Trial Results

Wood Smith Henning & Berman is proud to announce a significant victory for the defense, celebrating a unanimous verdict in favor of a respected, world-renowned neurosurgeon in a high-profile medical malpractice case. Philadelphia partner, Andy Kessler, prevailed on behalf of the client after a hard fought eight-day trial.

WSHB is proud to announce that the New Jersey office secured a significant victory in a property management case involving a severe injury claim. Under the supervision of partner Jill Mucerino, and led by senior associate Alison McClave, the case was successfully resolved in favor of the client, the owner and manager of an apartment building, after a successful motion for summary judgment in Middlesex County.

In a significant victory for the medical community, trial partner Ryan Deane of WSHB has achieved a unanimous defense verdict in a two-week medical malpractice trial that concluded on October 15, 2024. The jury deliberated for only 35 minutes before determining that the physician involved was not negligent, underscoring the strength of the defense presented.

Wood Smith Henning & Berman (WSHB) is proud to announce a significant victory in a high-stakes jury trial in King County, Washington, securing a decisive win for our esteemed clients—a leading general contractor and a real estate developer. Led by the exceptional legal acumen of seasoned trial attorney Tim Repass and senior associate Nohl Speck, WSHB skillfully dismantled a construction site injury and premises liability claim, delivering a powerful defense.

In a significant victory for Wood Smith Henning & Berman, partner Christopher Seusing, senior associate Sean Patel, and associate Kyle Woodford successfully obtained a voluntary dismissal without prejudice in the United States District Court, Southern District of Florida. The case, which involved a class action against a major entertainment corporation, alleged violations of the Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA) due to the defendant's alleged sharing of users' video viewing histories with Facebook.

In a decisive legal victory, the Alabama office of Wood Smith Henning & Berman successfully defended an insurance agent against negligence and wantonness claims in a high-stakes trial in Perry County, Alabama. The plaintiffs alleged that the agent failed to procure adequate insurance and mishandled the processing of a liability claim, which led to collection actions being taken against them. The trial unfolded after a year of contentious litigation, culminating in a directed verdict, after the plaintiffs rested their case.

The Kings County Superior Court has granted summary judgment in favor of a leading equipment manufacturer for the meat packing industry, represented by Wood Smith Henning & Berman (WSHB), in a high stakes products liability case. The important ruling is a significant victory in a multi-party lawsuit involving a tragic incident in which the plaintiff lost a limb while sanitizing equipment at a packing plant. Plaintiff is seeking a minimum of $26 million against all parties in the product's distribution chain and the operators of the plant.

Wood Smith Henning & Berman (WSHB) is pleased to announce that a Santa Monica judge returned a favorable verdict for our client in a challenging business litigation case. Trial attorneys Andreea Custurea and Greg Amundson expertly navigated a multitude of claims brought forth by the plaintiffs, who alleged breaches of contract, fraud, and other serious offenses. WSHB successfully defended against claims exceeding $2 million with the court awarding the plaintiff less than $50,000. In addition, as the plaintiff failed to surpass the statutory offer to compromise and are now responsible for all expert fees and costs.

In a remarkable demonstration of legal acumen, Wood Smith Henning & Berman successfully resolved a complex security negligence case through a strategic motion for summary judgment. This decisive victory, spearheaded by trial attorneys Lauren Kane and Frances O’Meara, exemplifies the effectiveness of well-crafted legal motions in bringing clarity and finality to challenging cases.

Wood Smith Henning & Berman is proud to announce a significant legal victory led by partner Kate Adams, who successfully prevailed on a Motion for Summary Judgment concerning third-party coverage under a policy issued to a town in Connecticut. This landmark decision addressed critical aspects of CGL Coverage, Public Entity Management Liability Coverage, and Public Entity Employment Related Practices Coverage.

