Brian Panish

Panish is representing the parents of a 21-year-old student football player who are suing The Regents of the University of California for the wrongful death of their son.

On Feb. 7, Ted Agu, 21, was participating in a conditioning drill near Memorial Stadium on the UCB campus.

During that time, he experienced dizziness, shortness of breath, loss of balance and other symptoms related to sickle cell disease.

The lawsuit alleges that, even though Agu was clearly in distress, he was not given immediate assistance. Agu v. The Regents of the University of California, et al, RG14735588 (Alameda Super. Ct., filed Aug. 5, 2014).

After being transported by emergency personnel to Alta Bates Medical Center in Berkeley, Agu was pronounced dead.

The parents, Emilia and Ambrose Agu, alleged that their son died due to the negligence of the UCB football trainers and coaches, who, they contend, knew about his medical condition.

"Sickle cell is the number one cause of death of college football players," Panish said, noting that the sickle cell trait is most common among African-Americans. "But no attention has been paid to this and it has been brushed under the rug."

Panish noted that Agu had been an honor student with plans to attended medical school.

"Hopefully, we will draw attention to get changes made to prevent these needless deaths from occurring."

In another matter, as lead counsel, Panish recently won a $15.3 million jury verdict for a mother and daughter involved in a bus accident caused when the vehicle went over a speed bump in a school zone at more than twice the legal speed limit. Francisco, et al, v. Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District, et al, RG12617444 (Alameda Super. Ct., filed March 7, 2012).

The mother suffered a broken back in the accident.

The verdict also included $1 million for the daughter for emotional distress.

The defendants, AC Transit, with substantial legal resources, Panish said, "fought to the bitter end."

He added, "This shows that juries don't buy the rhetoric that people aren't really injured and are willing to listen to the evidence."

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