Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani attorneys Todd Bowers, Ryan Polk, Jamal Atiba, Arthur Severance, and Paralegal Sarah Haddix secured a significant trial victory in San Francisco Superior Court, drastically limiting a potential $96 million exposure for their client, a rideshare company.
The plaintiff, a principal software engineer at a prominent tech company earning over $1.5 million annually, filed suit against the company, alleging it was vicariously liable for injuries he claimed to have sustained, including loss of earning capacity, in a rear-end collision involving a driver using the rideshare platform.
At the conclusion of the month-long damages trial, the plaintiff’s counsel argued that the jury should award their client a staggering $96 million in damages. The GRSM trial team firmly countered, arguing to the jury that no more than $350,000 in damages was appropriate.
After four days of deliberations, the jury awarded the plaintiff just $160,000 – less than half of what the defendants proposed to the jury. As a result, the plaintiff is now liable for costs and expert fees, further emphasizing the strategic effectiveness of the defense’s approach.
This result underscores GRSM’s litigation strength in high-stakes tech-sector matters and reflects the firm’s ability to successfully challenge aggressive damages theories through precision, preparation, and persuasive advocacy.