Brian Lang McDowell v. Ford Motor Company

Summary

A California state court jury returned a defense verdict last year in one of the first lawsuits to go to trial over carbon monoxide from exhaust gas supposedly leaking into the interior of Ford sport utility vehicles.

The Orange County Superior Court jury returned their verdict on October 17 in a trial that began with opening statements in mid-September. Plaintiff Brian McDowell, a former Newport Beach police officer, claimed carbon monoxide caused him to pass out and crash his Ford Explorer police vehicle into a tree in 2015.

Outcome

Defense verdict

Case Information

Attorneys

Witnesses

Plaintiff: McDowell, Brian
Defense: Ford Motor Co Inc

Judge: William Claster
Jurisdiction: Superior Court of California, Orange County
Court: Complex Civil Center

Case Number: 30-2016-0086652-CU-PL-CXC
Industry: Automotive
Practice Area: Products Liability

Plaintiff

McDowell, Brian

Defense

Ford Motor Co Inc

Sessions

Attorney

Witness

Type

Description

PM Session

Other

2 Chapters

			Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
		00:00:00	General Case Activities
		00:18:06	End of Session

SEP

AM Session

Openings

7 Chapters

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

8 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Kar, Dr. Naresh Ph.D., P.E.	In Person
00:44:24	Witness Cross Examination	Fowler, Patrick	Kar, Dr. Naresh Ph.D., P.E.	In Person
01:09:50	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Kar, Dr. Naresh Ph.D., P.E.	In Person
01:12:44	Break
01:28:44	Witness Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Polkabla , Michael	In Person
02:08:03	Witness Cross Examination	Fowler, Patrick	Polkabla , Michael	In Person
02:25:50	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Polkabla , Michael	In Person
02:28:40	End of Session

SEP

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

12 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Mesri , Officer Siavash	In Person
00:19:40	Witness Cross Examination	Rodman, Daniel	Mesri , Officer Siavash	In Person
00:39:30	General Case Activities		Mesri , Officer Siavash	In Person
00:40:40	Witness Direct Examination	Antunovich, Tom	Farris, Officer Nathan	In Person
01:08:17	Witness Cross Examination	Rodman, Daniel	Farris, Officer Nathan	In Person
01:21:36	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Antunovich, Tom	Farris, Officer Nathan	In Person
01:22:44	Break
01:39:40	Witness Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Parent, Officer Scott	In Person
02:22:20	Witness Cross Examination	Rodman, Daniel	Parent, Officer Scott	In Person
02:43:40	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Parent, Officer Scott	In Person
02:45:30	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Rodman, Daniel	Parent, Officer Scott	In Person
02:47:31	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

14 Chapters

SEP

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

11 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	McMillin, Jeremy	In Person
00:52:38	Witness Cross Examination	Rodman, Daniel	McMillin, Jeremy	In Person
01:11:00	Witness Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Chen, Dr. John M.D.	In Person
01:28:25	Break
01:44:36	Witness Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Chen, Dr. John M.D.	In Person
01:47:57	Witness Cross Examination	Rodman, Daniel	Chen, Dr. John M.D.	In Person
02:05:12	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Chen, Dr. John M.D.	In Person
02:08:02	Witness Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Tecoma, Dr. Evelyn M.D.	In Person
02:35:54	Witness Cross Examination		Tecoma, Dr. Evelyn M.D.	In Person
02:59:10	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Tecoma, Dr. Evelyn M.D.	In Person
03:01:27	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

8 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Antunovich, Tom	Wagner, Dr. Kendall M.D.	In Person
00:35:27	Witness Cross Examination	Rodman, Daniel	Wagner, Dr. Kendall M.D.	In Person
01:00:48	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Antunovich, Tom	Wagner, Dr. Kendall M.D.	In Person
01:03:57	Break
01:20:58	Witness Direct Examination	Antunovich, Tom	Shah, Dr. Mohsin M.D.	In Person
01:53:53	Witness Cross Examination		Shah, Dr. Mohsin M.D.	In Person
02:12:04	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Antunovich, Tom	Shah, Dr. Mohsin M.D.	In Person
02:15:21	End of Session

