Robert W. Norton

Verdicts & Settlements

PARTIAL LIST OF VERDICTS AND SETTLEMENTS
The following are some of the verdicts and settlements we have obtained for our clients. This list is not all inclusive as they are too numerous to list. There are many more awards in all of the areas in which we practice. We would be happy to discuss any specific types of claims and our results in those areas. We hope you can understand that these cases are by and large subject to comprehensive and arduously negotiated confidentiality agreements.

$19,830,000.00 – Partial Trial Settlement / Partial Verdict

Defective highway product and negligent engineering, design, and construction resulting in traumatic brain injury.

$13,160,000.00 – Verdict and Appeal (Affirmed)

Trial and appeal for complex closed head injury case involving fall on State highway against contractor and State Agency.

$7,000,000.00 – Pre-Trial Global Settlement (Suffolk Superior Court)

Failure of customized industrial vehicle and component product parts.

$5,750,000.00 – Settlement

Wrongful death as a result of a defective loading dock. Allegations of negligent warehouse dock plate system and defective truck vehicle restraint system. Crush injuries resulting in death by forklift rollover.

$5,000,000.00 – Verdict

Fall in unguarded elevator shaft, fractured pelvis.

$4,700,000.00 – Settlement

Elevator mechanic falls from roof of construction site manlift collapsed. Allegations of negligent supervision by the general contractor and failure to follow the installation instructions of the personnel and material hoist.

$3,620,000.00 – Pre-Trial Settlement

Traumatic brain injury to young child as a result of a parking lot motor vehicle collision. Allegations of failure of au pair to properly supervise child and negligent placement of au pair with host family.

$2,100,000.00 – Pre-Trial Settlement

Head trauma with resulting closed head injury to a college hockey player when his head struck an improperly padded stanchion. Allegations of negligent maintenance against the rink owner;
allegations of violations of NCAA regulations against college/university – hosting the NCAA sanctioned athletic event; product liability claims of defective padding and breach of implied warranties of merchantability against the distributor/vendor/seller of the padding including claims of failure to meet ASTM standards.

$1,250,000.00 – Pretrial Settlement

Defective design and manufacturing of scissor lift resulting in fall and wrongful death.

$1,000,000.00 – Verdict

Sexual assault at a hotel.

$1,000,000.00 – Pretrial Settlement

Wrongful death caused by defective crane and negligent supervision at construction site.

$950,000.00 – Award

Pedestrian knockdown by vehicle resulting in mild traumatic brain injury. Claim was brought against operator’s commercial liability policy alleging that operator was operating within the scope of the policy’s covered business.

$750,000.00 – Disability Claim

Litigated disability policy claim for professional athlete who suffered career-ending injury. The full face value of the policy had to be total and solely caused by a policy year injury with no congenital or pre-existing contributing condition.

$595,000.00 – Pretrial Settlement

Construction site injury when ironworker falls from steel suffering lumbar fractures. Claim was based on general contractor’s failure to enforce OSHA fall protection rules.

$425,000.00 – Pretrial Settlement

Employee assaulted while exiting his vehicle in parking lot at place of employment resulting in facial and head trauma. Claim was based on allegations of negligent security in parking lot and inadequate security system.

$495,000.00 – Settlement

Town landfill operator suffers facial lacerations when struck by materials from trailer making a delivery. The claim was against the loader of the trailer for improperly loading the trailer, failing to guard against shifting of the load and improperly securing the contents of the load.

$450,000.00 – Settlement

Debilitating hand injury to emergency room nurse who was struck by a drunk driver. Claim was brought against a concert venue operator where the individual claimed he had been negligently overserved.

$200,000.00 – Settlement

Product liability claim against helmet manufacturer when lacrosse player suffered a broken jaw from shot during claim. Allegations of defense design of the neck and jaw guard.

$190,000.00 – Settlement

Claim for operating room nurse who suffered shoulder injury when an intravenous poll began to roll away from patient due to floor defect. Nurse prevented the pole from rolling away and disconnecting the patient’s medications but injured her shoulder in the process. Claims were brought against the architect and contractor of the building housing the defect.

$600,000.00 – Settlement

Ironworker suffered multiple fractures when prefabricated concrete slabs were defectively designed and manufactured resulting in improper installation.

Amount Withheld – Settlement

Firefighter falls through unguarded opening of a residential home under construction. Claims were brought against the general contractor alleging negligent disposal of oily rags resulting in ignition by spontaneous combustion.

$300,000.00 – Trial with Settlement before Verdict

Traffic officer struck by backing vehicle on a construction site. Allegations of defective traffic plan and lack of a back up alarm. Officer suffered a fractured leg.

$850,000.00 – Settlement

Slip and fall on wet paint at store. Allegations of failing to cordon off the painted area. The employee suffered serious ankle fracture with resulting medical complications.

Amount Withheld – Settlement

Boston police officer suffers fractured arm while attempting to prevent a suspect from fleeing in his rental car. The officer developed chronic regional pain syndrome in his arm following surgery.

$350,000.00 – Pretrial Settlement

Nuclear power plant employee was struck on the head and shoulder from falling wrench from
scaffolding during plant shutdown for maintenance. Allegation was construction manager should have required employee’s company to use retractable tool tether. Employee suffered chronic shoulder pain.

$2,400,000.00 – Settlement

Roofer suffers multiple trauma, including traumatic brain injury after fall through skylight. Claim was brought against general contractor for failing to guard skylight and other roof openings.

$4,100,000.00– Pre-Trial Settlement (Middlesex Superior Court)

Construction site negligence and potentially defective pile driving equipment.

$3,700,000.00 – Pretrial Settlement

Failure of industrial assembly-line product.

$1,500,000.00 – Settlement

Defective rails cars and component parts causing exposure to asbestos and cancer.

$1,300,000.00 – Verdict against major utility company

Failure of one of its electrical safety features.

$760,000.00 – Verdict in U.S.D.C.

Railroad’s failure to properly supervise and maintain track structure – claim against side track owner, as well.

$1,500,000.00 – Pretrial Settlement

Failure of hoisting equipment products and negligently manufactured (i.e. Razor-Sharp) steel joists resulting in wrongful death on a construction site.

$1,200,000.00 – Pretrial Settlement

Failure of defective high pressure water valve at workplace.

$1,200,000.00 – Pretrial Settlement

Failure of industrial scissor-lift at place of employment.

$1,300,000.00 – Pretrial Settlement

Failure of an industrial machine due to defective design at place of employment.

Amount Withheld – Pretrial Settlement

Representation of multiple commuter rail passengers who were injured when a runaway train care struck a commuter rail train. Claims were brought against commuter rail company for switch failure and against railway company for failing to secure train car.

Amount Withheld – Pretrial Settlement

Claim for employee who fell when the turnbuckle attached to his harness detached causing him to land on his head resulting in head injury.

Amount Withheld – Pretrial Settlement

Catastrophic injury including loss of multiple limbs due to runaway vehicle crashing into storefront. Claim against property owner, property manager and store owner for failure to provide guarding such as bollards, barriers and deflectors to eliminate the foreseeable hazard of out of control vehicles.