Thomas J. Johnston Attorney

First Admitted: 2000, California

Professional Webpage: https://www.johnstonhutchinson.com/thomas-j-johnston-esq/

Bar/Professional Activity:

Fellow, International Academy of Trial Lawyers, 2023
Adjunct Professor at Loyola Law School teaching Advanced Torts (Torts II), 2023
Vice President - Los Angeles Chapter of ABOTA - Will be President in 2026. , 2023
Member, American Board of Trial Advocates, 2008

Verdicts/Settlements (Case Results):

$4,725,000 settlement on behalf of plaintiff who suffered serious brachial plexus injury in motorcycle and ambulance collision., 2023
$5,000,000 wrongful death settlement involving a tractor trailer and motorcycle collision., 2023
$2,600,000 jury verdict for wrongful death against San Joaquin County Sheriff's Dept. for Plaintiff who was in prison at the time of his son's untimely death., 2023
$4,250,000 settlement against school district for failure to supervise minor who suffered a traumatic brain injury during an on campus fight. (Clay v. YCJUSD), 2022
$1,500,000 jury verdict for PTSD and general damages suffered during Plaintiff's evacuation from apartment fire. The verdict followed two other phases of trial and came at the end of 5 years of litigation., 2022
$1,000,000 settlement for case involving jet ski collision causing serious injury. , 2022
$1,750,000 settlement for premises liability case arising from burn injuries suffered by licensee. Case resolved within 30 days of trial and after two summary judgment motions were denied., 2021
Plaintiff's Verdict: Healy v. Coachella Partners et al: verdict against defendant developer for negligence arising out of structure fire that destroyed an adjacent apartment complex., 2021
$1,500,000 confidential settlement against defendant for causing a structure fire resulting in destruction of real property., 2022
Garwood v. Hilton et al, $850,000 settlement for professional golfer injured in premises liability matter in South Dakota., 2022
$4,200,000 confidential settlement in case against a school district for personal injuries (traumatic brain injury) suffered by student., 2022
CA v. LAUSD - Obtained $2,600,000 settlement for adult plaintiff who was a childhood victim of faculty sexual misconduct. , 2020
JD v. Confidential Company: obtained $1,100,000 plus confidential settlement for breach of contract and wrongful termination. , 2021
JD v. Confidential Company - obtained $4,000,000 confidential settlement on behalf of family of deceased purchaser of defective product. , 2020
MG v. BBB Trucking Inc. $11,000,000 settlement for young man with a spinal cord injury., 2018
Guilmette v. City of Los Angeles wrongful death arising out of dangerous condition of public roadway. Jury verdict (unanimous): $22,400,000, 2016
Liu v. MTA: $9,500,000 settlement for traumatic brain injury case arising out of bus versus pedestrian collision, 2015
Reyes v. City of Los Angeles (DWP). $6,000,000 settlement for wrongful death of undocumented teenager on behalf of his parents. Death arose out of power pole appartus that collapsed after a pole strike., 2018
$6,000,000 confidential settlement against major automotive manufacturer for safety component failure., 2018
Annocki v. Turner et al. $5,000,000 verdict for adult parents of 42 year old decedent in motorcycle crash. Case involved restaurant and Caltrans's failure to warn of one way traffic on PCH. , 2017
Kerr v. Union Pacific: $1,800,000 premises liability - auto liability settlement after commencement of trial., 2017
Vinson v. Sazeh et al. $4,350,000 settlement in burn case arising out of electrical panel explosion, 2013
Chau v. Doe Trucking Company. Auto v. Pedestrian Case: $1,000,000 settlement, 2011
DB v. Doe Trucking Company: $1,015,000 settlement for truck v. biycle collision, 2013
Jane Doe v. John Roe: $1,600,000 settlement in pick up truck versus pedestrian case. Case settled before Judge Ferns in Los Angeles Superior Court, 2011
Briscoe v. Caltrans: Dangerous Condition of Roadway. Case settled during jury deliberations. $1,000,000., 2013
Ace v. Confidential Amusement Park. Breach of Contract trial that began with a 0 dollar offer from defendant and ended with defendant paying $700,000 to settle after the conclusion of plaintiff's case in chief., 2014
Ding et al v. C.O.S.T: $2,500,000 settlement after commencement of trial for lumbar fusion and loss of earnings., 2017
Arroyave v. Doe Defendant: $750,000 settlement for premises liability case, 2011
JD v. Doe City (bus collision) $850,000 settlement for bus v. pedestrian collision, 2013
Perez v. Confidential Government Hospital: $1,600,000 settlement arising out of medical negligence causing death, 2014
Lau v. Northwestern: $1,000,000
Chan v. Haq: catastrophic personal injury case arising out of motor vehicle collision. Settled on eve of trial for $1,030,000., 2015
Sprague v. Calinex: $6,700,000
Webb v. ARB: $5,400,000
O'Leary v. Raines: Joint $1,250,000 verdict in wrongful death case ($675,000 per plaintiff).
Rivera v. San Miguel et al: $13,600,000 verdict in trucking collision
Wong v. Doe Transportation Authority: $675,000 settlement, 2011

