David R. Lira
David R. Lira specializes in the areas of products liability, insurance bad faith, general negligence, wrongful death, and commercial litigation on behalf of Plaintiffs. An advocate of trial by jury, Mr. Lira has obtained multi-million dollar outcomes against large corporations, including a $45.5 million verdict against Ford Motor Company for a defective seatbelt; a $30 million settlement against an insurance company for wrongful denial of a claim; and a $35.6 million dollar settlement against a bus manufacturer for failure to provide seatbelts, to name a few. Mr. Lira is a Member of the prestigious International Academy of Trial Lawyers, an invitation-only worldwide organization, limited to 500 trial lawyers and the American Board of Trial Advocates.
Mr. Lira was named by LAWDRAGON Magazine to its list of “The 500 Leading Litigators in America” (2006, 2008 & 2010) and its list of “The 500 Leading Plaintiff’s Lawyers in America” (2007). He has also been recognized as one of “The Top 100 lawyers in Southern California” in Los Angeles Magazine in its 2008-2012 editions. Mr. Lira has been selected as a finalist for “Trial Lawyer of the Year” by the Consumer Attorneys of California organization in 2004 and 2010 and by the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles in 2006. Recently, Mr. Lira was one of the attorneys in a unanimous U.S. Supreme Court decision holding that a seat-belt defect claim under state common law was not preempted by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. Williamson v. Mazda Motor of America, Inc. (2011) 131 S.Ct. 1131. The Williamson case was one of the few victories on behalf of consumers before the U.S Supreme Court in recent years.
VERDICTS AND SETTLEMENTS:
Verdict, $45.5 Million - against Ford Motor Company for defective seatbelt that paralyzed a 6-year-old child.
Karlsson v. Ford Motor Company, LASC Case PC 0019980
Settlement, $35.6 Million - against tour company/manufacturer for bus rollover.
Confidential
Settlement, $30 Million - against international insurance company for wrongful denial of property damage claim.
Confidential
Settlement, $14 Million - against amusement park ride causing traumatic brain injury to client.
Confidential
Settlement, $13 Million - against oil companies for contamination of water wells.
State of New Mexico v. Chevron USA, Inc., USDC Case No. CV 99-1254
Verdict, $9.3 Million - against homeowners association for breach of contract and fraud.
ECC Construction, Inc. v. Oak Park Calabasas HOA, LASC Case No. LC 032986
Settlement, $8 Million - against contractor for breach of contract and construction defects.
Cabrini Villas HOA v. RESG, Inc., LASC Case No. BC 287117
Settlement, $7.9 Million - against automobile manufacturer for defective airbag that caused brain injury to 6 year old child.
Confidential
Settlement, $7.5 Million - against automobile manufacturer for defective seat that caused brain injuries.
Confidential
Verdict, $7.4 Million - for client paralyzed in multi-vehicle collision.
Brewer v. Hussmann Corp., Fresno Superior Court, Case No. 09CEG08456
Verdict, $7.1 Million - jury verdict against Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority on behalf of brain-injured client.
Lin v. First Transit, Inc., LASC Case No. SC 309663
Verdict, $7 Million - against train operator for client sustaining internal injuries.
Kloster v. SCRRA, LASC Case No. PC 0430903
Settlement, $6.7 Million - against trucking company for wrongful death in truck v. auto accident.
Sprague v. Calinex Transport, Inc., LASC Case No. BC258661
Settlement, $5.8 Million - against national distributor of defective toy chest causing death of a two-year-old child
Confidential
Settlement, $5.3 Million - against building contractor for spinal injury to worker in construction site injury case.
Webb v. ARB, Inc., LASC Case No. PC 039145
Settlement, $4.7 Million - against manufacturer of defective piping causing severe injuries.
Vigil v. IPS Corp., LASC Case No. TC 018338
Settlement, $4.6 Million - after jury selection in an aviation incident resulting in fatalities.
Olauson v. Baldwin, OCSC No. 07CC05913
Settlement, $4.3 Million - against State of California for vehicle vs. bicycle incident.
Roberts v. State of California
Verdict, $4.2 Million - against train operator for fatal incident.
Grace v. SCRRA, LASC Case No. PC043703
Verdict, $3.2 Million - against transport company for closed head injury to 63 year old male.
Beroukhim v. Delta Towing & Transport, Inc., LASC Case No. BC313942
Settlement, $2.9 Million - against component part manufacturer for defective motorcycle side stand.
Cook v. Shell Oil Co., Sacramento Superior Court, Case No. 02A506836.
Settlement, $2.9 Million - after opening statements for MTBE contamination to private property.
Confidential
Settlement, $2.8 Million - against automobile manufacturer for seat belt defect (spool-out).
Confidential
Settlement, $2.5 Million - against automobile manufacturer for defective seat belt (lap-only).
Navarette v. General Motors Corp., LASC Case No. BC313221
Settlement, $2.2 Million - against Fortune 500 company for breach of contract and wrongful termination.
Confidential
Settlement, $2.1 Million - against automobile manufacturer for lack of crashworthiness in rollover incident.
Confidential
Areas of Practice
- Civil Litigation
- Personal Injury
- Business Torts
- Insurance Bad Faith
- Product Liability
- Toxic Torts
- Entertainment Litigation
Litigation Percentage
- 100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
Bar Admissions
- California, 1988
Education
- Boston College Law School, Boston, Massachusetts
- J.D. - 1986
- University of California, Los Angeles, California
- B.A. - 1983
- Top 25 Plaintiff Lawyer in Calfornia by the DAily Journal.
Los Angeles, California 90017