Bill Haluck and Greg Koeller of our Irvine office successfully defended the Orange County Sheriff’s Department at the trial of an action brought by Tustin Police Office Mark Black when a bottle bomb in a security trashcan located in the Intake and Release Center of the Orange County jail exploded. Officer Black was standing next to the trashcan while waiting for his booking paperwork for an arrestee he brought into the IRC.

Mr. Black contended that the explosion caused him to suffer a vestibular injury that prevented him from continuing in his chosen career. He claimed he now suffers from dizziness every day, vertigo and suffered a nerve related hearing loss.

The trial was bifurcated with Plaintiff winning the liability phase. The second phase (damages) resulted in a verdict for defendant on causation. Plaintiff’s counsel had requested the jury to award between $1.75- $3.75 million in damages.