SEP

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

13 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination		Cano, Dr. Luz M.D.	In Person
00:22:47	Witness Cross Examination		Cano, Dr. Luz M.D.	In Person
01:01:20	General Case Activities		Cano, Dr. Luz M.D.	In Person
01:02:05	Witness Cross Examination		Cano, Dr. Luz M.D.	In Person
01:02:47	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Cano, Dr. Luz M.D.	In Person
01:03:05	Witness Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Panutich, Dr. Michael M.D.	In Person
01:14:35	Break
01:34:00	Witness Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Panutich, Dr. Michael M.D.	In Person
01:41:19	Witness Cross Examination		Panutich, Dr. Michael M.D.	In Person
01:50:22	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Panutich, Dr. Michael M.D.	In Person
01:53:00	General Case Activities	Long, H. Gavin
01:58:55	Witness Direct Examination		Jiang, Tao	Video Recording
02:16:40	End of Session

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

11 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Lewis, Paul Jr.	Video Conference
00:42:17	Witness Cross Examination	Rodman, Daniel	Lewis, Paul Jr.	Video Conference
01:24:43	Break
01:45:38	Witness Direct Examination	Antunovich, Tom	Lechuga, Dr. David Ph.D.	In Person
02:13:26	Witness Cross Examination	Rodman, Daniel	Lechuga, Dr. David Ph.D.	In Person
02:26:12	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Antunovich, Tom	Lechuga, Dr. David Ph.D.	In Person
02:27:57	General Case Activities
02:30:25	Witness Direct Examination		Jiang, Yale	Video Recording
02:46:26	General Case Activities
02:47:15	Witness Direct Examination		Jiang, Yale	Video Recording
03:00:41	End of Session

SEP

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

5 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination		Jiang, Tao	Video Recording
00:05:10	Witness Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Meyer, Steven	In Person
01:00:55	Break
01:15:44	Witness Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Meyer, Steven	In Person
02:00:12	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

5 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Meyer, Steven	In Person
01:11:17	Break
01:34:01	Witness Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Meyer, Steven	In Person
02:12:19	Witness Cross Examination		Meyer, Steven	In Person
02:28:19	End of Session

SEP

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

6 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Cross Examination	Fowler, Patrick	Meyer, Steven	In Person
00:45:04	Witness Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Durrani, Timur	In Person
01:28:29	Break
01:45:03	Witness Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Durrani, Timur	In Person
02:02:04	Witness Cross Examination	Fowler, Patrick	Durrani, Timur	In Person
02:56:08	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

6 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Durrani, Timur	In Person
00:21:58	Witness Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Hixson, Dr. John M.D.	In Person
00:56:05	Witness Cross Examination	Fowler, Patrick	Hixson, Dr. John M.D.	In Person
01:13:52	Break
01:34:03	Witness Direct Examination		Setti, Lokesh	Video Recording
02:28:13	End of Session

SEP

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

12 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Antunovich, Tom	Psaros, Gregory	In Person
00:34:33	Witness Cross Examination	Rodman, Daniel	Psaros, Gregory	In Person
01:06:10	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Antunovich, Tom	Psaros, Gregory	In Person
01:11:19	Break
01:32:47	Witness Direct Examination	Antunovich, Tom	LaHood, Zachary	In Person
01:48:55	Witness Cross Examination	Rodman, Daniel	LaHood, Zachary	In Person
02:04:46	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Antunovich, Tom	LaHood, Zachary	In Person
02:07:57	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Rodman, Daniel	LaHood, Zachary	In Person
02:10:32	General Case Activities
02:11:54	Witness Direct Examination		Meyer, Steven	Transcript Reading
02:14:22	Witness Direct Examination	Antunovich, Tom	McDowell, Jennifer	In Person
02:58:18	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