Videos:

Street Fighter of the Year Nomination Video, Consumer Attorneys Of California, 2011

Representative Clients:

Represent family of a man killed in a helicopter crash in allegations of product defect against the helicopter manufacturer and component part manufacturer., 2023
Student who suffered catastrophic traumatic brain injury on school grounds., 2022
Represented various major hotel and restaurant chains in insurance litigation arising out of denial of COVID-19 Business Interruption Claims., 2020
Represented clients against major utility for damages arising from wildfire., 2020
Lani and Grayson Guilmette. Firm obtained a $23,000,000 verdict against the City of Los Angeles for the wrongful death of Tom Guilmette. This was a dangerous condition of public property case and set a courthouse record and was the largest dangerous condition verdict in the United States in 2016., 2016
Eileen and Joseph Annocki: Obtained a $5,000,000 verdict against a property owner and driver for the death of Eileen and Joseph's 40 year old son who was riding a motorcycle on PCH. This was one of the Top 10 wrongful death verdicts in California in 2017., 2017
Maria Reyes - the mother of a teenager who was killed after he struck a Department of Water and Power pole with his truck. The pole strike caused an electrical appartus to collapse on his truck. The case settled for $6,000,000., 2018
Hoover Bus Crash Disaster, 2009
M.G. - a 25 year old man who suffered spinal cord injury in dump truck collision. Case settled for $11,000,000 shortly before trial. The case involved complicated issues of agency and course and scope of employment., 2018
Miguel et al v. Shekell et al. Wrongful death and catastrophic personal injury case arising out of highway collision with wrong way driver, 2010
Chatsworth Metrolink Disaster, 2009
Sha v. JIT Packing Supplies Inc.: Significant spine injury case arising from trucking accident, 2010
Wong v. MTA: catastrophic personal injury case arising out of bus versus pedestrian accident, 2010
Mick Taylor, formerly of the Rolling Stones, 2010
Chau v. American Efird Inc.: Catastrophic personal injury case arising out of van versus pedestrian collision, 2010

Pro bono/Community Service:

Instructor - Trial Skills - Spence Method at Thunderhead Ranch, 2023
Professional Sponsor: Loyola Marymount University Mock Trial Team, 2019

Honors/Awards:

