Join OAJ as we present Brian Panish and Patrick Gunning

2020 brought us many challenges, including trying jury trials during the COVID-19 pandemic. Join OAJ as we learn from Brian Panish and Patrick Gunning in a 3.5 hour CLE

About Brian Panish

One of the country’s leading trial attorneys, Los Angeles personal injury lawyer Brian Panish has obtained some of the most significant jury verdicts in United States history on behalf of plaintiffs. His courtroom victories include a $4.9 billion record verdict in the landmark products liability case Anderson v. General Motors, over 100 verdicts and settlements in excess of $10 million, six verdicts in excess of $50 million, and more than 500 verdicts and settlements over one million dollars in personal injury, car accident, wrongful death and business litigation cases.

Licensed to practice in California, Texas and Washington, Mr. Panish consistently serves in a leading role in the largest personal injury cases in the country. He currently serves as Plaintiffs Co-Lead Counsel in the Woolsey Fire litigation, Plaintiffs Co-Lead Counsel in the Southern California Fire Cases litigation arising from the 2017 Thomas Fire and subsequent debris flows in Montecito, California and serves on the Plaintiffs Executive Committee for the 2017 North Bay Fires in Northern California. Additionally, Mr. Panish has been appointed as Co-Lead Trial Counsel in the Porter Ranch/Aliso Canyon Gas Well Blowout Litigation and has served in leadership roles in the Asiana Airlines Crash Litigation, the Olympus Superbug CRE Litigation and DePuy ASR Hip Implant Litigation, among others.

Since 2011, Mr. Panish has obtained more than $500 million in verdicts including, among others, a landmark $53,745,374 verdict for two Southern California brothers who were severely injured following a head-on collision with CRST big rig, a $41,864,102 jury verdict and subsequent $46,000,000 settlement for a United States Air Force Captain who suffered catastrophic injuries after being struck from behind while on his motorcycle and then dragged the length of a football field and a half by a Southern California Gas Company truck, a $36.5 million jury verdict against Schneider National for a big-rig crash that left a woman with severe spinal cord injuries, a $34.5 million verdict for a man who suffered a below the knee amputation after being hit by a tractor trailer, a $23,720,996 trial verdict for a husband and wife after the man suffered a lower leg amputation as a result of being struck by a 28-foot utility truck while riding his motorcycle, a $21,503,420.48 jury verdict for a Southern California man who suffered catastrophic injuries after a vehicle illegally exiting the 405 Freeway HOV lane struck his motorcycle and sent him careening across three lanes of traffic and into a passing flatbed trailer, a $17.4 million verdict for a Ph.D. student who suffered brain and jaw injuries during a rear end chain collision accident, a $17 million jury verdict against the Los Angeles MTA in the wrongful death of a visually impaired passenger, a $17.845 million award in a wrongful death case involving four family members killed when a Marine jet crashed into their home, a $20 million jury verdict for a woman who suffered a brain injury in a hit-and-run accident involving a J.B. Hunt tractor trailer, a $17 million jury verdict for a 84-year old man hit by a bus resulting in a leg amputation, a $15.3 million jury verdict for a woman and her daughter after the woman was severely injured on a negligently driven Alameda Contra-Costa Transit District bus, a $10.45 million jury verdict for the family of a security guard killed on the CBS studio lot and a $8.3 million jury verdict in the first DePuy ASR Hip Implant case to go to trial.

Because of his expertise in personal injury, wrongful death, mass tort and product liability cases, Mr. Panish has been appointed to serve on the Plaintiffs’ Steering and Executive committees in numerous high profile mass torts and major disaster cases, including litigation involving train crashes (co-lead counsel in the the Chatsworth Metrolink disaster, the Glendale Metrolink crash, and the Placentia Metrolink collision), airplane disasters (Alaska Airlines Flight 261 and Singapore Airlines Flight 006 crashes), pharmaceuticals (Vioxx and diet drugs), and defective product cases (Welding Rods, DePuy ASR Hip Implant Litigation, and Toyota Unintended Acceleration cases.) He is currently handling numerous cases involving the Asiana Flight 261 plane crash as well as serving as Plaintiffs Co-lead Trial Counsel, representing over 7,000 clients in the Porter Ranch Gas Leak litigation.

About Patrick Gunning

Patrick Gunning focuses his practice exclusively on representing plaintiffs in catastrophic personal injury, product liability, and wrongful death cases. Since joining Panish Shea & Boyle LLP, Mr. Gunning has successfully recovered tens of millions of dollars for his clients in lawsuits against those responsible.

In 2021, Mr. Gunning, Brian Panish, and Adam Shea obtained a $39,500,000 settlement for college student Marissa Freeman who was catastrophically injured after suffering heatstroke during an outdoor class at California State University San Bernardino. This is believed to be the largest settlement ever for an injury case involving the California State University system.
In 2018, Mr. Gunning and Adam Shea obtained a $6,298,237 jury verdict for a 70-year-old woman who suffered severe injuries after being struck by a tour bus making a right turn while she was crossing the street.
In 2018, Mr. Gunning and Adam Shea obtained a $3,600,000 settlement from the state of California and the County of Los Angeles in a case involving a woman who suffered spinal injuries following a traffic collision when a first responder directed her to an area of the roadway when she fell 12 feet to a concrete flood control channel below.
In May 2014, in the case of Francisco v. AC Transit, Mr. Gunning was a member of the trial team alongside firm partner Brian Panish and Spencer Lucas and obtained a verdict of $15.3 million for a woman who suffered a back injury while riding on a city bus. In 2018, the verdict was upheld on appeal.
In July 2013, in the case of Barbarito v. Van Gundy, Mr. Gunning and firm partner Adam Shea obtained a verdict of $1.126 million for a client who suffered hip and shoulder injuries in a motorcycle accident.
In December 2011, Mr. Gunning was a member of the trial team in Yoon v. United States, alongside firm partners Brian Panish and Kevin R. Boyle, representing the family of Don Yoon, whose wife, two daughters, and mother-in-law were killed in an aviation accident when a Marine Corps F/A-18D fighter jet crashed into the family home, burning the victims alive. At trial, a federal judge awarded the surviving family members $17.845 million for their loss. This verdict is believed to be the largest individual wrongful death award ever against the United States government.
A particular focus of Mr. Gunning’s practice is representing elderly victims of negligence. As lead counsel, Mr. Gunning has obtained the following settlements:
Sanchez v. E.M. Pizza: In 2016, Mr. Gunning obtained a settlement of $2,500,000 for an 85-year-old client who suffered a mild traumatic brain injury as well as hip and knee injuries after being struck while in a crosswalk, despite the client’s preexisting memory loss and knee problems.
Torres v. Anchondo: In 2015, Mr. Gunning obtained a settlement of $2,500,000 for a 76-year-old client who suffered a traumatic brain injury and back injuries when struck by a drunk driver, despite the client’s multiple preexisting medical conditions.
Since 2016, Mr. Gunning has been recognized by Super Lawyers as a “Rising Star” – an honor awarded to the top 2.5% of attorneys in the state of California under 40 years of age.

Prior to joining Panish Shea & Boyle LLP, as part of UCLA Law School’s Appellate Advocacy Clinic, Mr. Gunning fought for the rights of immigrants in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, working to ensure the right to challenge due process violations by the government even after deportation. Mr. Gunning also worked in the homicide unit of the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office in Seattle, Washington. A member of the State Bar of California and the Washington State Bar, Mr. Gunning received his law degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, and his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, magna cum laude, from Gonzaga University. Outside of his law practice, Mr. Gunning is also an accomplished guitarist and mandolinist.

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