Helping Replace the Irreplaceable
If you and your family were victims of the San Diego wildfires, you have suffered a terrible loss in several contexts. Your home, your dreams and perhaps your financial futures were at stake when you decided to put your family in the best financial and living situation possible, only to have all of those plans ripped away in a storm of flames.
You may also be facing tremendous financial and legal challenges based on your loss, and you may not be sure where to turn for help. The legal team featured below has over 100 years of experience representing people resulting in over 2 billion dollars in recoveries for their clients, but this process should start simply by providing you with an understanding of the type of help that’s available and by inviting you to contact the legal team below to get your preliminary questions answered with a free initial consultation.
Legal Team Involved
Herman, Herman, Katz & Cotlar, L.L.P. – Maury A. Herman
Maury A. Herman is a partner of Herman, Herman, Katz & Cotlar, L.L.P., and the managing partner of that national firm Herman Gerel ( fmr HERMAN, MATHIS, CASEY, KITCHENS & GEREL, LLP), headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. HHK&C is among 60 law firms comprising the Plaintiffs' Legal Committee of the Castano Tobacco Class Action. Mr. Herman and the firm also helped countless victims of Hurricane Katrina, specifically assisting in obtaining a proper resolution from the insurance companies involved.
Hurst & Hurst – Debra L. Hurst
Debra L. Hurst has been an active trial attorney in California for over 25 years, starting as a trial attorney at the San Diego City Attorney’s office, followed by a partnership at Shifflet, Sharp, & Walters. She founded her own Plaintiff’s consumer litigation firm of Hurst & Hurst in 1991 and specializes in professional malpractice claims, class action lawsuits, mass tort litigation, and elder abuse. All told Ms. Hurst has recovered an excess of $100,000,000.00 for her clients during her career.
Law Offices of Robert W. Jackson – Robert Jackson
Robert Jackson is the primary litigation counsel to the Law Offices of Robert W. Jackson. The firm has been active in the trial of lawsuits throughout the State of California in personal injury litigation, mass torts, and wrongful death claims for over 25 years. Mr. Jackson is a graduate of the prestigious Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College. Mr. Jackson has served for the last three years on the Board of Directors of the San Diego Trial Lawyers Association (“CASD”), and has received numerous awards and nominations for Outstanding Trial Advocacy, as well as Outstanding Trial Lawyer Awards.
The Kane Law Firm – Steve Kane
The Kane Law Firm has successfully brought litigation arising from the Pines Fire in U.S. District Court. Steven S. Kane has practiced in San Diego for over 30 years and has extensive experience in complex litigation, including class actions against financial institutions and multi-plaintiff litigation regarding stock options and employment contracts.
The Kane Law Firm – Bonnie Kane
Bonnie E. Kane has practiced in the area of mass torts and class action litigation for the past 14 years. She is admitted to practice before the U. S. Supreme Court, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the U.S. District Courts for the Southern, Central and Northern Districts of California and all California Courts. She spent the first years of this decade vigorously litigating on behalf of American World War II prisoners of war who were forced as POW’s to provide slave labor to some of the largest multinational companies in the world.
Lorens & Associates APLC – Tracee Lorens
L. Tracee Lorens is the founding partner of Lorens & Associates, APLC. She focuses her practice on consumer litigation. Since 1999, she has focused her practice on consumer class actions. She has in excess of $50,000,000.00 in settlements and/or verdicts over her 17-year career, which includes Albrecht v. Rite Aid, for which she won an Outstanding Trial Lawyer Award. This case settled for $25,000,000.00 and dealt with violations of California’s wage and hour laws.
Law Offices of James W. Parkinson – Jim W. Parkinson
James Parkinson is a nationally known trial lawyer representing plaintiffs with catastrophic damages. He was co-lead counsel in the JPOW case. He graduated from Brigham Young University and has law offices in Palm Desert, California. He has received numerous recognitions and awards from the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the California Trial Lawyers Association, the Consumer Attorneys of California and the J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University. He has also received the National Jefferson Award for Public Service, 2007. Mr. Parkinson is the author of Soldier Slaves.
Parr, Waddoups, Brown, Gee & Loveless – Stephen J. Hill
Stephen Hill, 1977, J.D., Brigham Young University, Cum laude, Article Editor, Brigham Young University Law Review. Mr. Hill focuses on commercial litigation with an emphasis on antitrust and intellectual property litigation as well as venture financing. Most notably, he was co-lead counsel for the litigation team that successfully negotiated a substantial settlement for client Caldera against Microsoft. In a classic David-and-Goliath case, Mr. Hill and his team spent four years on the case, which had a significant impact on the computer industry. By challenging Microsoft, Mr. Hill participated in a case many in the industry had talked about, but never attempted.
Herman Gerel, LLP – James Klick
James C. Klick is a partner of Herman, Herman, Katz & Cotlar, L.L.P., as well as the national firm of Herman Gerel, LLP, (fmr HERMAN, MATHIS, CASEY, KITCHENS & GEREL, LLP), headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Born and raised in Washington, D.C. Mr. Klick is a trial lawyer who has practiced in the areas of serious personal injury and complex litigation since 1983.
Example Cases
Hurricane Katrina
The devastating effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have left a profound mark upon the communities that make up New Orleans and the surrounding area, if not the entire nation. In the wake of catastrophic events such as these, insult is often quite literally added to injury as many individuals and businesses find they are unable to collect on their insurance claims.
A significant part of the work performed by Herman, Herman, Katz & Cotlar, LLP is to represent clients in first party insurance claims and subrogation cases. As members of the New Orleans community, the firm understands that disaster insurance law matters and has a personal stake in helping ensure clients obtain the coverage for which they pay. Having successfully resolved countless claims in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the firm provides its clients with invaluable assistance, utilizing a thorough knowledge of disaster insurance law.
Vioxx
Herman, Herman, Katz & Cotlar attorneys successfully negotiated a multi-billion dollar global settlement of the Vioxx litigation. Appearing before the Honorable Eldon E. Fallon, the federal judge overseeing all federal cases involving Vioxx, HHKC Partner Russ Herman, Lead Negotiator and Plaintiffs’ Liaison Counsel, announced the $4.85 billion settlement with Merck.
The settlement has been hailed by lawyers around the country, and will ensure that those who have suffered injuries as a result of Vioxx and have timely filed claims are compensated fairly and efficiently.
Microsoft
Stephen Hill was co-lead counsel for the litigation team that successfully negotiated a substantial settlement for their client, Caldera, against Microsoft. In a classic David-and-Goliath case, Mr. Hill and his team spent four years on the case, which had a significant impact on the computer industry. By challenging Microsoft, Mr. Hill participated in a case many in the industry had talked about, but never attempted.
Your Next Step
As you see, the Legal Team assembled to help victims of these San Diego wildfires has the experience necessary in taking on corporate giants and representing thousands of clients at once in complex litigation cases. If you’d like to gain a full understanding of your rights, contact the legal team today to schedule a free initial consultation.
