Latest news with #LaPlante
Business Wire
22-05-2025
- Business Wire
Panish Ravipudi LLP Obtains $37,025,000 Settlement for Injured Motorcyclist Pursuant to High/Low Agreement Reached Prior to $27,727,630 Jury Verdict
SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Attorneys for a motorcyclist who suffered a below-the-knee amputation following a collision with a construction laborer's vehicle obtained a $37,025,000 settlement pursuant to a high/low agreement with defendants that was finalized just minutes before a jury awarded their clients $27,727,630. Plaintiff Michael LaPlante and his wife were represented in the case and at trial by Brian Panish, Tom Schultz, and Alex Behar of Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP as well as by co-counsel Joshua C. Braddock of Arendsen Braddock LLP. The case was tried before the Honorable Timothy B. Taylor in what was the last of his 189 jury trials following a 20-year judicial career. This verdict is believed to be the largest ever reached in San Diego County for this type of injury. 'The Griffith Company fought us every step of the way in this case, asserting the Going-and-Coming Rule shielded it from liability, but the jury got it right and delivered a just verdict for our clients,' said Brian Panish Share 'The Griffith Company fought us every step of the way in this case, asserting the Going-and-Coming Rule shielded it from liability, but the jury got it right and delivered a just verdict for our clients,' said Brian Panish, founding partner at Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP. 'We are grateful to the jury and thankful Mr. LaPlante will be able to receive the care he needs to move forward.' On the morning of August 27, 2021, Griffith Company employee Antelmo Martinez was driving his truck to work when he made an unsafe U-Turn on SR-94, directly into Mr. LaPlante's path of travel. Unable to avoid the defendant's vehicle, Mr. LaPlante collided with the truck and was hospitalized with severe injuries including multiple rib fractures, kidney injury, hip fracture, femoral artery injury, open tibia and fibula fractures, talus fracture, labral tears to his right shoulder and bilateral knees, and a mangled left leg. In the months that followed the collision, Mr. LaPlante remained hospitalized and underwent 18 surgeries before ultimately having his leg amputated in November 2021. Only 42 years old at the time of the collision, Mr. LaPlante faces a lifetime of pain and physical limitations as a result of his injuries. Prior to trial, the parties agreed defendant Martinez was responsible for the collision but argued whether or not he was acting in the course and scope of his job responsibilities at the time, which would make Griffith Company vicariously liable for Mr. LaPlante's injuries. It was uncovered through discovery and developed through the testimony of dozens of witnesses over the course of the month-long trial that the defendant driver's employer, defendant Griffith Company, failed to comply with their own safety policies which led the jury to find in favor of plaintiffs on a direct negligence theory against the company. Specifically, an unsafe zero-tolerance late policy, failure to provide traffic control plans or directions, failure to monitor drivers for fatigue, and a failure to provide lodging to the commuting laborers were unsafe practices, which led to the collision after the defendant driver missed his turn into the job site and attempted to make a U-turn to avoid being late and sent home without pay. The jury also held Griffith Company vicariously liable for the negligent driving of defendant Martinez under multiple theories. Specifically, they found that the company's requirement that laborers drive their own personal vehicles to multiple, non-contiguous job sites through California, from Bakersfield to Needles to San Diego, with minimal notice, and further without providing reimbursement for the drivetime, provided a benefit to the company, and that the collision was a foreseeable risk of the business, which admittedly relied on its mobile workforce. The jury also found the 103-mile commute that Martinez was directed to make the morning of the collision, and which required him to leave his home at 3:00 a.m., was extraordinary, was reasonably related to his employment, and conferred a benefit to the employer who did not provide transportation or mileage reimbursement, but relied on defendant Martinez's personal vehicle. Following two days of deliberations, the jury found defendant Griffith Company directly negligent and apportioned 80 percent of fault on the company and 20 percent fault on defendant Martinez. They awarded Mr. LaPlante and his wife $27,727,630 