Defense Verdict in California Breach of Warranty Trial

July 13, 2018 (Los Angeles, CA) – Hawkins Parnell & Young obtained a unanimous defense verdict for a major manufacturer of automobiles in a high-risk breach of warranty case in the Superior Court of California for Los Angeles County. 

Plaintiff alleged a breach of express and implied warranty arose from a defect in his vehicle, substantially impairing its use, value, or safety. Additionally, he alleged the manufacturer concealed a known defect, which exposed the company to punitive damages. The defense countered and successfully moved to exclude all of the mechanical expert’s opinions related to the concealment allegation.

After two hours of deliberations, the jury returned a complete defense verdict, finding there was no defect in the vehicle, the vehicle was fit for its ordinary purpose, and that the manufacturer did not intentionally fail to disclose a fact that Plaintiff did not know and could not reasonably have discovered. The five-day trial was before Judge Graciela L. Freixes.

Plaintiff was represented by Knight Law Group LLP and Century Law Group, LLP. Plaintiff’s experts that testified at trial were Anthony G. Micale, MBSE, MBA, and Barbara C. Luna, CPA. Testifying for the defense was Jason Arst, an automotive engineering expert.