Brian Panish - Trial Lawyer

Brian Panish has obtained more than 100 verdicts and settlements in excess of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000), including 10 jury verdicts in excess of Ten Million Dollars ($10,000,000), and one for Four Billion Nine-Hundred and Seven Million Dollars ($4,907,662,321), the largest personal injury and product liability verdict in history.

In 1999, Brian Panish was honored as Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Consumer Attorneys of Los Angeles. He is ranked among the "100 Most Influential Attorneys" in the State of California by the Los Angeles Daily Journal

This recognition of professional excellence highlighted Brian's work as lead counsel on the liability action against General Motors. The suit involved a defective fuel system, resulting in burn injuries to four children and two adults. The resulting $4.9 billion verdict is the largest personal injury and product liability verdict in American judicial history.

Previously, the Trial Lawyers for Public Justice selected him as national finalist for Trial Lawyer of the Year in 1990 and 1995. He earned similar recognition from the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles in 1992, 1995 and 1998, when they named him as a finalist for the Trial Lawyer of the Year.

His involvement in high profile cases includes serving as a member of the Plaintiffs Steering Committee in the tryptophan litigation and on the State Fen-Phen Diet Drug Litigation Plaintiff Executive Committee.

Mr. Panish is a member of the Consumer Attorneys Association of California where he sits on the Board of Governors. Brian is a frequent lecturer on all aspects of trial procedure in California and throughout the United States. He served as Co-Chairperson of the Consumer Attorneys of California Annual Lake Tahoe Seminar in 1999 and 2000. Groups he has addressed include: The American Bar Association, Consumer Attorneys of Los Angeles, Consumer Attorneys of California, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Attorneys Information Exchange Group, Western Trial Lawyers Association, Inner Circle of Advocates, Washington State Trial Lawyers Association, and Alabama Trial Lawyers Association.

Mr. Panish's published decisions include Johnson v. Pratt & Whitney (1995) 28 Cal.App.4th 613 and Pashaie v. Hollywood Memorial Park (1992) 3 Ca.lApp.4th 184 and Hecht v. Superior Court.

Mr. Panish is a graduate of California State University, Fresno (B.S., Cum Laude, 1980), where he received the Fresno State Scholar Athlete Award and Athletic Directors Award. While attending Southwestern University Law School (J.D., Cum Laude, 1984), he won the American Jurisprudence Award in Wills and trusts, Legal Professions Secured Transactions, Entertainment Law and Product Liability.

More About Brian J. Panish:

• Born Los Angeles, California, April 19, 1958
• Languages: Spanish
• Courts Admitted: U.S. District Court, Central, Southern and Northern Districts of California

Additional Memberships:

• Inner Circle of Advocates
• International Society of Barristers
• Western Trial Lawyers Association
• Trial Lawyers for Public Justice
• Association of Business Trial Lawyers
• Attorney information Exchange Group
• Eighth Street Lawyers
• Santa Monica Leaders Club

Email Brian Panish

Aviation Disasters Wrongful Death Toyota Accelerator Recall Toyota 2010 Recall News Stroller Recall Train Accidents Product Defects CT Scan Radiation Injury Bus Accidents Business Litigation Pharmaceutical Litigation Yaz Side Effects Hydroxycut Recall Corporate Fraud Government Liability General Personal Injury Automotive / Tire Defects ATV/ Rhino Rollovers Harbor / Port Injuries More Practice Areas

Latest Firm News

Michael Nelsen v. Hillyard, Inc., et al. - Record $21 million verdict for Iraq war veteran. 27 year-old Iraqi War veteran Michael Nelsen injured when Hillyard, Inc. truck rear-ended Mr. Nelsen's vehicle on the I-15 freeway.

Tilton v. Sempra - $15 million verdict for brain injury to minor resulting from a power company truck hitting a family vehicle.

Dominguez v. San Francisco - $21 million settlement while case was on appeal. Wrongful death of 4 year-old girl. Largest settlement ever paid by San Francisco.

Contreras v. State of California - $9 million settlement for amputation caused by a damaged freeway guardrail.

Don Gino Dominguez v. South Central Los Angeles Regional Care Center - $2 million verdict for wrongful death of a mentally and physically disabled 39 year-old man. Health care center left man unsupervised and he choked to death.

Doe v. Driver - $5.5 million settlement for death of pedestrian in an auto accident.

Doe v. Oil Refinery - $6.2 Million settlement for wrongful death and personal injury caused by the collapse of tank floating roof.

Avila v. Dresick Farms - $5.64 million dollar jury verdict for girl injured in truck v. van collision. Believed to be the largest verdict in the history of Imperial County, California.

Konrad, et al. v. Hewlett-Packard - Lawsuit filed against Hewlett-Packard for pretexting journalists and their families

Chief Warrant Officers v. Boeing, et al. - $13.55 million settlement for Army maintenance officers severely injured in the crash of Apache Longbow helicopter on a maintenance test flight during Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq.

Does v. Doe Auto Manufacturer: confidential multimillion dollar settlement on behalf of a family involved in on-road rollover of sport utility vehicle.

Does v. Van Manufacturer and Rental Company - Confidential multi-million dollar settlement on behalf of the survivors and family members of 14 church group members involved in a fifteen passenger van rollover.

Hill v. Titan Tire - Confidential multi-million dollar settlement for a 42 year old man who sustained brain injuries following a tire failure on his vehicle.

Dominguez v. San Francisco - $27.4 Million Verdict - Mother and 6 others witnessed a city truck driver run over her daughter on a sidewalk. City completely denied responsibility. Largest verdict ever against the City of San Francisco.

Sherman v. Courrege - $25.5 Million Verdict - Wrongful death of mother, father, and son hit by a drunk driver.

Sorenson v. Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway - $2.8 Million Verdict - Plaintiffs were parents of a 48 year-old man killed when a freight train crashed into a commuter train.

Doe v. Auto Manufacturer - Major Confidential Settlement Fuel fed fire caused by defectively designed 15 passenger van rollover. Many occupants killed or severely burned.

Flores v. Continental Tire - Major Confidential Settlement - Woman sustained paraplegia when the right rear tire on the family's Ford Windstar van experienced a tread belt separation, causing the vehicle to roll over.

Panish, Shea & Boyle on TV - The trial attorneys at Panish, Shea & Boyle have been on numerous televisions shows because of their involvement in many high profile cases.