Bisnar | Chase In The News

Brian Chase Named President of Orange County Trial Lawyers Association

NEWPORT BEACH, CALIFORNIA - Brian Chase, a partner and the chief litigator for the consumer law firm of Bisnar Chase, LLP, has been named president of the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association for 2007.

Chase took the oath of office as the 42nd president of the 600-member organization on January 13 at a gala event in Newport Beach. He was sworn in by Orange County Superior Court Presiding Judge, Nancy Wieben Stock. Many Orange County judges, political figures and some of the most prominent personal injury attorneys in California attended the installation dinner.

"Serving as president is my way of giving something back to our professional community and the OCTLA for all the tremendous support I have received over the years," Chase said. "I am honored to be named president of this prestigious organization and promise to further the association's creed of 'helping attorneys provide their clients the best possible legal representation.'"

Chase was honored as the OCTLA's "Top Gun" Product Liability Trial Lawyer of the Year in 2004 for his successes in auto defect/auto crash-worthiness cases.

Chase has served on the OCTLA Board of Directors since 1995, and he also serves on the Board of Governors of the Consumer Attorneys of California. He has more than 20 years of board of director service on various trial lawyers' associations and consumer-oriented legal organizations.

Also honored at the annual event was out-going President John Adams, III, of the Santa Ana law firm of Hunt & Adams, Inc. "Brian will make an excellent president and serve our membership well," Adams said. "As one of our 'Top Guns,' Brian provides an excellent role model for us all, not only as a skilled litigator, but through his depth of character and the caring attitude he brings to every case."

As a consumer law firm, Bisnar Chase specializes in personal injury cases. Chase said this type of work is personally satisfying for him. "I went to law school specifically to represent injured people. That's what I have a passion for." Two key goals motivated him, he said: "To be intellectually challenged and to have a substantive impact on other people's lives, and I achieve that when I do plaintiff work."

One of Chase's most rewarding cases involved a heart-wrenching car accident in which the driver-side seat back collapsed. A nine-year-old girl sitting in the rear seat was killed when she was struck by her mother's head, due to the seat-back failure. The mother subsequently used the settlement money to initiate a campaign to educate parents in similar situations and publicly expose the auto manufacturer's internal documents related to the manufacturing defect

Another "David versus Goliath" case that Chase is particularly proud of involved a college student who suffered an irreversible brain injury after his seat belt failed in an auto accident. The victim, Joshua, was a high achiever studying to become a dentist, but that dream was shattered forever.

"The settlement did not replace the earnings Joshua probably would have had as a dentist, but he's covered for life now," Chase said. "I'm not a doctor, so I can't directly save a life on the operating table. But by doing this kind of work, I can affect lives, and if I am deterring the auto manufacturers long-term, I can change the designs of cars and maybe directly save lives that way. That's what motivates me."

Joshua's case, along with one involving a 14-year-old boy permanently blinded in one eye by a paint ball, led to Chase being named Trial Lawyer of the Year. His involvement in championing consumer rights was also considered in awarding him that honor.

Consumer advocacy is what got him involved in state politics as well. "I am fighting to help keep California consumers' rights from being affected by tort reform," he said. "As an attorney, I feel more useful and my life has more meaning by helping people as opposed to helping companies."

Chase has two published opinions after winning arguments before the California Supreme Court and the California Court of Appeal, furthering the rights of consumers in the state of California. He also is a frequent lecturer for various attorney organizations, where he teaches trial techniques, strategies and tactics to other attorneys.

About Bisnar | Chase

Bisnar Chase, LLP, is a California law firm that litigates serious personal injuries and wrongful death. Partners John Bisnar and Brian Chase champion the rights of consumers to restore stability to the law and dignity to the lives of victims and their families. Specializing in automobile product liability claims, Bisnar Chase obtains more than $10 million annually in settlements and judgments for its clients, including cases against the largest automobile manufacturers in the world. For more information, visit: www.bestattorney.com.

