Tort & Product Liability

Tort & Product Liability

As the law and technology constantly evolve, tort and product liability defense remains one of the most complex and challenging areas of litigation. The Gordon & Rees Tort and Product Liability Practice Group has consistently met and exceeded these challenges with a passionate and experienced team of lawyers. Gordon & Rees has successfully represented clients in almost every sector of the business community in matters ranging from catastrophic injury claims to complex products liability matters to mass tort litigation.

In representing our clients, the Tort and Product Liability Practice Group manages a broad spectrum of cases including products liability, premises liability, and major trucking/transportation claims, security/law enforcement defense matters, construction site accidents and sports/recreational injuries. The group also routinely handles complex civil litigation involving catastrophic injury, multi-party litigation and class action lawsuits on behalf of individuals and businesses.

Our attorneys strive to provide the highest quality of lawyering in all of the above in the most cost efficient manner.

Client Counseling

An important service Gordon & Rees provides to its clients is counseling on a host of tort and product related issues. Additionally, we provide seminars to our clients on current trends in the law in an attempt to educate and protect our clients from potential lawsuits. We also provide evaluations of pre-litigation claims, inspect potentially dangerous conditions and render client-specific legal opinions on all issues of concern.

Early Assessment

For those matters that result in litigation, the diverse nature of the group's practice allows us to tailor the scope of our representation to the nature and complexity of each case. The firm makes every effort to evaluate the potential exposure in each case as early as possible and to formulate an appropriate strategy so that we can achieve the best results possible. Gordon & Rees has successfully resolved many claims by early motion practice, including demurrers and motions for summary judgment. Our attorneys zealously advocate early settlement where advantageous to our clients, and utilize alternative dispute resolution where appropriate. The Tort and Product Liability Practice Group has extensive trial experience, with an impressive record of success. The firm also has significant appellate practice experience.

Cost Control Practices

The Tort and Product Liability Practice Group consists of proven trial attorneys who know how to achieve the best result in the most economical manner. Gordon & Rees employs strict cost control practices to keep our defense costs competitive. Our Law & Motion inter-office database and our task-based billing system permit us to provide excellent representation at minimal expense. The firm's commitment to providing clients with superior legal representation in a cost effective manner is the primary reason why Gordon & Rees has one of the fastest growing, and most highly regarded tort defense practices in California.

Products Liability

Gordon & Rees' Products Liability Practice Group represents manufacturers nationwide in a variety of products liability cases. Our representation of companies in multiple industries in the field of products liability include defending chemical companies, automotive industry manufacturers, pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers, machine manufacturers, amusement park ride manufacturers, helicopter manufacturers and numerous other consumer product manufacturers.

A deep understanding of the technical and scientific theories upon which many of these products liability cases are based allows Gordon & Rees' attorneys to develop the most effective defense. Our lawyers include engineers, toxicologists, epidemiologists and OSHA Inspectors. Such real world expertise allows us to focus and identify key information and allows for effective presentation to juries and judges alike. Our trial attorneys aggressively litigate claims locally, and in mass-tort litigation.

Our experience enables us to help clients avert litigation by providing effective counsel on the liability aspects of designing, testing, manufacturing and marketing new products, complete with appropriate warning material. We also assist our clients in the review of product warnings, pre-litigation claims, use instructions and owner's manuals.

Premises Liability Practice Group

Gordon & Rees is the counsel of choice for the largest and most sophisticated property owners and managers in the state of California. In representing our clients, Gordon & Rees defends a wide array of premises liability claims, ranging from simple slip and falls, to shootings, rapes and murders. Our attorneys aggressively litigate these claims, and frequently succeed in obtaining the summary dismissal of such suits well in advance of trial.

As referenced in more detail below, Gordon & Rees does work for many of the largest and most respected private security companies in California.

