SBE Recognized in The National Law Journal’s Top 100 Verdicts List
Claremont, Ca. (June 10, 2019)- Shernoff Bidart Echeverria LLP’s verdict in the Arteaga v. Fresno Community Regional Medical Center case was recognized on the annual list of the Top 100 verdicts by The National Law Journal.
Attorney Ricardo Echeverria was one of four lead trial counsel for the case regarding a man who was left brain damaged and in a vegetative state after a cardiologist left a gaping hole in his chest following open heart surgery. In 2012, Silvino Perez underwent open-heart surgery at the Fresno Community Regional Medical Center for an aortic valve replacement and an ascending aortic aneurysm repair. During the surgery, Dr. Pervaiz Chaudhry relied on an unqualified assistant to stitch up the 72-year-old’s chest so that he could attend a luncheon. As a result of the negligence in part of the Dr. Chaudry, Mr. Perez suffered extreme complications and will be in a near vegetative state for life. A Fresno Superior Court jury awarded $68 million to the family of Mr. Perez, ruling that Dr. Chaudhry was responsible for putting Mr. Perez into a coma as a result of his negligence during surgery. Mr. Perez was also represented by Steven A. Heimberg, M.D. and Marsha E. Barr-Fernandez of Heimberg Barr, LLP and Jeffrey S. Mitchell of Mitchell Law Group.
Every year, The National Law Journal’s VerdictSearch affiliate scours the nation’s court records in search of the largest verdicts; it also consults with practitioners and with additional ALM Media LLC publications. Verdicts are ranked by gross award, not including attorney fees and costs — unless awarded by the jury. They do not reflect post-trial reductions or enhancements.
About Shernoff Bidart Echeverria LLP
At Shernoff Bidart Echeverria LLP, we lead the nation in protecting policyholders from insurance companies’ refusal to pay claims. The firm has been protecting the rights of insurance consumers, both individuals and businesses, for over 40 years after having set the legal precedent requiring insurance companies to act in good faith.