Baron Drexel prides himself on his ability, skill, dedication, hard work and desire to win cases. Baron has been a lawyer for over seventeen years. He has worked on large civil litigation matters involving antitrust and complex commercial problems, real estate, banking, and business litigation. Since 1992, he decided to dedicate himself to representing injured victims of medical malpractice and personal injury cases. His practice ranges from medical malpractice to slip and fall cases.
The following cases provide examples of his practice and success.
In the Spring of 1998, Baron was co-counsel in a malicious prosecution trial against two insurers. The trial lasted six weeks. The jury awarded $15.2 million in favor of Baron's clients. The most difficult challenge of the case was to convince a jury that the filing and maintenance of two declaratory relief lawsuits against the plaintiff and his corporation caused the plaintiff to suffer depression and as a consequence suffer great economic loss.
In 1999, Baron represented a woman who suffered from Multi-Chemical Sensitivity as a result of exposure to chemicals and hazardous materials at her job site. She had lost her Workman's Compensation suit and recovered a de minimus amount in her product's case. Baron spearheaded and obtained a six figure settlement under the American Disability's Act.
In 2000, Baron tried a tow truck accident wherein the plaintiff was injured by a co-employee at the job site and sued his employer and AAA who claimed that the employer was an independent contractor. The AAA lost its summary judgment motion based upon a dual employment argument and settled at the trial calendar. The tow truck company who failed to pay Worker's Comp premiums claimed that the plaintiff had only an x-ray anomaly, that his problems were minor, that his spondyloliothesis was pre-existing the accident. The San Francisco jury awarded roughly $500,000. With fees and costs, the judgment is roughly $750,000.
In 2001, Baron filed an appeal on behalf of a client who was found obligated to pay $1 million as a result of a business debt incurred by a friend when he invested into a corporation set up by the friend. The judgement was reversed.
In 2002, Baron obtained a default judgment in the amount of $5 million for a client who received the HIV-virus from a partner who lied about his HIV-status. The partner was formerly a SF Health commissioner. "People lie to each other, but when it comes to an issue like this, it's not justifiable at any level."
In 2003, Baron settled a lawsuit on behalf of 2 year old girl who suffered a burn when as an infant she rolled off the bed and into an uncovered heating pipe. The structured settlement will pay off over a $1million dollars through the college years.
In 2004, Baron successfully defended a former CEO of a public company in a punitive damages trial achieving a defense verdict. The CEO was found guilty of fraud in the prior trial. The plaintiff asked for $450,000. Baron also tried a rear end "minimal impact" accident in which the plaintiff complained of aggravation of a low lumbar herniation. Baron obtained a plaintiff's verdict with costs exceeding $25,000. The plaintiff was a young Afghai woman. The insurance carrier offered no money to settle. The case is typical for many cases in which the insurers refust to pay any complensation with the idea that plaintiff's lawyers will not take the case because the cost of going to trial exceed the potential fees. Also, Baron settled a lawsuit on behalf of a 17 year old who suffered paralysis of his right arm for $750,000. The teenager jumped over 50 feet from the roof top of the gymnasium into the pool; however, a boy who jumped right after he landed in the pool landed on top of him. The school district argued that it was an obvious danger and violated school policy. Plaintiff argued that the school had been treating the jumpting as a tradition and failed to supervise the students.
In 2005, Baron settled a federal civil rights and wrongful death action against the Sheriff and Lake County. The decedent was arrested for a DUI and was taken to a remote jail where he was placed in a cell for a couple of hours. He was not fed or given any liquid. His money was taken from him and a check given to him. There was no bus service. The only route home was on a highway. The man who was still intoxicated went on the highway and was struck and killed by a passing motorist. The plaintiffs were an adult son and a wife who had been separated from the decedent for many years, but they remained like time friends.
In 2006, Baron settled a legal malpractice action on behalf of a client who paid an additional 5% contingency to his former lawyer for the cost of bringing the plaintiff corporation active under California law. The cost was under $5,000. The fee was approximately $250,000. The lawyer had tried a case in which a $15.5 million verdict was reduced because of the lawyer's negligence. However, the Court of Appeal "capped" the damages so the plaintiff could not recover damages against the lawyer or his firm for its negligence in litigating the underlying case.
Since July 1999, Baron has complemented his personal injury practice with bankruptcy matters. He represents debtors in their chapter 7 filings and creditors and debtors in various bankruptcy litigation matters. In 2003, Baron represented the former founders and majority shareholders of a Nuclear Waste company in chapter 11 proceedings. For most people, filing a chapter 7 remains a solution to debt problems. We continue to do chapter 7 filings not withstanding the negative climate that exists against debtors.
