Bruce A. Broillet

Broillet was lead trial counsel for Katherine "Kitty" Keck, mother of philanthropist William M. Keck III, who died at Bel-Air Bay Club in Pacific Palisades.

"This was a terrible tragedy because 911 was not called until several hours after Billy Keck began to show signs of heat exhaustion," Broillet said. "If they had called just a little bit earlier he would be living today."

The case hinged on convincing the Santa Monica jury that loss of love was enough to warrant compensation.

"Kitty Keck didn't rely upon her son for resources, so the suit was for the loss of love from her son. They had a very close relationship," Broillet said. "The jury had the impression that this was a woman of some substantial means and we had to deal with that. We were able to prove that even a parent of substantial means still deserves adequate compensation for a loss when the evidence supports the compensation should be made."

The jury found his client had suffered $15 million in damages, but reduced the verdict to $12 million on the basis that the son was 20% responsible for his own death. Keck v. Bel-Air Bay Club Ltd., BC704134 (L.A. Super. Ct., filed April 30, 2018). The original sum had included $2 million for past loss of love and $13 million for future loss of love.

Broillet said jurors saw past Keck's wealth and recognized what her son meant to her.

"Hopefully this case and others reverberate through the community and cause businesses like the Bel-Air Bay Club -- including, gyms, workout clubs and fitness centers -- to make sure their people are properly trained and that they are properly drilled on a regular basis to ensure they stay sharp," Broillet said. "Safety is good business, bottom line. It protects people. It protects the company from being sued."

Giving the example that industrial machinery is generally much safer today than it was decades ago, Broillet said, "Jury verdicts across America are like a chorus for safety. A lot of workers were losing limbs and lives to machines that weren't properly guarded and what happened was these companies were getting dragged in front of juries. So it became smart business to put in safety features and guards to prevent your workers from getting injured."

-- Nick Kipley