Mark L. v. Home Depot: Mr. LaGarde obtained a jury verdict of $2,371,500 for a client who suffered a back injury when a ladder on which he was standing collapsed. Mr. LaGarde’s client underwent a fusion at the L5-S1 level of his back. Mr. LaGarde was able to show that the ladder had been sold to his client by Home Depot after the date Home Depot received notice of a safety recall of the product.
Louis A. v. Allied Elevator et al.: Mr. LaGarde represented a construction worker who suffered a serious back injury when a defective elevator in a rice storage facility malfunctioned and fell several stories to the ground. A favorable, confidential pre-trial settlement was reached.
Jose J. v. Ford Motor Company and Firestone Tire: Mr. LaGarde represented a client who suffered severe injuries when the Ford Explorer SUV he was driving rolled over as the direct result of the tread separation of a defective tire manufactured by Firestone. A favorable, confidential pre-trial settlement was reached.
Marina F. (individually and as next friend of Samantha F.) v. Polaris Industries: Mr. and Mrs. LaGarde represented a nine-year-old girl whose arm was amputated in a Polaris Ranger utility vehicle rollover accident. The LaGardes argued that the design of the rollover protective structure was defective because the metal armrest was flush with the outer plane of the rollover structure, thereby forming a pinch point. As a result of the lawsuit, Polaris changed the design of the armrest on its utility vehicle to make it safer. A favorable, confidential settlement was reached before trial.
Bill G. and Erna G. v. Kia Motors Corporation: Mr. and Mrs. LaGarde represented a passenger of a Kia Sportage that was rear-ended. The seatback of all four seats failed and fell backwards, causing the driver and three passengers to fall with them. One of the passengers slipped under her seatbelt, and her collapsed seatback struck the headliner at the rear of the vehicle, causing her to break her neck. She is now a ventilator-dependent quadriplegic. Mr. and Mrs. LaGarde were prepared to show at trial that the seatback design was defective. A favorable, confidential settlement was reached before trial.
Michael C. v. Baldor Electric: Mr. and Mrs. LaGarde represented a high school student whose hand was severely mangled by the wire brush attachment of an electric grinder. The LaGardes were prepared to prove at trial that the grinder lacked the proper warnings and safety devices that should have been in place in accordance with industry standards. A favorable, confidential pre-trial settlement was reached.
Jennie M. et al. v. Ford Motor Company: Mr. and Mrs. LaGarde represented seven high school students who suffered injuries when a Ford E350 van in which they were passengers rolled over. The students were participating in a fundraiser for Youth against Drugs. Mr. and Mrs. LaGarde were prepared to prove at trial that the E350 van was defectively designed, had too high a center of gravity and was prone to rollovers on the highway during normal and expected highway maneuvers. A favorable, confidential pre-trial settlement was reached.
Gretchen W. v. Coufal-Prater Equipment, et al.: Mr. and Mrs. LaGarde represented a client whose husband died from injuries suffered when the jack stand on a new piece of farm equipment collapsed, causing the equipment to crush his foot. Mr. and Mrs. LaGarde were prepared to prove at trial that the jack stand had been damaged by the company at the time it was delivered and that the new mower/conditioner was unreasonably dangerous as delivered. A favorable, confidential settlement was reached before trial.
