Bisnar & Chase Wins $700,000 Injury Verdict Against Southern California Edison; 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. -- 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.