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Torts
Product Liability
Fire

2151 Michelson, L.P., et al. v. Standard Brands Paint Company, et al.

Published: Dec. 5, 1998 | Result Date: Oct. 9, 1998 | Filing Date: Jan. 1, 1900 |

Case number: 744990 Verdict –  $0

Judge

Derek W. Hunt

Court

Orange Superior


Attorneys

Plaintiff

Jeffrey S. Grider

Scott R. Kamrath

Gerard P. Harney

John P. Bovich
(Reed Smith LLP)


Defendant

Peter J. Gates
(Gates, Gonter,Guy, Proudfoot & Muench LLP)

Richard W. Miller
(Wade & Lowe PC)


Experts

Plaintiff

Bruce Kamman
(technical)

David G. Howitt
(technical)

Defendant

John Kordosh
(technical)

Michael Schulz
(technical)

Robert L. Davis
(Collinsworth, Specht, Calkins & Giampaoli LLP) (technical)

Facts

In a consolidated suit, the owner, tenants and insurers of a major office complex in Irvine alleged that a pile of rags used to apply a wood stain to doors in the building caught fire spontaneously shortly after 10 p.m. on Oct. 29, 1994, because the stain contained linseed oil and was defectively formulated and inadequately labeled. The plaintiffs brought this action against the manufacturers and distributors of the wood stain based on negligent design and inadequate warning theories of recovery.

Settlement Discussions

The building owner plaintiffs made a C.C.P. º998 settlement demand for $2 million. The defendant made a C.C.P. º998 offer of compromise for a waiver of costs to plaintiff Astro Vista Inc. but no offer to the other plaintiffs.

Damages

Trial was bifurcated but one half of the building burned to the ground requiring over $5 million to repair the building. The plaintiffs also claimed that there was over $1 million in loss of income due to rent loss. Various tenants claimed business interruption and business loss.

Result

WE NEED THE CITY OF LOCALE OF EXPERTS John Kordosh ______________________, and Michael Schulz ____________________

Other Information

The verdict was reached approximately three years after the case was filed.

Deliberation

two hours

Length

approximately one week


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