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Bisnar | Chase Wins $700,000 Injury Verdict Against Southern California Edison

Press Release
Thursday May 12, 1:30 pm ET

Plaintiff Alleged Company Destroyed Evidence Following Accident in Which a 14-Year-Old Boy Was Blinded in One Eye with a Paint Ball Gun

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 12, 2005--Bisnar | Chase, a law firm specializing in complex personal injury cases, today announced a $704,663 jury verdict for damages against Southern California Edison for an accident in which a 14-year-old boy was blinded in one eye. The incident involved a Southern California Edison employee who shot a boy with a paint ball gun while on duty outside the town of Big Creek, located in the Sierra National Forest, about 45 miles from Fresno.

"A teenager was blinded," said Brian Chase, a partner with Bisnar | Chase and the lead plaintiff's attorney in the case. "For the rest of his life, he has to confront the serious challenges that come with permanent loss of vision in his right eye. The jury understood the gravity of the situation. This is not like a broken arm that will heal with a cast and an apology."

The verdict is notable for the size of the damage award and for the fact that the jury found Southern California Edison was responsible for the actions of its employee, said Chase.

The jury awarded $700,000 to the boy for general damages, including pain and suffering, and $4,663 for medical treatment. The case, Joshua Hild vs. Southern California Edison, was argued in Los Angeles Superior Court and the verdict was reached on April 28, following a five day jury trial.

As a central point, the plaintiff's attorneys alleged that Southern California Edison destroyed key evidence -- a handwritten account of the incident that had been written by the employee immediately following the accident.

"The lawyers for Southern California Edison said they threw the employee's statement away and then typed up a more formal statement on her behalf to correct for 'typo's,'" said Chase. "We argued that this was an effort by the attorneys to clear the company of liability, and I believe the jury was very troubled by this."

About Bisnar | Chase

Bisnar | Chase is one of the leading personal injury law firms in the West and specializes in auto product liability. Founded in 1978 by John Bisnar, the firm is based in Newport Beach, California, and has offices in California and Nevada. Bisnar | Chase's mission is to hold wrongdoers accountable for their negligence. The firm recovers millions of dollars annually for its clients and in 2004, the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association named partner Brian Chase "Trial Lawyer of the Year" in the product liability category.

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Bisnar | Chase Announces Grand Opening of New Offices and Charity Silent Auction, June 22

See pictures from the event.

Press Release
June 19, 2005

Bisnar | Chase, a law firm specializing in complex personal injury cases, today announced the firm will celebrate the grand opening of its Newport Beach offices with a gala event and charity silent auction on Wednesday, June 22.

Newport Beach, CA (PRWEB) June 19, 2005 -- Bisnar | Chase is one of the most successful personal injury law firms in Southern California and its partners, John Bisnar and Brian Chase, are nationally recognized for their expertise in auto product liability. In the first five months of 2005, Bisnar | Chase recovered more than $10 million for its clients.

At the June 22 grand opening, nearly 40 items, including a Mercedes SL 500 donated by Fletcher Jones Motor Cars, a Wyland painting, and Angels and Lakers tickets will be auctioned off. The beneficiary of the charity silent auction, Gary's Place for Kids, is a Laguna Hills-based charity that provides ongoing grief support for Orange County children who have experienced the loss of a loved one.

"Gary's Place is doing terrific work for kids who have experienced a terrible loss," said Brian Chase. "Helping kids recover from the trauma of the death of a loved one can have positive lifelong effects for these kids."

The new Bisnar | Chase offices reflect the quiet dignity of many law firms but also possess a stylistic flair characteristic of its partners. A conference room in the offices is decked out as a shrine to the Los Angeles Lakers, complete with a purple conference table, gold chairs and autographed photos of the biggest stars in action at some of the most memorable times in their careers.

"We deal with some very serious issues within the walls of these offices but we hope our Lakers conference room can bring a little levity to our meetings here," explained John Bisnar.

The Lakers-themed conference room is separated from the lobby of the building, One Newport Place, by a glass wall, and brings a smile to passers by, who often stop to admire the unique décor.