Adjunct professor at Loyola Law School teaching an advanced torts to motivated class of future trial lawyers., Adjunct Professor at Loyola Law School Los Angeles, Loyola Law School, 2023
Selected as Tier One Civil Litigation Firm., Best Lawyers in America, US News & World Report, 2021
Honored by selection to International Academy of Trial Lawyers - an invitation only organization limited to 600 attorneys worldwide., Fellow (select), International Academy of Trial Lawyers, 2022
Selected as Tier One Civil Litigation Firm. , Best Lawyers in America, US News and World Report, 2022
One of three finalists for the prestigious "Street Fighter of the Year" award given for advocacy on behalf of citizen of California. , Street Fighter of the Year - Finalist, Consumer Attorneys of California, 2020
US News & World Report - Best Lawyers in America, Best Lawyers in America, US News & World Report, 2018
Best Lawyers in America, US News & World Report, 2020
Best Lawyers in America, US News & World Report, 2021
Nominated for Trial Lawyer of the Year in Los Angeles Chapter of ABOTA, Nominated Trial Lawyer of Year, ABOTA - LA, 2017
Top 10 Wrongful Death Verdicts in the United States, Verdict Search: Top 10 National Verdicts, Verdict Search, 2017
Semifinalist for Trial Lawyer of the Year by CAALA, Semi Finalist for Trial Lawyer of the Year - CAALA, Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, 2016
Top 20 Under 40, The Daily Journal (Los Angeles & San Francisco), 2012
Finalist for Law Dragon Top 500 Lawyers in the United States, Law Dragon 500 Finalist, Law Dragon Magazine, 2010
Best Lawyers in America, 2014
Street Fighter of the Year Finalist, Consumer Attorneys of California, 2011
Best Lawyers in America, 2016
Best Lawyers in America, 2017
New Star, Lawdragon Magazine, 2007
Super Lawyers, Law & Politics Magazine, 2005
Top 100 Trial Lawyers, The National Trial Lawyers, 2014
Best Lawyers in America, 2015

Educational Background:

Juris Doctorate. Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, 1997-2000

Scholarly Lectures/Writings:

Selected as adjunct professor of Torts teaching advanced torts to future trial lawyers., Professor - Teaching Torts II, Adjunct Professor at Loyola Law School Los Angeles, Loyola Law School, Legal, 2023
Trial skills instructor at prestigious Gerry Spence Methods advanced trial training program., Trial Skills Instructor at Gerry Spence Methods, Staff Instructor (Trial Skills), Gerry Spence Methods, 2023
Presenter on issue of presenting medical evidence at trial at ASCDC Annual Seminar., Presenter - Medical Evidence, Presenter at Association of Southern California Defense Counsel Annual Meeting, ASCDC, 2023
Instructor at Trial Lawyers College in Dubois, Wyoming., Staff Instructor - Trial Skills, Trial Lawyers College, 2020
Staff Instructor (Trial Skills) at Trial Lawyers College, Trial Skills Instructor, Staff Instructor at Trial Lawyers College, 2019
Staff instructor on trial skills at Spence Methods at Thunderhead Ranch., Trial Skills Instructor, Staff Instruction, Spence Methods at Thunderhead Ranch, 2013
Comment contributor for CA CIVIL JURY INSTRUCTION COMPANION HANDBOOK by Justice Elizabeth A. Baron (Ret.) and Judge Judge Holzer Hersher published by Thomson Reuters. Contributed comment on jury instructions related to causation. Invitation to contribute by authors as result of significant verdict., Contributor, Cal. Civil Jury Instruction Companion Handbook, 2017
Lecturer at Loyola Law School, Mass Torts, 2008
Lectured on Hearsay Evidence and Hearsay Exceptions, Lecturer, Hearsay and Hearsay Exceptions, Consumer Attorneys Of California, 2012
Lectured on Hearsay evidence to Young Lawyers Division of Consumer Attorneys of California during MCLE seminar, Lecturer, Consumer Attorneys of Los Angeles, 2012
Faculty Member ABOTA Trial Skills School, Trial Skills - Civility Matters, Voluntary Faculty Member, ABOTA Trial School, 2019

Other Outstanding Achievements:

Selected by Loyola Law School to be an adjunct professor teaching advanced torts class., 2023
Joint Counsel on Annocki v. Peterson Enterprises, a published Court of Appeal decision that has received national attention for its holding that extends the duty of tortious landowners to known dangerous conditions off the landowners' property. (Annocki v. Peterson Enterprises LLC 232 Cal.App.4th 32), 2014
Awarded the Bronze Star Medal for service in Baghdad, Iraq as member of US Navy EOD Mobile Unit 3, 2008
Best Lawyers in America, 2019
Semifinalist for Trial Lawyer of the Year by Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, 2017
Nominated Trial Lawyer of the Year by ABOTA - LA, 2017

Industry Groups:

Personal injury and wrongfuld death victims throughout the United States

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