7 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	McDowell, Jennifer	In Person
00:03:33	Witness Cross Examination	Rodman, Daniel	McDowell, Jennifer	In Person
00:06:45	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	McDowell, Brian	In Person
01:15:35	Break
01:33:02	Witness Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	McDowell, Brian	In Person
02:11:30	Witness Cross Examination	Rodman, Daniel	McDowell, Brian	In Person
02:34:56	End of Session

SEP

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

16 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Cross Examination	Rodman, Daniel	McDowell, Brian	In Person
00:42:55	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	McDowell, Brian	In Person
00:51:08	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Rodman, Daniel	McDowell, Brian	In Person
00:51:51	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	McDowell, Brian	In Person
00:52:30	Witness Direct Examination	Antunovich, Tom	Sarkisian, Dr. Ricky "Ray" Ph.D.	In Person
01:10:55	Witness Cross Examination	Hansen, David	Sarkisian, Dr. Ricky "Ray" Ph.D.	In Person
01:25:40	Break
01:43:15	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Antunovich, Tom	Sarkisian, Dr. Ricky "Ray" Ph.D.	In Person
01:48:39	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Hansen, David	Sarkisian, Dr. Ricky "Ray" Ph.D.	In Person
01:50:10	Witness Direct Examination	Antunovich, Tom	Formuzis, Dr. Peter , Ph.D.	In Person
02:15:05	Witness Cross Examination	Hansen, David	Formuzis, Dr. Peter , Ph.D.	In Person
02:34:19	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Antunovich, Tom	Formuzis, Dr. Peter , Ph.D.	In Person
02:38:50	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Hansen, David	Formuzis, Dr. Peter , Ph.D.	In Person
02:42:25	General Case Activities
02:43:15	Witness Direct Examination		Setti, Lokesh	Video Recording
02:54:50	End of Session

PM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

5 Chapters

OCT

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

7 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Rodman, Daniel	Callinan, Ryan	In Person
00:37:55	Witness Cross Examination	Antunovich, Tom	Callinan, Ryan	In Person
00:50:45	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Rodman, Daniel	Callinan, Ryan	In Person
00:51:24	Witness Direct Examination	Fowler, Patrick	Fedoruk, Marion	In Person
01:26:07	Break
01:42:37	Witness Direct Examination	Fowler, Patrick	Fedoruk, Marion	In Person
02:52:26	End of Session

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

8 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Fowler, Patrick	Fedoruk, Marion	In Person
00:33:35	Witness Cross Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Fedoruk, Marion	In Person
01:15:05	Break
01:31:43	Witness Cross Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Fedoruk, Marion	In Person
01:58:56	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Fowler, Patrick	Fedoruk, Marion	In Person
02:06:24	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Fedoruk, Marion	In Person
02:08:58	Witness Direct Examination	Rodman, Daniel	Stephens, Gregory	In Person
02:30:52	End of Session

OCT

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

6 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Rodman, Daniel	Stephens, Gregory	In Person
00:13:57	Witness Cross Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Stephens, Gregory	In Person
00:28:30	Witness Direct Examination	Fowler, Patrick	Cundy, Dr. Michael Ph.D.	In Person
01:28:03	Break
01:46:20	Witness Direct Examination	Fowler, Patrick	Cundy, Dr. Michael Ph.D.	In Person
02:55:58	End of Session

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

7 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Cross Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Cundy, Dr. Michael Ph.D.	In Person
01:12:05	Break
01:30:45	Witness Cross Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Cundy, Dr. Michael Ph.D.	In Person
01:40:28	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Fowler, Patrick	Cundy, Dr. Michael Ph.D.	In Person
01:52:51	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Cundy, Dr. Michael Ph.D.	In Person
01:59:35	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Fowler, Patrick	Cundy, Dr. Michael Ph.D.	In Person
02:02:13	End of Session

OCT

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

4 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Fowler, Patrick	Eikey, Chris	In Person
01:21:40	Break
01:45:45	Witness Direct Examination	Fowler, Patrick	Eikey, Chris	In Person
02:53:30	End of Session

