SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In a trial on behalf of several patients who tragically lost eggs, embryos and other genetic material in a catastrophic cryo-preservation tank failure at San Francisco’s Pacific Fertility Center in 2018, a California jury today found the cryo-preservation tank manufacturer, Chart Inc., liable on all claims, and awarded $14.975 million in aggregate damages to the five plaintiffs. Gibbs Law Group partner, Amy Zeman, and Girard Sharp partner Dena Sharp, served as co-lead counsel representing the patients at trial.
Hundreds of families and individuals filed legal claims arising out of a March 4, 2018 tank failure at Pacific Fertility Center, in which a cryo-preservation tank holding thousands of eggs and embryos failed. The patients allege that Chart is legally responsible for manufacturing a defective cryo-preservation tank.
“This is an important and emotional ending for our clients who have been through so much pain and hardship since the 2018 tank failure,” said Amy Zeman. “The jury spoke loudly and unequivocally today, and their clear determination of Chart’s responsibility for the defective tank will have significant ramifications for future cases. We are proud of this result and for achieving some amount of justice and closure for our clients through this trial.”
“The emotion in the courtroom today was palpable,” said Dena Sharp. “We have been on the front lines working with our clients for years and the impact this devastating incident had on patients’ lives can’t be minimized. To see Chart held accountable at the end of this long road is to see justice served.”
Gibbs Law Group LLP and Girard Sharp LLP serve as co-lead counsel representing Pacific Fertility Center patients affected by the tank failure. This was the first trial brought on behalf of five patients against Chart, and additional trials on behalf of patients affected by the tank failure are scheduled for later this year.
For more information about the lawsuit, or to contact our team, visit https://www.classlawgroup.com/fertility-clinic-lawsuit/ or call (415) 981-4800. Our attorneys pride themselves on being there for our clients at every stage of the litigation, from intake through verdict or settlement.
About Gibbs Law Group
Gibbs Law Group LLP has recovered more than a billion dollars on behalf of its clients against some of the largest corporations in the world. Our attorneys have represented thousands of clients in class actions and personal injury cases throughout California and around the country. Gibbs Law Group attorney Amy Zeman was recently named among the 2021 Top Women Lawyers in California and 2021 Top Plaintiff Lawyers in California by Daily Journal. Other Gibbs Law Group attorneys have been named among the Best Lawyers in America ©, Titans of the Plaintiffs Bar, Top Class Action Attorneys Under 40, and Consumer Protection MVPs.
About Girard Sharp
Girard Sharp LLP is a national litigation firm representing plaintiffs in lawsuits in state and federal courts. The firm serves individuals in cases involving catastrophic personal injury and consumer protection laws. Girard Sharp has been named a Tier 1 law firm for plaintiffs’ mass tort and class-action litigation by the U.S. News & World Report. Our attorneys have been named among the Best Lawyers in America © for six consecutive years and have been recognized among the Top Plaintiff Lawyers in California.