including $18,000,000 to Mr. LaPlante for his past and future pain and suffering. Minutes before the jury reached its verdict, a high/low settlement agreement was reached with Griffith Company with a low of $37,025,000 and a high of $42,000,000. Defendant Griffith Company was represented in the matter and at trial by Christopher Patton and Marvin Amoroso of Patton Law Group. Defendant Antelmo Martinez was represented in the matter and at trial by Anthony T. Case of Case Harvey Fedor. LaPlante v. Griffith Company and Antelmo Bernardo Martinez Superior Court of the State of California, County of San Diego, Central Courthouse Case No. 37-2023-00035872-CU-PA-CTL Hon. Timothy B. Taylor ABOUT PANISH | SHEA | RAVIPUDI LLP Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP is a nationally recognized law firm representing plaintiffs in wrongful death, catastrophic injury, sexual abuse/assault, product liability, mass torts, and business litigation cases. With offices in California, Arizona, and Nevada, Firm attorneys have dedicated themselves to obtaining justice for clients who are often dealing with a life-altering injury, death of a family member, or other challenges caused by the wrongful act of another together. With this mission at the heart of its work, the Firm has obtained some of the most significant verdicts and settlements for plaintiffs in United States history. Learn more about Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP at
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Panish Ravipudi LLP Obtains $37,025,000 Settlement for Injured Motorcyclist Pursuant to High/Low Agreement Reached Prior to $27,727,630 Jury Verdict
SAN DIEGO, May 22, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Attorneys for a motorcyclist who suffered a below-the-knee amputation following a collision with a construction laborer's vehicle obtained a $37,025,000 settlement pursuant to a high/low agreement with defendants that was finalized just minutes before a jury awarded their clients $27,727,630. Plaintiff Michael LaPlante and his wife were represented in the case and at trial by Brian Panish, Tom Schultz, and Alex Behar of Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP as well as by co-counsel Joshua C. Braddock of Arendsen Braddock LLP. The case was tried before the Honorable Timothy B. Taylor in what was the last of his 189 jury trials following a 20-year judicial career. This verdict is believed to be the largest ever reached in San Diego County for this type of injury. "The Griffith Company fought us every step of the way in this case, asserting the Going-and-Coming Rule shielded it from liability, but the jury got it right and delivered a just verdict for our clients," said Brian Panish, founding partner at Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP. "We are grateful to the jury and thankful Mr. LaPlante will be able to receive the care he needs to move forward." On the morning of August 27, 2021, Griffith Company employee Antelmo Martinez was driving his truck to work when he made an unsafe U-Turn on SR-94, directly into Mr. LaPlante's path of travel. Unable to avoid the defendant's vehicle, Mr. LaPlante collided with the truck and was hospitalized with severe injuries including multiple rib fractures, kidney injury, hip fracture, femoral artery injury, open tibia and fibula fractures, talus fracture, labral tears to his right shoulder and bilateral knees, and a mangled left leg. In the months that followed the collision, Mr. LaPlante remained hospitalized and underwent 18 surgeries before ultimately having his leg amputated in November 2021. Only 42 years old at the time of the collision, Mr. LaPlante faces a lifetime of pain and physical limitations as a result of his injuries. Prior to trial, the parties agreed defendant Martinez was responsible for the collision but argued whether or not he was acting in the course and scope of his job responsibilities at the time, which would make Griffith Company vicariously liable for Mr. LaPlante's injuries. It was uncovered through discovery and developed through the testimony of dozens of witnesses over the course of the month-long trial that the defendant driver's employer, defendant Griffith Company, failed to comply with their own safety policies which led the jury to find in favor of plaintiffs on a direct negligence theory against the company. Specifically, an unsafe zero-tolerance late policy, failure to provide traffic control plans or directions, failure to monitor drivers for fatigue, and a failure to provide lodging to the commuting laborers were unsafe practices, which led to the collision after the defendant driver missed his turn into the job site and attempted