Wood Smith Henning & Berman is proud to report yet another successful jury trial, this time led by trial lawyers Jade Tran and Vanessa Herzog. Together, Tran and Herzog successfully defended a national trucking company and its driver in a challenging jury trial in the San Bernardino Superior Court. This intricate case, which stemmed from a significant accident on the northbound I-15, culminated in the jury determining that the plaintiff driver bore 95% of the liability for the collision.

Wood Smith Henning & Berman has achieved a notable legal victory in Michigan in a complex automobile accident case. The case involved a vehicle rented by a leading delivery company from our client, which resulted in an accident with the plaintiff. Partner Michael Spinazzola and senior associate Hass Merhi showcased their expertise in the handling of this matter.

WSHB New York is celebrating yet another win in a complex case involving New York’s contentious Labor Law. This win underscores the firm's strategic ability in setting up cases for success through powerful law in motion practice.

In a decisive ruling, a Nevada court has granted Wood Smith Henning & Berman's motion for summary judgment in a personal injury case stemming from a shooting incident at a rental property in Las Vegas. Led by Las Vegas Managing Partner, Janice Michaels, the WSHB team including Kyle Hoyt argued their way to victory on behalf of owners of a short-term rental. The case involved homeowners who utilized an online marketplace in order to rent their property to a third-party tenant, who subsequently hosted a party in violation of house rules, leading to a nearby shooting away from the home that injured the plaintiff.

Wood Smith Henning & Berman is proud to announce a remarkable legal victory on behalf of a multi-million dollar construction client, securing the dismissal of complex data breach class action lawsuit in the Northern District of California (NDCA). The case, which consolidated multiple class action suits, involved the compromise of 24,000 employee files following a ransomware attack.

Wood Smith Henning & Berman is pleased to announce a significant victory in a bench trial led by trial attorney Thomas Fama. The case, which had been pending for nearly five years due to pandemic-related delays and unreasonable demands by the plaintiff, concluded with a resounding judgment in favor of the defendant.

Wood Smith Henning & Berman is pleased to share that partner Andy Kessler has secured a favorable award in a binding arbitration that had been pending since 2017 in the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas.

Wood Smith Henning & Berman, a leading defense litigation firm, is pleased to announce a resounding victory in a high-profile medical malpractice case. After an intense over month long jury trial, celebrated trial attorney, Ryan Deane, successfully secured a defense verdict on behalf of the client, a gynecological surgeon.

WSHB, a leading litigation and trial law firm, is pleased to announce a significant win in a complex transportation case handled by the Michigan office. The litigation involved an unfortunate incident where a vehicle rented by a well-known national overnight delivery service was hit by the Plaintiff, resulting in a series of legal claims.

Wood Smith Henning & Berman (WSHB) is pleased to announce a major legal victory for its New York office in a recent New York Labor Law case. Courtney Scharpf, a senior counsel in the firm's New York office, successfully defeated the plaintiff's motion for Summary Judgment on Labor Law 240(1) and obtained a dismissal of the plaintiff's Labor Law 200 and 214(6) claims, as well as contractual indemnification on our third-party action against the employer. Together with co-managing partner Tracy Abatemarco, Scharpf secured a victory in an area of the law where summary judgment wins are infrequent.

Wood Smith Henning & Berman is proud to announce a remarkable result for our client, a major construction company and property owner, in a high stakes negligence case. Despite the plaintiff initially securing summary judgment on vicarious liability, partner Cole Munson's strategic trial tactics led to the voluntary dismissal of claims against the client.

In a significant legal triumph, Luana DiSarra Scavone, a partner in the Boston office of Wood Smith Henning & Berman (WSHB), successfully obtained the dismissal of all claims in a professional liability complaint filed against a real estate agent and their brokerage firm. The Massachusetts Board of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons issued a favorable decision, clearing the respondents of all allegations.

In a significant victory for the construction industry, trial attorney Maggy Mazlin obtained a unanimous defense verdict on liability in favor of her client during the trial of a high-stakes New York Labor Law case. In doing so, the defense steadfastly rejected a $4 million dollar demand from plaintiff.

