Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman Archives | Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman LLP

$3.9M settlement for Honolulu vehicle fatality caused by faulty guardrail

Posted on November 4, 2024November 20, 2024 by Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman

Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman attorneys have reached a $3.9 million settlement with the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (DOT) on behalf of the family of a 21-year-old Mililani man who was killed when his car struck a damaged highway guardrail.

This young man was driving on H-3 Freeway near Marine Corps Base Hawai‘i in August 2020 when his vehicle veered off the road and struck a damaged guardrail. According to the lawsuit filed by Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman attorneys, the guardrail had been damaged by a crash that had occurred in the same location 18 months earlier.

A DOT crew had cut away the damaged rail and replaced it with a temporary repair known as a “boxing glove” – a curved or rounded rail that is not considered “crashworthy.” During the 18 months when the guardrail was unsafe, the DOT neglected to schedule repairs, according to a report from the Hawai‘i Attorney General.

$4 Billion Global Settlement Reached for Maui Wildfires Victims

Posted on August 7, 2024November 20, 2024 by Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman

Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman attorneys welcome historic settlement, available to answer key questions

MAUI, HI — Nearly a year after wildfires destroyed the town of Lahaina, killing more than 100, a global settlement has been reached that would provide $4 billion to resolve claims, including injury, wrongful death, property and other damages claims.

“Our clients still struggle with housing, with keeping their families together, and with providing for themselves and their families. They’re still experiencing real hardship and trauma,” said attorney Beth Nardi of Hawai‘i-based Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman, whose Lahaina home was destroyed in the fire. “As a survivor myself, I can say that I’m relieved that the lawsuits have taken a major step toward a resolution that can allow the community to move forward and rebuild.”

Victoria Chang News Commentary: New Hawai‘i Law Puts Sex Abuse Survivors ‘Front and Center’

Posted on July 23, 2024November 20, 2024 by Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman

“Thanks to the 2024 legislature, Hawai‘i is taking an important step toward recognizing the unique challenges facing survivors of sex abuse, helping them on the long road to recovery and justice,” Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman’s Victoria Chang writes in a Hawaii Star-Advertiser guest commentary this week regarding the passage of Senate Bill 2601.

Signed into law by Gov. Josh Green earlier this month, SB 2601 prioritizes the victim. Unlike criminal laws focusing on punishing perpetrators, civil lawsuits hold businesses and institutions accountable for failing to protect children. The new law acknowledges that most survivors do not report their abuse, and those who do often delay reporting by an average of 20 years.

From Lahaina’s ashes, a Maui lawyer’s career takes a dramatic turn

Posted on July 11, 2024November 20, 2024 by Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman

I really thought I was always going to be a prosecutor — then the fire happened. Getting calls from friends and family members impacted by the fires asking for advice, it occurred to me there were so many new ways to serve victims. — Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman trial lawyer Beth Nardi

Beth Nardi can thank the Lahaina fires for at least one thing. After a dramatic escape that destroyed her Lahaina home and left her among the many thousands of residents navigating the rebuilding process, Beth’s legal career took a surprise turn.

A long-time criminal prosecutor who took down kidnappers, bank robbers, violent gang members and organized crime rings, Beth was expecting to spend many more years in the Maui County Prosecutor’s office. But living through the Lahaina fires and seeing the challenges and heartbreak experienced by friends and neighbors prompted her to change the course of her career and move into civil litigation with a singular purpose: helping neighbors rebuild and obtain justice.

Managing Partner Ilana Waxman Earns National Trial Lawyers Honor

Posted on June 18, 2024November 20, 2024 by Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman

Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman is proud to announce that Managing Partner Ilana Waxman has been recognized among the nation’s top plaintiffs civil trial lawyers by the National Trial Lawyers organization.

Waxman was singled out by the invitation-only organization based on her work on behalf of individuals diagnosed with mesothelioma from asbestos exposure, as well as victims of childhood sexual assault. Her practice also focuses on representation of families of children born with birth defects due to exposure to toxic chemicals and individuals suffering from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma from exposure to Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide.

Attorney Alyssa Segawa Selected to AAJ Leadership Role

Posted on March 13, 2024November 21, 2024 by Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman

Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman is proud to announce that firm partner Alyssa Segawa has been selected to represent trial lawyers in Hawai’i on the Board of Governors of the American Association for Justice (AAJ).

