Congratulations to Advocate Capital, Inc. friends, Chandler Law and Shernoff, Bidart, Echeverria! The firms recently won more than $10.5 million in a workplace negligence case against Capay, Inc.
Chandler’s client, a 37-year-old truck driver, was picking up produce at Capay’s warehouse near Sacramento, California, on July 21, 2017. During the loading process, the client attempted to check on his trailer but was seriously injured when one of the company’s forklift operators ran over his right leg. It later had to be amputated.
Chandler’s client came to him just a few days following the incident, and they sued Capay for negligence, claiming the forklift employee failed to look back in his direction when he put the vehicle in reverse. Not only does this violate state and industry laws for operating a forklift, but it goes against Capay’s own safety rules for doing so. Chandler and his team also argued that the operator failed to designate a safe zone for truck drivers like his client to stand and wait.
The amputation and resulting prosthetic left the client with more than $126,000 in medical bills. Chandler and his team were also forced to fight for future loss of earning capacity, medical and other expenses. After two years of litigation, Chandler brought his friend, attorney Ricardo Echeverria on board to co-counsel, noting that he recently won a similar case for a client.
The trial began on March 2, 2020, but due to the pandemic, it was put on hold from March 16 until June 29 when the judge considered it safe for both parties and the jurors to gather in the courtroom. When they reconvened, the jury awarded Chandler and his client this outstanding $10.5MM verdict!
Chandler says the team at Shernoff, Bidart, Echeverria—particularly Echeverria, and his partner, Attorney Kristin Hobbs—played a vital role in securing this victory. Mr. Chandler also credits Advocate Capital, Inc. for enabling him to retain the best possible experts from the week following the injury through trial. It made a tremendous difference in how he helped his client – as it does his other seriously injured clients.
Congratulations to Chandler Law and Shernoff, Bidart, Echeverria!