to make a U-turn to avoid being late and sent home without pay. The jury also held Griffith Company vicariously liable for the negligent driving of defendant Martinez under multiple theories. Specifically, they found that the company's requirement that laborers drive their own personal vehicles to multiple, non-contiguous job sites through California, from Bakersfield to Needles to San Diego, with minimal notice, and further without providing reimbursement for the drivetime, provided a benefit to the company, and that the collision was a foreseeable risk of the business, which admittedly relied on its mobile workforce. The jury also found the 103-mile commute that Martinez was directed to make the morning of the collision, and which required him to leave his home at 3:00 a.m., was extraordinary, was reasonably related to his employment, and conferred a benefit to the employer who did not provide transportation or mileage reimbursement, but relied on defendant Martinez's personal vehicle. Following two days of deliberations, the jury found defendant Griffith Company directly negligent and apportioned 80 percent of fault on the company and 20 percent fault on defendant Martinez. They awarded Mr. LaPlante and his wife $27,727,630 including $18,000,000 to Mr. LaPlante for his past and future pain and suffering. Minutes before the jury reached its verdict, a high/low settlement agreement was reached with Griffith Company with a low of $37,025,000 and a high of $42,000,000. Defendant Griffith Company was represented in the matter and at trial by Christopher Patton and Marvin Amoroso of Patton Law Group. Defendant Antelmo Martinez was represented in the matter and at trial by Anthony T. Case of Case Harvey Fedor. LaPlante v. Griffith Company and Antelmo Bernardo MartinezSuperior Court of the State of California, County of San Diego, Central CourthouseCase No. 37-2023-00035872-CU-PA-CTLHon. Timothy B. Taylor ABOUT PANISH | SHEA | RAVIPUDI LLP Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP is a nationally recognized law firm representing plaintiffs in wrongful death, catastrophic injury, sexual abuse/assault, product liability, mass torts, and business litigation cases. With offices in California, Arizona, and Nevada, Firm attorneys have dedicated themselves to obtaining justice for clients who are often dealing with a life-altering injury, death of a family member, or other challenges caused by the wrongful act of another together. With this mission at the heart of its work, the Firm has obtained some of the most significant verdicts and settlements for plaintiffs in United States history. Learn more about Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP at View source version on Contacts MEDIA CONTACT: Angela Bailey abailey@
The Guardian
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Spiritbox: Tsunami Sea review – cataclysmic throat-shredding with a side serving of soul
To become one of the biggest bands in metal, you have to unite the genre's various warring factions: these Canadian metallers have pulled it off by being cataclysmically loud and garishly poppy, and scored back-to-back Grammy nominations and a support slot with Linkin Park later this summer. Spiritbox's versatile frontperson Courtney LaPlante can throat-shred with the best of them, yet suddenly dip into a croon. Take the two equally terrific singles from their second album. Soft Spine is a jagged boulder of invective hurled at the fakes and sickos in her industry, smashing into a punkish chorus of screamed contempt; Perfect Soul is soulful, reflective hard rock with a cleverly multitracked LaPlante cleanly singing of the gulf between her public and self perceptions. Elsewhere, the aptly titled Keep Sweet is their poppiest song yet, with liquid drum'n'bass verses giving way to a groove-metal chorus, while LaPlante bobs on a gentle, ruminative melody through the otherwise stormy title track. Their adventurous songcraft occasionally gets the better of them. Another foray into drum'n'bass on Crystal Roses is tepid and – weirdly, considering the heaviness elsewhere – lacks the ferocity and instability of true jungle, while the proggy experiment No Loss, No Love feels unkempt. The production throughout is heavily compressed, sometimes to the detriment of the low end. But Spiritbox often make a virtue of that glutted sound, especially on the apocalyptic opener Fata Morgana, which feels like crawling snow-blind through an avalanche of noise. Listen on Apple Music or Spotify This article includes content hosted on We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as the provider may be using cookies and other technologies. To view this content, click 'Allow and continue'.
