Product Liability

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V.J. v. Toro

Jury verdict of $1,200,000 for a client who sustained burn injuries when his lawn mower ignited during fueling due to a defective mower switch.

Dalkon Shield IUD Litigation

Mr. Hinkle represented dozen of women who were victim of this defective intrauterine device which caused pelvic infection and infertility.

L-tryptohphan Drug Litigation

Multiple million dollar settlements for clients who sustained injury from a contaminated food supplement.

Family v. Defendants

Confidential settlement of $712,500 against several defendants involving the rollover of a pickup truck.

Confidential Settlement v. Above-head conveyor

Our client sustained neck and back injury when a conveyor in a paint shop dropped a heavy tie bar on him when a swivel stuck. Mr. Hinkle used the designer and manufacturer of the product, which was not sold with safety chains. After our client’s injury the owner of the assembly line installed safety chains.

Confidential Settlement v. In-ground conveyor

Our client was a truck driver at an lumber manufacturing facility when he stepped into an unguarded conveyor that was used to move chips. Mr. Hinkle was able to achieve a confidential settlement.

D.W. v. New Holland

Mr. Hinkle’s client sustained a serious leg injury when he slipped exiting a “skid-steer” loader. We contended the hydraulics should not operate unless the operated was secured in the driver’s seat. The case settled.

Copeland v. Chrysler

Our client was a mechanic working on a truck. He asked a co-worker to crank the motor. Unfortunately the standard transmission was in first gear and the vehicle lunged forward severely breaking our client’s leg. Following the settlement of our claim interlocked transmissions became the standard and few vehicles will now start in gear.

N.M., A Minor v. Royal Oak

As a curious 4-year old, N.M. was naturally attracted to the smoldering bar-be-cue pit next door. The neighbors had finished cooking and gone inside to eat. N.M. was apparently squirting the remnants of lighter fluid on the hot coals when they ignited and the fire “flashed back” into the container causing it to explode, dumping fuel onto N.M. He suffered second and third degree burns to his body that were treated at a Shriner’s Hospital in Ohio. Like most lighter fluid manufacturers, Royal Oak had failed to include a small screen in the container lid, which would have prevented a “flash back” of this nature. The cost of the screen would be about 1 cent per container and would eliminate this severe, albeit rare, hazard. The defendant denied having considered a spark-arresting screen or considering it necessary, but decades old documents obtained in a thorough and careful investigation of the case proved embarrassing to the defendants. Fortunately N.M. had healed very well and there were minimal future medical expenses. The Shriner’s who refused to seek reimbursement or charge for their services had paid past medical expenses. The claim for the minor child’s pain, suffering and disfigurement was settled following extensive mediation for $750,000.

E.M. v. Blount, Inc.

Our client was working on a logging operation. He was cutting off the ends of logs intended to be used as telephone poles. It was raining. A co-worker, operating a crane-type loader was cleaning up the work area and dropped a load of stumps and debris on E.M., causing a severe neck injury. Because of immunity created under the worker’s compensation laws, we were not able to sue the co-worker. We did sue the manufacturer of the log loader because the side windows of the loader fogged up in the rain and there was no effective defroster provided. After a very lengthy and hotly disputed mediation, the case settled, allowing our client to secure an accessible residence and escape life in an institution.

Estate Of MR v. Toyota

Our client’s wife burned to death in her Toyota Camry. Accident reconstruction showed that the fire was fueled by an electric fuel pump, which continued to operate post-collision. Toyota Motor Company vigorously contested all issues. Prior to trial, the client accepted a significant settlement which included structured payments for the children. Most cars with electric fuel pumps now have inertia cut-off switches to prevent this type tragedy, the pumps shut down in a collision.

B.H. v. Confidential Defendant

Young entrepreneur and mother of three severely injured as a result of defective product. Product liability settlement in the amount of $815,000.

Automobile Crashworthiness Litigation

Numerous confidential settlements with car manufactures for defective design or manufacture of their vehicles.