Kevin R. Crisp
Biographical Information
Mr. Crisp is a Partner in Haight Brown & Bonesteel’s Los Angeles office. He joined the firm as a second year law student in 1979 and is now the leader of the Products Liability & Tort Practice Group. He supervises the training, evaluation, assignment and operation of the practice group.
Mr. Crisp's practice is concentrated on the defense of personal injury litigation in state and federal court, including civil trials and binding arbitrations. He has particular expertise on cases involving automatic doors and gates, fire suppression systems, fires, premises security, pneumatic nailers, power and hand tools, alarm systems, and industrial accidents. He has particular expertise in effectively tendering our clients’ defense to others through express indemnity agreements and additional insured endorsements.
Representative Experience:
- Successfully managed a state-wide program for the tort defense of a national financial institution, in which over half of the cases closed required no indemnity payment by the client
- Currently responsible state-wide for product liability case defense for a Fortune 500 company that manufactures hand tools, power tools and access devices
- Thomas B. v. The Stanley Works. Plaintiff received shrapnel in his stomach while using a framing hammer that chipped. Case tried to a jury in the remote desert community of Ridgecrest, California. Opposing counsel was local. Defense verdict in 15 minutes.
- Agnes S. v. Automatic Door Manufacturer. Claimed severe shoulder injury from an automatic pedestrian door malfunction, resulting in complete loss of the shoulder joint in an elderly woman. The case was tried in Los Angeles’ notorious “Central Civil West” courthouse. Demand: $250,000, offer $75,000. Result: 12-0 defense on product defect and 11-1 on negligence.
- Rodriguez v. Stanley Bostitch. Plaintiff claimed inability to work following surgery to remove nail particles from his knee. Motion for summary judgment obtained in El Centro, California on lack of product identification.
- B.O.P. v. Stanley Hardware. Plaintiff sued its landlord for water damage resulting from a massive failure of a warehouse sprinkler system. Result: After a court finding of breach of contract by the plaintiff, plaintiff reimbursed our client $100,000 in attorneys’ fees for our defense of the main action.
- Doe Electrical Contractor v. Doe Security Contractor. Our client declined to perform an agreement to install a security system at a hospital. Plaintiff claimed our breach of its subcontract ruined its reputation and destroyed its continuing relationship with the general contractor. The demand was $25,000,000. The case settled for $125,000 and no attorneys’ fees were paid to plaintiff.
- Sage v. Sheppard. Plaintiff claimed breach of written and oral employment contracts. Demand $600,000, offer $100,000. Result: Defense, $7000 cost bill paid by plaintiff.
Honors
- Martindale-Hubbell AV Rated
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