On the eve of trial, Wood Smith Henning & Berman achieved a significant legal victory for the client, a national supplier of countertops, by securing a summary judgment. The Plaintiff, whose story has been widely featured in multiple news outlets, alleged that he developed silicosis as a result of exposure to products containing silica from a countertop manufactured by WSHB's client.

Wood Smith Henning & Berman (WSHB), a prominent national law firm, is thrilled to announce a momentous victory for its client in a high-profile wrongful death case. The case, which tragically involved the untimely demise of a 15-year-old girl in an ATV accident, was successfully defended by WSHB trial attorneys, Graham Miller and Caroline Hopkins.

WSHB, a leading national law firm specializing in litigation, is pleased to announce a major victory achieved by partners Chad Dunigan and Ryan Brooks, along with associate Matt Hill, in a highly contentious toxic tort arbitration matter. The successful defense resulted in a favorable outcome for their client, a prominent national homebuilder.

In a closely watched jury trial, WSHB managing partner Tim Repass achieved an impressive trial victory that showcased his exceptional litigation skills. After an intense two-week trial, the jury delivered a verdict that emphatically rejected the plaintiff's exorbitant $31 million in claimed damages. Plaintiff’s counsel used anchoring tactics in the admitted liability matter, but Repass successfully argued for a significantly reduced award of $550,000, even lower than our client's pre-trial offer.

WSHB is proud to announce yet another data breach class action dismissal by its Cyber Team, this time in the U.S. District Court for Arizona. Senior counsel John Darminio and partner Christopher Heo successfully obtained the dismissal of a data breach class action involving over 150,000 class members. Plaintiffs sought in excess of $5 million in damages from the client, even though it was the victim of a debilitating ransomware attack carried out by a criminal gang.

WSHB is proud to announce a significant triumph secured by New York Partners John Cofresi and Richard Sprock in a recent insurance coverage arbitration. The majority of the arbitration panel, composed of highly experienced arbitrators, delivered a defense verdict, denying the claimant's $15 million claim for business interruption and extra expense stemming from the suspension of manufacturing at one of its manufacturing facilities. The claimant also sought consequential damages for breach of the implied covenant of good-faith and fair dealing so as to expose our client to the considerable attorney's fees accrued by claimant's law firm.

WSHB proudly announces a resounding victory for our Florida team in a recent binding arbitration case. Our skilled attorneys successfully defended a national storage facility owner against a plaintiff who claimed injuries from a trip and fall incident on the property after compelling the case to binding arbitration.

WSHB, a leading national defense firm, is thrilled to announce a significant legal triumph in the case of Pearland UrbanAir LLC v. Cerna. This decision, secured in the 14th Court of Appeals in Texas, sets a groundbreaking precedent in the amusement park industry and others that regularly employ waivers of liability for minors. In doing so, this decision is powerful authority solidifying the enforceability of binding arbitration agreements with minors who have executed waivers.

WSHB achieved a significant legal victory in obtaining the dismissal of a data breach class action lawsuit involving over 88,000 affected patients. The federal court judge issued a comprehensive 19-page opinion dismissing the class action and adopting the arguments presented by partners Dan Paret and Chris Seusing on behalf of their client, a non-profit mental health facility.

WSHB's Sebastian Larrea and Nicole Dominguez secured a victory in a property insurance claim dispute, resulting in the dismissal of the lawsuit with prejudice. This triumph not only showcases the firm's commitment to excellence but also highlights its exceptional ability to navigate complex legal challenges with expertise and skill.

WSHB is proud to announce that Partner Bolam Kim, lead counsel in a highly contentious childhood lead paint case, has achieved a significant victory. The appellate decision, delivered on November 9, 2023, is poised to impact the industry significantly as a seminal decision for the defense in lead paint litigation and is sure to have broad application for future cases moving forward.