Success Stories

The following are a sampling of the cases the lawyers at the Simpson Law Firm have
successfully litigated. Contact us with any questions or to discuss whether the firm will take your case.

Environmental and Toxic Tort

City of Poway v. Moritz

Represented homeowners in environmental and civil-rights claim against municipality.

Multiple individuals and governmental entities v. County of San Diego

Represent the County of San Diego in multiple different cases relating to toxics sites including former municipal burn-ash dumpsites, involving RCRA, CERCLA, HSAA, nuisance, trespass, waste, indemnity, contract, declaratory relief and inverse-condemnation claims.

The Erin Brockevich cases—Acosta v. PG&E, Betz et al., Adams v. Betz, et al., Aguilar v. Betz, et al., Aguayo v. Betz, et al., Hoskins v. Betz, et al., Riep v. Betz, et al., and related cases

Managing defense counsel for the hexavalent chromium manufacturer in the cases that Erin Brockevich made famous in the movie that bears her name. The cases were litigation by approximately 6,000 claimants suing PG&E and BetzDearborn for cancer, other diseases, and wrongful death allegedly caused by exposure to corrosion inhibiters containing hexavalent chromium used in cooling towers between approximately 1952 and the mid-1980s. Managed a team of approximately 50 people. Assisted industrial hygiene and regulatory affairs personnel in understanding interplay between in-house measures and failures to have appropriate measures, and external liability.

San Diego Unified School District v. County of San Diego

Represent County of San Diego in lawsuit by school district alleging that County has not lived up to the terms of a sharing agreement as to ongoing expenses relating to former landfill.

North County Transit District v. ARCO, Texaco, Hughes Aircraft, Raytheon, FSDP XI, et al.

Represented multiple persons and entities relating to soil and groundwater contamination of public utility’s property, that it had acquired through exercise of eminent domain.

Nielsen Beaumont Marine, Inc. v. Mauricio & Sons, Inc. et al.

CERCLA and RCRA litigation involving contaminated sediments in and adjacent to San Diego Bay from boatyard operations. Represented boatyard against the City of San Diego, San Diego Port District, and other entities.

Sesi v. Signal Landmark, et al.

Private-party CERCLA cost recovery and contribution action with RCRA claims and pendant state claims for six acres of auto shredder waste allegedly co-mingled with municipal burn dump ash. Contamination included lead, cadmium, nickel, and copper with some VOCs. Potential wetlands issues involved.

CED v.Grimsinger, et al

Property litigation involving a former printed circuit board facility, claims by and against adjacent landowners, operators and suppliers involving California Hazardous Substances Account Act (California Superfund) and common law claims. Contamination included VOCs, SVOCs, LNAPLs, DNAPLs, metals and various petroleum hydrocarbons in a fractured granite setting. Administrative appeal of cleanup and abatement order.

Graybill v. Unocal, Olson Development Company, et al.

Private party CERCLA cost recovery and contribution action as well as RCRA injunction claims and pendant state claims involving bulk storage facility with multiple non-CERCLA-exempt solvents and other contaminants.

MTDB v. Unocal, Boehm and related third party action

Private party CERCLA cost recovery and contribution action with pendant state claims adjacent to site in Graybill litigation.

Facilities Development Corporation v. Frontier Fence.

Underground storage tank litigation also involving chlorobenzene pit/sump on site.

Connecticut General Life v. McCleaners

Potential litigation between landowner and drycleaning facility for PCE and TCE contamination at a small retail shopping mall. Site designation process to coordinate California’s governmental efforts through designated administering agency and to obtain certificate of completion is being pursued.

Luana v. H.Y Floor & Gameline Painting

Toxic-tort litigation relating to floor finishing exposure.

Willis v. Johnson & Johnson

Dentist sued for injuries associated with occupational exposure to mercury contained in dental amalgams.

City of San Diego v. Chevron

City suit for damage to broken water mains and for cleanup attributed to fuel hydrocarbon contamination.

Lanfried v. Liberty Property Management

Sick-building syndrome case involving claimed exposure to toxic building components and molds.

MDFC v. Barnacle SOCO

Underground storage tank litigation.

Construction Defect

One Harbor HOA v. One Harbor

Represented high-rise-mechanical-window-washing company against claims that devices destroyed the façade of a prominent 40-story high-rise.

Income Growth Property Management v. Rain Pro Roofing

Claim by multi-building apartment complex for faulty roofing repair.

