Hon. Maria P. Rivera (Ret.)
First District Court of Appeal
Mediator
Arbitrator
Discovery Referee
Appellate Consultant
REPRESENTATIVE CASES
Types of Cases Handled:
• Negligence of school district
• Automobile accidents
• Negligence of security company
• Negligence in auto or motorcycle repairs
• Defamation
• Wrongful death
• Intentional/negligent infliction of emotional distress
• Dog bite cases
• Assault and battery
• Nuisance abatement
• Private nuisance (neighbor disputes)
• Auto/bicycle accidents
• Slip-and-falls
• Medical malpractice
• Asbestos and toxic exposure
• Helicopter crash
• Elder Abuse
• Trespass
• Products liability
• Tort Claims Act
• Premises liability
• Respondeat superior
• Dangerous condition of public property
• Libel/slander/invasion of privacy
• Malicious prosecution
• Property damage
• Childhood sexual abuse
• Proposition 65
Representative Cases:
- Truck hauling sand lost its brakes resulting in multi-vehicle accident. This matter involved one of the injured plaintiffs.
- Plaintiffs were injured in a helicopter crash. Plaintiffs embarked on the ride during an air show in which the city participated by providing the airport and some city employees, but the city did not own or direct the helicopter or its pilot. At issue was whether the city was vicariously liable for injuries.
- Matters involving injuries to U.S. Navy service members. At issue was whether the U.S. Navy is immune from liability, and whether the trial court correctly instructed the jury to take into account the Navy’s proportional fault in allocation of responsibility among defendants for plaintiff’s injuries.
- Plaintiffs claimed age discrimination and emotional distress when an airline refused to allow them to board their ticketed flight.
- Plaintiff alleged that a chemical in defendants’ products violated Proposition 65. At issue was whether the plaintiff must prove that the chemical alleged in the complaint is the exact chemical in defendants’ products, or whether a plaintiff can meet its burden if the evidence as a whole establishes a violation of the statute, absent a material variance from the pleading.
- Plaintiff sued car manufacturer alleging seat belt was unsafe because its design created risk of accidental release; plaintiff sought to certify a class action.
- Truck hauling sand lost its brakes resulting in multi-vehicle accident. This matter involved one of the injured plaintiffs.