Clergy Sexual Abuse Cases

$660,000,000 settlement Los Angeles, California:
Irwin Zalkin was one of the lead trial lawyers and part of the trial team that was prepared to commence a 14 victim trial against the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Los Angeles, the day a global settlement was reached in the amount of $660,000,000.   

$198,500,000 settlement San Diego, California:
was appointed Mediation Liaison Counsel and a lead negotiator by United States Magistrate Judge Leo S. Papas on behalf of over 144 victims of childhood sexual abuse against the Roman Catholic Bishop of San Diego.  These negotiations resulted in a global settlement of almost $200,000,000

$100,000,000 settlement Orange County, California:
Irwin Zalkin was part of the team of lawyers representing clergy sexual abuse survivors in the Diocese of Orange, California who recently helped to negotiate the first $100,000,000 global settlement in the country involving childhood sexual abuse by members of the Catholic clergy.

$4,200,000 settlement Northern California:
Settlement of three cases of clergy sexual abuse by priests associated with Northern California Diocese.

$2,750,000 settlement Southern California:
2008 settlement of claims by two victims of clergy sexual abuse by Roman Catholic priest in 1975.

$1,750,000 settlement Montana:
Settlement of a Montana clergy sexual abuse case which occurred over forty years ago.

$1,000,000 settlement Northern California:
Settlement of clergy sexual abuse case against religious school for sexual abuse that occurred over twenty years ago.

$750,000 settlement Southern California:
Settlement of a clergy sexual abuse action involving abuse in the early 1990s.

$675,000 settlement Central California:
Settlement of clergy sexual abuse case against religious order for abuse that occurred thirty years ago.

$425,000 settlement Southern California:
Settlement of clergy sexual abuse case for abuse that occurred almost forty years ago. 

$400,000 settlement Southern California:
Settlement of clergy sexual abuse case against religious school for abuse that occurred thirty years ago.

Childhood Sexual Abuse Cases

$1,000,000 settlement Southern California:
Settlement of claims of two victims of childhood sexual abuse by their elementary school teacher.

$550,000 settlement Southern California:
Settlement of childhood sexual abuse case involving a teacher at a private high school.

Personal Injury Cases

Lohse v. Lakeland Village Homeowners Association (Oakland, California):

Eight million dollar ($8,000,000) judgment against a resort facility after six week jury trial for a woman who was rendered a paraplegic following a fall off of an unguarded pier. This case involved the coordination of a team of experts who testified including a Board Certified Physical and Rehabilitation Medical Expert, a Rehabilitation Case Manager, a Vocational Rehabilitation consultant, an Economist, a Human Factors Visual Perception Expert, a Photo Engineer, and several others. The success of this case was the result of substantial trial preparation and choice of highly qualified expert witnesses..

"John Doe" v. Utah Hospital, and Physician:
Three million seven hundred fifty thousand dollar ($3,750,000) structured settlement recovered against a Utah Hospital and physician as the result of a medical malpractice lawsuit brought by Mr. Zalkin on behalf of the client. This case involved a young man who suffered a blast injury to his hand and was administered excessive amounts of morphine and other central nervous system depressants which left him a brain damaged quadriplegic. The case settled on the door step of trial. At the request of the hospital and physician, the settlement has been sealed by the court and the identities of the parties can not be disclosed. The success of this case involved the strength of the team of experts assembled by Mr. Zalkin which included a Board Certified Anesthesiologist, a Pharmacologist, a Psycho-pharmacologist, a Physiatrist, a Rehabilitation Life Care Planner, and others.

Obarski v. Kartsub (San Diego, California):
One million dollar ($1,000,000) settlement during mediation in a case involving serious fracture to the clients leg as the result of a motorcycle accident. Mr. Obarski had just completed a left turn when Mr. Kartsub attempted a U-turn in front of him. Mr. Obarskis motorcycle collided with Mr. Kartsub's van. This case was resolved at a mediation for the entire insurance policy limits available to Mr. Obarski.

"John Doe" v. Neurologist:
One million dollar ($1,000,000) settlement following a medical malpractice law suit against a California Neurologist involving the misdiagnosis of the cause of the patient's quadriplegia. The patient had suffered a severe cervical disc herniation following an automobile accident. The neurologist involved in his treatment had diagnosed Plaintiff as suffering from Amyotropic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gherig's disease. The actual cause of the patient's quadriplegia was the herniated disc, which, if treated sooner with surgery, could have prevented the paralysis. The case settled after it was discovered the doctor had altered his records. The case settled for the entire insurance policy amount the doctor had. This is a sealed settlement at the request of the physician and as ordered by the court.

Robinson v. General Construction:
Maritime personal injury case. This case involved a pile buck (maritime worker) who was severely injured when a portion of a pile driving rigging collapsed on him and crushed his chest. The lawsuit involved several parties, including the employer, the manufacturer of the crane equipment, and a reseller of the pile driving crane. The case ultimately went to trial against only one of the parties. The others had settled. Eventually, during trial the remaining party settled. The entire settlement was for $1,035,000.

Kaye v. AETNA (Key West, Florida):
One million two hundred thousand dollar ($1,200,000) pre-trial settlement of an insurance bad faith case. This case involved a young woman who slipped and fell off of the deck of a harbor excursion vessel where she worked suffering severe brain injury. The employers insurance company and the vessel's insurance company refused to cover the damages. Mr. Zalkin took the case to trial and received a judgment in favor of the injured client. He then sued the insurance companies to recover the judgment. The companies settled for a combined amount equaling approximately $1,200.000.

MacDonald v. Pescarias Del Pacifico (San Diego, California):
One million two hundred fifty thousand dollar ($1,250,000) recovery following the crash of a helicopter on a Mexican tuna boat. Mr. MacDonald was the pilot in command of a helicopter that was being delivered to a Mexican tuna boat to conduct fish spotting operations. As Mr. MacDonald was attempting to land the helicopter onto the flight deck on top of the pilot house, one of the crew members of the boat caused the arm of a crane on the boat to interfere with the path of the helicopter rotor blades. The entire blade assembly broke off the helicopter and churned through the bell housing of the helicopter cockpit causing Mr. MacDonald to suffer severed brain and spinal cord injuries. The vessel attempted to escape U.S. jurisdiction, but Mr. Zalkin was eventually able to obtain a recovery for Mr. MacDonald after suing the vessel and its owners.



While these cases represent a sampling of actual recoveries obtained in cases handled by the Zalkin Law Firm, this is not intended to warrant, guarantee, or other wise suggest that any particular case has a value equivalent to the above referenced. The facts and circumstances vary in every case, and each case must be valued independently based on its own merits.