in history. We have handled cases in over 70 different airline crashes around the world and we also have extensive experience in dealing with helicopter and small plane crashes, as well as smaller commercial, corporate and private airplane crashes.

Our top settlements and verdicts include:

• $17.5 million settlement for the death of a passenger in a major US plane crash
• $14 million settlement for the death of a passenger in a major US plane crash
• $12 million settlement for an injured passenger in a helicopter crash
• $10 million settlement for the death of passenger in a major foreign plane crash
• 136 aviation cases settled for $1 million or more
• Caused first known public apology from a major airline

One of the firm’s most significant aviation trials took place in Southern California against Bell Helicopter for a tail rotor failure. We represented the families of three Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics who were killed in a rescue helicopter crash. When Bell attempted to use an exemption for older helicopters to dismiss our case, our lawyers found evidence that they had hidden information about similar crashes from the US government. Armed with this information, our firm successfully challenged aviation product liability law, exploiting an exemption for inaccurate reporting, and allowing our case to proceed.

View the animations prepared for Baum Hedlund to be shown as evidence during the 2006 product liability trial at Los Angeles Superior Court against Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., and Bell Technical Services, Inc.

Our firm also litigated a case involving unsafe helicopter fuel tank issues, shortly after which the Federal Aviation Administration required changes to improve safety concerning the helicopters with defective fuel tank design.

Bus Crash Settlements

We have a long history of handling bus accident cases. Over the past 25 years we have represented bus passengers, pedestrians, and other motorists in more than 90 bus crash cases in the United States and abroad.

Our bus crash settlements include:

• $6.2 million settlement for a child killed in a bus crash
• $1.9 million settlement for a tourist killed in a foreign bus crash
• $1.8 million wrongful death settlement for a tour bus passenger
• $1.7 million for a child killed in a school bus crash
• Represented 27 passengers in a single bus accident
• US jurisdiction received in multiple foreign bus crashes

One of our landmark cases was a crash in Carrollton, Kentucky that led to tighter safety standards for school busses. After a drunk pickup truck driver hit a school bus filled mostly with children returning from a church outing, the unprotected fuel tank ruptured and set a fire that would claim the lives of 27 people and seriously injure many more. Our exhaustive efforts to get to the bottom of this tragedy were documented in the book Reckless Disregard. We acquired a Ford school bus and conducted a post-crash fire test, and together with a team of bus structure, safety, and fire experts discovered that multiple defects in the bus’s structure and fuel tank placement were to blame for the extreme loss of life. After the case was resolved, we continued to work with our clients to promote bus safety across the United States and in Canada by creating information packets that explained the issues with fuel tank placement to bus manufacturers and school officials across the country and beyond. The overwhelming response we received and the subsequent safety improvements made to school busses everywhere, have remained one of our most enduring and far-reaching successes.

Prescription Drug and Medical Device Settlements

We have been at the forefront of harmful drug and medical device litigation for more than 25 years and have faced off against some of the largest drug companies in the world.

Our prescription drug and medical device settlements include:

• $105 million pharmaceutical settlement (multiple clients)
• $63 million pediatric class action re false promotion of Paxil
• $40 million third-party payer class action re off-label promotion of Paxil
• $28 million Paxil defective drug class action
• $10 million pediatric class action re false promotion of Celexa and Lexapro
• $9 million settlement for a single client’s drug injury
• 145 pharmaceutical and medical device cases settled for $1 million or more

In one of our pharmaceutical projects, our firm litigated the improper drugging of children with a drug, Paxil, its manufacturer knew did not outperform sugar pills.  Years of document analysis and depositions of company employees and academics linked to the promotion of falsified efficacy data led to government investigations, a widely publicized study exposing the actual data in the renowned British Medical Journal and settlements for both parents and insurance companies that paid for the ineffective pills.  Our litigation and consumer advocacy helped lead to the eight-figure results and widespread publication of the fraudulent enterprises.  We have also provided testimony and evidence to the FDA, State Senate, Congress, and even foreign governments to assist in exposing certain fraudulent practices of Big Pharma in promoting harmful drugs and medical devices.

The lawyers at Baum, Hedlund, Aristei & Goldman have handled more than 80 commuter and Amtrak train accident cases across the United States.

Our train accident settlements include:

• $3.5 million settlement for the death of a train passenger
• $2.8 million wrongful death settlement for a train passenger
• $2 million settlement for the death of a train passenger

After the 2005 Glendale Metrolink derailment, train accident attorney, J. Clark Aristei, was appointed as Plaintiffs’ Liaison Counsel for the committee that oversaw and managed the 100+ cases that resulted from the deadly crash. Senior partner, Paul J. Hedlund, who is also a mechanical engineer, was the only attorney allowed to testify before the California State Assembly about the inherent dangers of pushing passenger trains instead of pulling them as well as improvements needed in rail passenger car crashworthiness. After this crash, passengers were banned from sitting in the first car of the train if it is being pushed by the locomotive. While we consider this a great success in terms of improving safety we are still advocating for the elimination of push train usage altogether. We also continue to advocate for the use of Positive Train Control throughout the passenger train network and more vigorous inspection and replacement of worn track.

Truck Crash Settlements

Since the late 1980s, the firm has handled over 200 truck crash cases across the nation and helped families deal with the aftermath of these tragedies.

Our truck crash settlements and verdicts include:

• $8.5 million wrongful death verdict against food industry company, Tyson Foods
• $6.9 million settlement during trial against a major truck company
• $6 million settlement for a wrongful death case in a truck crash
• 62 truck accident cases settled for $1 million or more

A successful truck accident trial was conducted in Ohio, where our firm successfully brought to trial a commercial truck accident case against Tyson Foods, where our clients were awarded $7,028,687 for the loss of their son, a single young adult.

Tyson Foods disagreed with the verdict and asked the court for a new trial or reduction of the verdict since it was one of the largest verdicts for the death of an unmarried person in Ohio’s history. The judge not only denied Tyson’s request for a new trial or reduction, but based on the evidence and testimony presented by our firm at trial, the judge granted prejudgment interest, increasing the total amount awarded to about $8.5 million.

Another one of our successful truck accident trials took place in Madison, Wisconsin. After a semi-truck drove over a stopped car, killing two of its occupants and injuring the third, one of our attorney’s took the case all the way to trial. The trucking company admitted fault before trial, but insisted that the damages were no more than $2.1 million. Our firm continued in pursuit of justice for the three victims over a four day trial until the case finally settled for $6.9 million. The settlement came just before the jury was about to announce their verdict, which according to later interviews, would have been $6.5 million.

Whistleblower Claims

Our whistleblower team is dedicated to protecting the nation from losing billions of dollars due to the fraudulent actions of corporations, as well as protecting the brave individuals that come forward to point out that fraud.

Our whistleblower settlements include:

• $18 million settlement for Boeing government overcharging on aircraft maintenance
• $8.5 million settlement for Neuroscience / Pharmasan Labs improper billing over unnecessary or questionable tests
• $6.5 million settlement for San Diego Hospice healthcare fraud
• $1.2 million settlement for Bizlink Technology underpaying customs fees

One of our more successful whistleblower lawsuits was against the Boeing Company. Boeing paid $18 million to settle our client’s case, which alleged they violated the terms of its defense contract with the US government. Our firm presented evidence showing that the Boeing Company had charged the government for maintenance costs even while their employees were out at lunch or on extended breaks. This overcharging took place for over seven years before it was finally exposed. The whistleblower, our client, received a $3 million reward for his part in bringing the fraud to light.