"And while we cannot take all the credit, I'm sure that our dedication to the Lakers must have had some influence on Phil Jackson's return as coach," said Bisnar.

The law offices of Bisnar and Chase are located at 1301 Dove St., suite 120, Newport Beach. The grand opening will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. and is by invitation only.

About Bisnar | Chase

Bisnar | Chase is one of the leading personal injury law firms in the West and specializes in auto product liability. Founded in 1978 by John Bisnar, the firm is based in Newport Beach, California, and has offices in California and Nevada. Bisnar | Chase's mission is to hold wrongdoers accountable for their negligence. The firm recovers millions of dollars annually for its clients and in 2004, the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association named partner Brian Chase, "Trial Lawyer of the Year" in the product liability category. For more information about Bisnar | Chase, go to www.bestattorney.com.

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Lawyers FORUM - Annie Armen Live

Featured Guests - Legal Experts Bisnar | Chase
June 23, 2005

Topic: Dangers to Front Seat Passengers Due to Seat Back Failures - What You Need To Know!

Listen to the radio broadcast.

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Newport law firm holding court

By Andrew Edwards, Daily Pilot
June 27, 2005

A Newport Beach law firm's new offices evoke the feeling of a court, but not the kind of court where judges and juries sit. Think more along the lines of a basketball court.

Personal injury attorneys John Bisnar and Brian Chase, partners of Bisnar | Chase, LLP, are longtime fans of the Los Angeles Lakers. Accordingly, the conference room at the firm's new home has hardwood floors, a TV screen showing old-school Laker games and a playoff-worn Shaquille O'Neal shoe. The size-23 shoe is about the size of an average housecat.

A meeting room that features a photo of Magic Johnson battling the Celtic's Larry Bird in the paint feels more like a high-end sports bar than a law firm. The sporty atmosphere can help put clients at ease, Bisnar said.

"When you come to see an attorney, its usually not your best day and because we do very serious cases -- we're talking serious injury or death -- I think it helps not to be too serious," Bisnar said.

Bisnar and Chase both earned their law degrees at Pepperdine University. Bisnar intended to use his degree to pursue a career in real estate development, but veered toward personal injury law shortly after he opened his first office in Huntington Beach in 1978.

At the time, he had agreed to assist other lawyers in exchange for office space, and was given two cases he was told were unwinnable. Bisnar said he negotiated a settlement in the first case after 100 days. It took him five years to reach a settlement in the second case, and his hefty paycheck from that case was a big influence on his career plans.

"My fee was in the six-figures and I was like, 'Whoah, that's a lot of money," Bisnar said.

Chase began working with Bisnar before he earned his law degree. Like his partner, Chase's first career choice was not personal injury law.

"I was surfing, doing triathlons and being an actor, and everyone knows actors don't get paid well," Chase said, adding that he was looking for a line of work that provided intellectual challenge, a chance to make a social impact and a healthy income.

The firm often takes product-liability cases related to auto accidents. One case described on the firm's website stemmed from a crash in which a woman and her daughter were in a Ford Escort that was rear-ended. The car's seats allegedly failed in the accident and the woman was thrown backward into her daughter. The impact caused fatal injuries to the girl, and the firm reached a confidential settlement with Ford Motor Co.

Bisnar said he is proud to take on product liability cases, and also proud to call himself a trial attorney, regardless of popularly-held impressions of aggressively litigious lawyers.

"Anyone who makes jokes about it, I'm glad; those jokes are well-earned," Bisnar said.

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Brian Chase Interviewed on "America's Best Lawyers" by Sky Radio

On July 13, 2005, Brian Chase was interviewed by Sky Radio Network for "Americal's Best Lawyers" on the effects of dangerous and defective products.

Listen to the interview.

(Click here to download Windows Media Player free.)

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HOLDING WRONGDOERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE DAMAGES THEY CAUSE SINCE 1978

Bisnar | Chase 2006-2008 - Super Lawyers is a listing of outstanding lawyers from more than 60 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Bisnar | Chase has received this award for three consecutive years.