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Listen to Spiritbox's Courtney LaPlante guest on re-recording of Pvris' My House
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Spiritbox vocalist Courtney LaPlante has guested on a new song by pop-rockers Pvris. LaPlante appears on a newly released re-recording of the American outfit's 2014 track My House, taken from the band's debut album White Noise. It precedes a White Noise 10th-anniversary tour of North America and Europe that starts in March. Pvris singer Lyndsey Gunnulfsen comments: 'It was such an honour to have Courtney featured on this re-release. I didn't know until meeting her that White Noise was one of the inspirations to Spiritbox. After learning that and seeing the incredible world she's created from that inspiration, it feels full circle now, and it was only right to have her be a part of this re-release. 'The album first came out at a time when women were still extremely commoditised in the rock/alternative space, and the fight to be embraced and taken seriously, simply as artists, was even more prevalent than it still is today. 10 years later, there's been a lot of progress, but there's still much work to be done. It feels really healing and powerful to get to share this song with someone who I know has had much of that same experience and has been fighting that same battle just as long, if not longer. 'Not only is she an incredible person and performer, she has such a distinct and dialled vision with Spiritbox. The high standard of precision, artistic integrity, and vision, both sonically and visually, that she's brought into the rock/alternative scene with Spiritbox, I feel has set the bar so high, and to have done that as a woman in a scene still so heavily occupied by men, it feels like the most badass power move. Take notes everyone!' The collaboration is far from the first pop team-up LaPlante has done. Spiritbox guested on an official rock remix of Megan Thee Stallion's Cobra in 2023. The band and the rapper then made an original song together, TYG, last year. LaPlante has also championed other women in rock and metal, performing onstage with Jinjer's Tatiana Shmayluk, Poppy and Chelsea Wolfe, among others. In a recent interview at the Grammy Awards where LaPlante was confused for fellow Best Metal Performance nominee Poppy, she expressed her hopes for a woman to win the prize for the first time this year. Though neither Spiritbox nor Poppy won a Grammy, her dream came true when opera singer Marina Viotti took it home, having been nominated with Gojira for the rendition of Ah! Ça Ira they performed at the 2024 Olympic Games opening ceremony. Spiritbox will release their long-awaited second album Tsunami Sea next month. The band are also the cover stars on the new issue of Metal Hammer, where they talk all about the new album, their star collaborations and their journey so far. Order your copy now and get it delivered directly to your door.
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
URI warns microplastics research could be at risk if NIH funding cut approved
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Neuroscience Professor Jaime Ross has been studying the effects of microplastics on the brains of mice. In 2023, she told 12 News she had found a disturbing result: microplastics had managed to get past the blood-brain barrier. 'Its function is to keep bad things out, so viruses, bacteria,' she said. 'It should be selective for things like this. But here it is.' Using mice, Ross said research suggests this kind of exposure can lead to neurological issues like Alzheimer's disease. MORE: Researchers alarmed health risks could be tied to microplastics littering Narragansett Bay But at a news conference with other university and hospital leaders on Friday, URI Pharmacy Dean Kerry LaPlante said this research and other projects are at risk if federal funding is paused. 'URI researchers would lose $4.8 million in annual funds that support our staff, maintain these laboratories and drive breakthroughs,' LaPlante explained. Last week, the Trump administration announced plans to put a cap on indirect funds, which research leaders said can range from building maintenance to research assistant salaries. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) said it wants to limit the rate to 15%. URI's indirect rates can reach as high as 57.5%. 'The indirect cost rate is intended to cover overhead, and the federal government has been paying an exorbitantly high rate,' a spokesperson for the White House wrote. The indirect funding cap was blocked by a federal judge in Boston on Monday, after Brown University sued the Trump administration. But local hospital and university leaders warn that if the federal funding cap takes effect, it could lead to layoffs. LaPlante said not enough support staff would mean research studies would have to be stopped. 'I do infectious diseases research,' LaPlante said. 'I need to have a certain number of people in my lab to make sure if it safe … For me, it's about safety.' NEXT: Brown University warns federal funding cuts could be 'a disaster' for medical research Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