Transportation Practice Group

Gordon & Rees, LLP, has extensive experience in transportation litigation, primarily in the trucking and heavy equipment area. We have specific expertise in complex injury and multi-vehicle accidents. Charles S. Custer is the practice group leader for our Transportation Practice Group. Mr. Custer is Panel Counsel for Waste Management and the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, who insures all British Columbia trucking companies entering California. Mr. Custer previously was Panel Counsel for Consolidated Freightways. In addition, Gordon & Rees, LLP, has represented many other large carriers, as well as insurers of vehicles.

The Tort and Product Liability Practice Group has experienced transportation lawyers in each of our offices in California and Nevada. In Southern California, please contact Ken Perri. For any of other offices, please contact Mr. Custer.

Catastrophic Injury Practice Group

Gordon & Rees Tort defense attorneys have significant experience representing individuals and businesses involving wrongful death, brain injury, and serious personal injury claims. Many of our catastrophic injury claims involve construction site accidents, motor vehicle collisions, heavy machinery/equipment operation and sports related injuries. The Northern and Southern California offices have tried numerous cases to verdict in these areas and also have extensive appellate experience relative to these types of claims.

Our attorneys aggressively litigate catastrophic injury claims, and frequently succeed in obtaining the summary dismissal of such suits well in advance of trial. As with most litigation, our attorneys strive to locate and work with the most appropriate and qualified expert witnesses to address the complex issues involved in these cases.

Private Security Industry Practice Group

Gordon & Rees has extensive experience in representing Security Companies over the past twenty (20) years. Chuck Custer heads our Security Practice Group and is also the head of the Tort Litigation Practice Group. Mr. Custer, whose father was a Los Angeles County Sheriff for several decades, has a great deal of experience representing security companies and law enforcement agencies. Mr. Custer has an undergraduate degree in engineering from UCLA and obtained his Juris Doctor from McGeorge School of Law in 1986. He has extensive trial experience and also has successfully mediated and arbitrated literally hundreds of cases.

In addition, Gordon & Rees represents several of the most well-known private security companies who are on the front lines in insuring the safety of customers, tenants and guests, including Personal Protective Services, Inc., King Security, Inc., Monument Security & Investigations, Inc., Northstar Security and D.N. Security. Moreover, our Southern California Offices represent Elite Show Services, Inc. Due to the limited resources of our local governments, security and police protection is increasingly becoming a private undertaking, with a concomitant exposure to liability when unfortunate accidents or injuries occur. With this in mind, Gordon & Rees counsels its security clients on loss prevention in efforts to avoid litigation, and should a claim be filed, defending against such actions.

Gordon & Rees can provide services to security companies with regard to litigation needs, employment matters, business/contract matters and general corporate issues. Please feel free to contact Chuck Custer, in Northern California at (415) 986-5900 or e-mail him at ccuster@gordonrees.com; or contact Kenneth Perri, in Southern California at (619)696-6700 or e-mail him at kperri@gordonrees.com.

Food Industry Practice Group

The Tort & Product Liability Group is particularly knowledgeable with regard to the food services industry and related areas of business. For decades, Gordon & Rees has represented food manufacturers, processors, suppliers, and distributors, as well as restaurants, hotels, and similar commercial endeavors. Lawyers in our group counsel clients to avoid and eliminate problems, address their legal concerns, handle claims, litigate cases, and to the extent possible, efficiently resolve such disputes. An extensive part of our practice has included claims relating to alleged food poisoning, choking on food, products liability, licensing and other administrative issues, and affiliated environmental concerns.

Moreover, we work in conjunction with the highly-specialized expertise of our firm's real estate, bankruptcy, employment, and business/technology groups in order to address every particular need of our clients. This level of quality and comprehensive service typically has the added benefit of cost-savings to our clients by eliminating the necessity to "recreate the wheel" and by not having to deal with multiple law firms. Gordon & Rees has the experience, the talent, and the resources to successfully handle a vast range of legal services for clients in the food services industry.