$625,000 settlement in defective toy case.
Hill v. Rose Art Industries Inc.
$625,000 settlement

Date of settlement: March 14, 2002
Court and Case Number: E.D. Pa. No CV-01-3034
Judge: Franklin S. Van Antwerpen
Type of Action: Products liability
Injuries: Second-degree burns to left thigh
Plaintiff(s) Attorney(s):

• Joel B. Albert, Bala Cynwyd
• Andrew S. Abramson, Jenkintown

Defense Attorney(s):

• Francis McDevitt, Naulty Scaricamazza & McDevitt, Philadelphia
• Allen Bunker, Comeau & Bunker, Philadelphia
• Theresa M. Kelley, McCarter & English, Philadelphia

Plaintiff(s) Expert(s):

• Paul Glatt, M.D., Philadelphia
• Paul Silverstein, M.D., Oklahoma City
• Bert Reiner, liability

Defendant(s) Expert(s):

• N/A/

Comments:

Minor Sara Hill sustained second-degree burns to her left thigh while using Rose Arts Industries, Inc.'s "soap making" products in April 2000.

The product instructed users eight years and older to heat soap in plastic cups supplied in a microwave oven to make decorative soaps. Hill was burned with boiling soap spilled from a hole, which developed in the bottom of the cup supplied.

Discovery revealed that the plastic cup was designed to be heated and that at least nine other similar incidents had been reported t Rose Art between 1997 and 2002. The product was recalled on March 14, 2002. The case settled for $625,000.

$135,000 UM arbitration award in car crash case.
Cahill v. Nationwide Ins. Co.
$135,591 arbitration award

Date of Verdict: April 23, 2002
Court and Case Number: N/A
Judge: N/A
Type of Action: Automobile personal injury
Injuries: Right wrist facture requiring surgery and external fixation
Plaintiff(s) Attorney(s):

• Barry S. Rabin, Law Office of Barry S. Rabin, Thorndale

Defense Attorney(s):

Joseph D. Branca,Jacobs & Saba, Conshohocken

Plaintiff(s) Expert(s):

• Michael J. Maggitti, M.D., orthopedic surgeon
• Paul S. Kim, M.D., plastic surgeon

Defendant(s) Expert(s):N/A/

Comments:

Plaintiff Geraldine Cahill was struck by a car that ran a red light in West Chester. The force of the crash caused Cahill to suffer a broken radius.

Since the radius was broken into multiple pieces, surgery was necessary to attach bone fragments. Cahill also underwent recovery for 53 days where she had metal pins in her wrist and an external fixator sticking out of her wrist.

Her doctor testified that she already shows signs of trauma-induced arthritis, which is likely to get worse with time.

The defendant admitted liability and causation of injuries, but argued that Cahill had made a full recovery within six to nine months of the crash.

A panel of arbitrators awarded Cahill a total of $135,591 for lost wages, pain and suffering and also awarded her husband damages on his loss of consortium claim.