The appointment to a national leadership role within the largest association of trial lawyers reflects a career-long commitment by Segawa to promoting professionalism and the highest standards within the legal profession.

What is the American Association for Justice?

Formed in 1946 and based in Washington, D.C., the AAJ’s mission is to promote justice and fairness for injured individuals and safeguard the constitutional right to a trial by jury. Organization members in each state are represented by two members of the Board of Governors. Segawa represents Hawai’i, while Johnston represents Texas. The selection was announced at the AAJ’s winter meeting in Austin, Texas, in February.

About Alyssa Segawa

Segawa is a partner in Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman’s Honolulu office. Her practice focuses on asbestos litigation, personal injury, product liability, Roundup litigation, appellate and federal practice matters. She has a particular interest in helping victims of mesothelioma seek justice through the legal system.

She has held numerous leadership positions in the AAJ, as well as in the organization’s state chapter, the Hawaii Association for Justice. In addition, she has served on the Hawaii Association for Justice Board of Governors since 2014 and is active in the Hawaii Bar Association.

In 2022, Segawa was part of a Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman team that secured a $5.63 million settlement on behalf of a Hawai’i student who was sexually assaulted by a teacher. The settlement ranked among the Top 50 in the nation for 2022, according to an analysis of state and federal records by researchers at TopVerdict.com.

Since the devastating West Maui wildfires destroyed the town of Lahaina in August 2023, Segawa and the entire Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman team have been working to help victims recover, rebuild and obtain justice.

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Seek justice with the help of our experienced Hawaii attorneys. We’ve battled corporate giants on behalf of individuals like you for over 40 years, aggressively fighting those responsible for personal injury and wrongful death caused by corporate wrongdoing and fraud committed against the government. If you’ve suffered catastrophic injury or loss caused by corporate negligence or believe you have a government whistleblower case, we can help. Contact us for a free consultation. Contact is kept confidential.

Law Firm Earns 1 of the Top 50 Largest Injury Settlements of 2022

Posted on March 6, 2024November 21, 2024 by Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman

A multi-million dollar litigation settlement secured by Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman trial lawyers is recognized among the Top 50 in the nation for 2022. The case underscores the Hawai’i-based firm’s ability to handle some of the most challenging types of injury litigation, which include asbestos exposure and sex assault.

The case involved a $5.63 million settlement on behalf of a Hawai’i student who was sexually assaulted by a teacher, according to an analysis of state and federal records by researchers at TopVerdict.com.

“Sexual assault litigation is extremely difficult. The victims often feel like the legal system is uncaring and victimizes them all over again. It’s extremely gratifying to represent these individuals and help them obtain justice,” said Galliher DeRobertis & Waxman lawyers Ilana Waxman and Chris Johnson, who played leadership roles in the case. “We were able to win a significant settlement that avoided having the victim testify in trial. Recognition like this is just another indication that our passion for clients and their causes can make a difference.”

Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman Elevates Alyssa Segawa, Allison Aoki to Partner

Posted on February 20, 2024November 21, 2024 by Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman

Growing Hawai’i-based law firm represents victims of mesothelioma, Maui fires, toxic exposure, and childhood sex abuse

HONOLULU, Hawaii — Hawai’i-based personal injury firm Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman is proud to announce the elevation of veteran lawyers Alyssa Segawa and Allison Aoki to partner.

Maui-born Partner Ilana Waxman on Rebuilding after Lahaina Fires

Posted on December 29, 2023November 21, 2024 by Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman

Like her longtime Maui neighbors, Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman Managing Partner Ilana Waxman was on edge on the morning of August 8. Massive fires had been spotted near her Upcountry home, and her eldest daughter’s school was canceled as a precaution. Homes had already been lost in Kula. As the destruction and devastating loss of life in Lahaina became apparent, she set to work helping with immediate needs of the survivors. As an experienced mass tort attorney who was born and raised on Maui, Waxman found herself in a position to provide legal assistance to survivors as they work to rebuild and preserve their unique community and way of life.

Since the fire, Waxman has been working closely with the Hawai’i State Bar Foundation, where she is the chair of the Grants Committee, as well as the Hawai’i State Bar Association and the Hawai’i Association for Justice to raise funds, provide a wide range of legal assistance, and identify and develop long term public policy and legal solutions. We caught up with Waxman to discuss the legal challenges and opportunities facing survivors.