Baniadam v. Dils Roofing, et al.

Homeowner suit for pervasive construction defects.

Danner v. Huntcor, Inc. and related cases

Represented developer and general contractor in litigation by in excess of 200 boat owners for damages attributed to ferrous oxide spewed from construction of 40-story Hyatt Regency Hotel adjacent to the Marriott marina.

Dover Place HOA v. Dover, Ltd.

Represented developer and general contractor in defect litigation involving 91 condominium units.

Chaparral Estates HOA v. Chaparral Estates Company

Represented developer and general contractor in defect litigation involving single family homes.

Beacon Street HOA v. Beacon Street Ltd.

Construction defect litigation involving approximately 80 units.

Multiple HOAs v. Various Developers and Contractors

Multiple construction defect claims involving issues from geotechnical issues to structural and other issues against builder entities for construction defects.

Construction Site Injury, Wrongful Death, and Other Personal Injury

Guerrero v. Zigman Shields

Suit by worker for injuries including eleven surgeries from a 29-foot fall from roof to concrete slab below.

Mantuano v. The Mirage Hotel-Casino

Lawsuit by anesthesiologist claiming hearing loss due to pyrotechnical devices used at a New Year’s Eve celebration.

Perrit v. Keenan Hopkins

Personal injury claim by electrician for rotator-cuff tear following fall into unguarded floor slab hole.

Tarter v. Grant

Wrongful death action relating to decedent ejected from a fully extended scissors lift that fell into floor opening on a construction site.

Ritz v. Commercial & Industrial Roofing

Claim by building occupant for injuries suffered during re-roofing.

Ortiz v. Manchester

Claim by glazier for hand and arm injuries attributed to wrongfully untempered glass.

Rodriguez v. City of San Diego

Claim by laborer against drill operator for major crushing injuries from a two-ton auger.

Thompson v. Challenge

Suit by concrete truck operator for injuries from blades inside the drum.

Axelson & Kissinger v. Peach, et al.

Wrongful death and personal injury litigation arising out of intersection truck-car collision.

Wilkins v. Benjamin Rifle Company

Claim by teenager for loss of an eye following unforeseeable modification of a paintball rifle.

Shows v. Von Hayes

Claim by cocaine dealer against Philadelphia Phillies baseball-player/landlord and others for 50% third degree and some fourth degree burns suffered in condominium fire.

Albright v. Casablanca

Claim by young model for scarring from falling ceiling fan.

Trade Secrets/Trademarks/Unfair Competition

Unique Lighting v. FX Luminaire

Litigation between competing low-voltage lighting companies.

Simic Galleries v. Cosmopolitan Fine Arts

Competing art galleries litigated alleged misappropriation of trade secrets and unfair competition. Claims centered on whether defendants wrongfully acquired artists and clients.

Panevino v. Pane E Vino

A restaurant chain sued for trademark infringement and unfair competition.

Mariner v. Mariner

A manufacturer of outboard motors sued a boat trailer manufacturer for trademark infringement and unfair competition.

Copyrights

LACE v. LF Sportswear

A garment manufacturer sued its competitor alleging intentional copyright infringement of thousands of garments.

Dawe v. Angel Gifts

A poster manufacturer sued its competitor alleging intentional copyright infringement of multiple different images.

Insurance Coverage

Iron Mountain Mines Superfund Site

Retained by insurance carrier insuring the State of California concerning environmental claims including acid mine waste arising out of Iron Mountain Mines Site.

Casmalia Hazardous Waste Facility

Retained by insurer of the State of California concerning environmental claims concerning hazardous waste facility.

J.J.Sanitation v. Truck Insurance Exchange

Retained by insurer in bad faith litigation against insurance carrier for alleged failure to defend and indemnify underlying litigation against insured involving soil and groundwater contamination from septic system.

Hoehn Motors

Retained by insurer of car dealership concerning environmental claims against dealer arising out of CERCLA claims alleging generation of waste oil and solvents.

Canadian Indemnity, et al. v. West American Insurance Company

Contribution and indemnity suit by several carriers against multiple other carriers for payment made for construction defects suits involving hundreds of homes and millions of dollars.

Admiralty/Maritime

Wargelin v. La Morell

Suit in admiralty against subsequent boat purchaser for reneging on a promissory note.

In re La Morell

Suit against subsequent purchaser and boat repossession for failure to pay promissory note.