Samuel Quiroz v. Pacific Rim Transport Inc.
Published: Mar. 11, 2003 | Result Date: Nov. 13, 2002 | Filing Date: Jan. 1, 1900 |Case number: 8410065 Verdict – $274,000
Judge
Court
Alameda Superior
Attorneys
Plaintiff
Defendant
Ronald A. Peters
(Littler Mendelson PC)
Eric A. Grover
(Keller Grover LLP)
Experts
Plaintiff
Craig Pratt
(technical)
Christina Davis
(technical)
Defendant
Michael A. Robbins
(EXTTI Incorporated)
(technical)
Facts
The plaintiff, a 48-year-old operations manager, was employed by the defendant heavy haulage company. He was hired at the defendant's Oakland terminal. The plaintiff claimed that after a few months, the terminal manager began to taunt him by mispronouncing his name, emphasizing the word "queer." He also claimed that the supervisor referred to him as a "fag" and on three occasions grabbed his buttocks. When the plaintiff confronted the supervisor about this, the behavior did stop but a pattern of retaliation began which included hostility, unfair job assignments, unfair criticism, unfair performance evaluation, low salary increase and taking away of a company vehicle.
Damages
The plaintiff claimed humiliation, indignity and anxiety. The plaintiff did not seek wage loss as he secured a better paying job. The plaintiff claimed no medical treatment and no medical expenses.
Result
The jury awarded $184,000 for humiliation, indignity and anxiety. It awarded $90,000 in punitive damages.
Other Information
The plaintiff is seeking attorney's fees and costs and injunctive relief to obtain training for the Oakland staff and managers as well as expungement of negative matters from his file. The motion was taken off calendar after the defendant agreed to the training and expungement.
Deliberation
two days
Length
five weeks
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