Cavanagh attorneys Richard Woods and Richard Mear (lead counsel) obtained a defense verdict for a global toy retailer in a products liability matter pending in United States District Court, District of Arizona (Judge John Tuchi presiding). The plaintiffs had demanded several million dollars to settle leading up to trial but were unable to persuade the jury of the toy retailer’s liability. The trial victory was selected as the “Featured Verdict” in the VerdictSearch Products Liability Journal, Vol. 13 Issue 9 March 2016.
Prior to trial, Woods and Mear, who also represented the subject toy’s North American distributor obtained a ruling precluding the plaintiff’s injury causation expert under FRE 702 and Daubert, as well as a ruling precluding the plaintiff’s claim for punitive damages. On February 14, 2017, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously affirmed the trial court’s rulings of costs awarded to the toy retailer.