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Dennis Goebel Wins Four-Week Federal Jury Trial In Airplane Crash Case

Randall Torno and his wife filed a products liability action in the Federal Court in Detroit alleging that he sustained an L1 burst fracture and paraplegia as a result of an experimental aircraft crash in which Mr. Torno claimed that an RE Phelon engine ignition component failed causing his aircraft […]

Dale Burmeister Awarded $10,000 In Contempt Of Court Sanctions In Trademark Dispute

Following a full evidentiary hearing in federal court, Judge Cook awarded nearly $10,000 in contempt of court sanctions for violations of a permanent injunction Dale had obtained involving Subway trademarks and trade dress.  Defendant also agreed at the hearing to remove or  paint over various marks, copyrighted menu items, and […]

Bill Rivard Wins No Cause Verdict In Accounting Malpractice Suit

Bill Rivard recently received a defense verdict for our client in an accounting malpractice suit following a jury trial in Oakland County Circuit Court.  Plaintiffs, husband and wife, for whom defendant had prepared tax returns for more than 20 years, claimed that in February of March, 2004, one or the […]

Dennis Goebel Wins Interlocutory Appeal In Products Case On Important Issue Involving Non-Party Fault Of An Employer

In Sandusky v McNally Electric, Inc., we filed a notice of non-party fault of the employer in a products liability case.  Plaintiff then amended the complaint and added the employer as a direct defendant. At the end of discovery, the employer filed a motion for summary disposition which was “opposed” […]

Dale Burmeister Prevails In The Michigan Court Of Appeals In Federal Cable Communications Act Case

In Heydon v MediaOne, a dispute arose over attaching or “piggybacking on” utility pole easements running across private property in the Ann Arbor area.  A variety of claims and defenses were involved in the litigation, including a constitutional challenge to the Federal Cable Communications Act of 1984, whether attaching a […]

Dennis Goebel Wins Products Liability Amputation Case In Federal Court

This was a product liability lawsuit in which forty-eight year old James Cobbs was employed by Jay Dee Contractors.  Jay Dee Contractors is involved in underground tunneling.  It uses a tunneling machine to bore a hole in the ground and then lines the hole with cement grout.  Jay Dee Contractors […]

Michael F. Schmidt Prevails In Construction Accident Case

Steven Nickell and Hayley Nickell v Howard Structural Steel, Inc., et al, Wayne County Circuit Court, claim by Steven Nickell, an ironworker, for construction accident injuries sustained in a fall on a construction project. The injuries included an acetabular fracture, lower back injuries and an alleged closed head injury and […]

HKPC Prevails In Serious Impairment Case In The Court Of Appeals

Register v. Sledge, Michigan Court of Appeals.  In this case in which Plaintiff claimed closed head injury, neck and back problems, and seizures arising out of a rear end collision, the Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court’s grant of summary disposition.  Although the plaintiff had submitted three affidavits of […]

Michael F. Schmidt Wins “Distracted Customer” Injury Case In Court Of Appeals

Miller v Bass Pro Shop, Court of Appeals affirmed our summary disposition. The plaintiff tripped and fell over the base of a display sign at the Bass Pro Shop. She claimed that she was distracted by taxidermy mounts displayed by the store. The plaintiff argued that there should be a […]

Absolute Intoxication Statute Victory Recorded By HKPC

Krause v. Wadle, Oakland County, Michigan.  In this social host case, the plaintiff, a minor and former model, suffered serious internal injuries which required numerous surgeries and left extensive scarring.  The plaintiff sought to hold the individuals liable for supplying alcohol to her on a claim that their actions produced […]