Peter K. Renstrom

Representative matters:

• Robert Sisk, et al. v. Weir Valves: Obtained a favorable resolution before closing argument as the last remaining defendant during an all-remote trial. The plaintiff was a 79-year-old with mesothelioma and married for 60 years with a seven-figure economic damages claim involving a small number of defendants. This was the client’s first asbestos case; exposure to printing equipment was alleged.
• Peter LaMonica, et al. v. Colgate-Palmolive Company: Secured a favorable resolution at end of the plaintiffs’ case-in-chief after two months of trial where the jury returned a $7 million verdict with no assignment of fault to the client. The plaintiff was a 72-year-old with mesothelioma with a wife of 50 years and a seven-figure economic damages claim with numerous low dose defendants at trial.
• Bobbie and Helen Izell v. Union Carbide: Obtained a significantly reduced settlement by leveraging pre-trial motions to exclude plaintiff’s witnesses at opening statement. The plaintiff was an 85-year-old with mesothelioma with a wife of over 60 years with no economic damages going to verdict. The jury eventually returned a $30 million verdict against the remaining five defendants, which represented one of the largest plaintiff verdicts ever in the history of Los Angeles asbestos litigation.
• John Brodeur v. Bowe Bell +Howell: Motion for nonsuit granted three weeks into trial in a case where the plaintiff claimed that he was injured through his work with an electronics equipment manufacturer.
• Jack and Nadine Smith v. BNSF Railway Company: Secured a settlement for a significantly reduced amount during the plaintiff’s case-in-chief.
• Anthony Chomo, et al. v. American Standard, Inc.: Secured a settlement in a living mesothelioma case in the middle of voir dire for a significantly reduced settlement amount.
• Robert and Joan Guptill v. Bondex International, Inc.: Motion to dismiss granted after the plaintiff’s opening statement.
• Marie Hutchinson v. Beazer East, Rowland Cox v. Beazer East: Secured a settlement on the third day of trial for a significantly reduced amount in two wrongful death consolidated cases.
• Franz Losch, et al. v. A.W. Chesterton Company: Secured a settlement during voir dire for a much reduced settlement amount in a living mesothelioma case.
• Frank and Mary Jo Meyers v. Bondex International, Inc.: Secured a settlement the night before opening statements for the lowest figure to date with this plaintiff’s firm in a living mesothelioma case.
• Fernando Jauregui v. Valley Crest Tree Company: Obtained a defense verdict after a five-week jury trial after less than two hours of deliberations in a living mesothelioma case with a 27-year-old plaintiff. Retained to try the case just six weeks before trial commenced, assembling the experts and defense strategy from scratch. The plaintiff’s demand during trial was in the eight figures.
• Arlen Branscum v. Foster Wheeler: Obtained a defense verdict 17 minutes after jury began deliberating.
• Clarence Cunningham v. Asbestos Defendants: Secured a settlement for a nominal amount five days into the plaintiff’s case.
• Brayton Group 70: Obtained dismissals for six of the 10 individual asbestosis cases during trial with the remaining four cases settling for significantly reduced amounts the night before closing arguments.

• “Talc Litigation Update,” (Co-Presenter), Emerging Risks CE/CLE, March 15, 2022