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

5 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Fowler, Patrick	Eikey, Chris	In Person
00:31:00	Witness Cross Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Eikey, Chris	In Person
01:12:27	Break
02:14:24	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Fowler, Patrick	Eikey, Chris	In Person
02:31:24	End of Session

OCT

AM Session

Plaintiff Witness(es)

8 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Fowler, Patrick	Woo, Dr. Andrew M.D.	In Person
01:06:00	Break
01:19:10	Witness Direct Examination	Fowler, Patrick	Woo, Dr. Andrew M.D.	In Person
01:39:49	Witness Cross Examination	Antunovich, Tom	Woo, Dr. Andrew M.D.	In Person
02:04:08	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Fowler, Patrick	Woo, Dr. Andrew M.D.	In Person
02:08:55	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Antunovich, Tom	Woo, Dr. Andrew M.D.	In Person
02:10:45	Witness Direct Examination	Rodman, Daniel	Raphael, Dr. Elizabeth MD	In Person
02:24:57	End of Session

PM Session

Defense Witness(es)

6 Chapters

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Rodman, Daniel	Raphael, Dr. Elizabeth MD	In Person
01:14:20	Break
01:31:08	Witness Direct Examination	Rodman, Daniel	Raphael, Dr. Elizabeth MD	In Person
01:36:58	Witness Cross Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Raphael, Dr. Elizabeth MD	In Person
02:26:16	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Rodman, Daniel	Raphael, Dr. Elizabeth MD	In Person
02:28:58	End of Session

OCT

AM Session

Defense Witness(es)

4 Chapters

OCT

AM Session

Closings

2 Chapters

PM Session

Closings

5 Chapters

AM Session

Closings

6 Chapters

OCT

Recording Disclaimer: This proceeding was recorded in full.

Brian Lang McDowell v. Ford Motor Company

Summary

Outcome

Sessions

Suggest a Trial

CVN Essentials

Video Library

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:00:38	Opening Statement	Long, H. Gavin
00:55:01	Break
01:09:58	Opening Statement	Rodman, Daniel
02:14:30	Witness Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Kar, Dr. Naresh Ph.D., P.E.	In Person
02:32:03	End of Session
01:09:58	Ford Cleared in Trial Over Alleged SUV CO Leak	Rodman, Daniel

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:03:52	Witness Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Brambila, Rigoberto	In Person
00:17:12	Witness Cross Examination	Rodman, Daniel	Brambila, Rigoberto	In Person
00:28:59	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Brambila, Rigoberto	In Person
00:30:03	Witness Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Solis, Jose	In Person
00:45:18	Witness Cross Examination	Rodman, Daniel	Solis, Jose	In Person
00:57:25	Witness Re-Direct Examination	Long, H. Gavin	Solis, Jose	In Person
01:00:03	Witness Re-Cross Examination	Rodman, Daniel	Solis, Jose	In Person
01:00:53	Witness Direct Examination	Antunovich, Tom	Enrikhas, Sargon	In Person
01:14:20	Witness Cross Examination	Rodman, Daniel	Enrikhas, Sargon	In Person
01:15:55	Break
01:32:23	Witness Direct Examination		Hovis, Anthony	Video Recording
01:51:22	Witness Direct Examination		Zamiski, Gerald	Video Recording
02:03:53	End of Session

	Description	Attorney	Witness	Presence
-1:44:54
00:00:00	Witness Direct Examination	Hansen, David	Moss, Ryan	Transcript Reading
00:43:19	Witness Direct Examination	Fowler, Patrick	De Arcos, Anthony	Video Recording
01:24:16	End of Session

	Description	Attorney
00:00:00	Closing Statement	Rodman, Daniel
01:17:45	Break
01:30:58	Closing Statement	Long, H. Gavin
01:58:36	General Case Activities
02:11:55	End of Session

	Description	Attorney
00:00:00	General Case Activities
00:03:27	Closing Statement	Long, H. Gavin
00:51:35	Break
01:08:30	Closing Statement	Long, H. Gavin
01:51:53	Closing Statement	Rodman, Daniel
02:20:15	End of Session