Representing Clients Throughout Northern California
500 Sansome Street, 8th floor, San Francisco CA 94111

Representative Matters

The attorneys at Michael B. Bassi, A Law Corporation, have a reputation for successfully representing clients in serious personal injury cases, estate, trust and probate disputes, real estate matters, and general and complex civil litigation matters.  The following cases are representative of our firm's successes:

Catastrophic Personal Injury Cases:

Jane Doe v. Truck Driver and Truck Company
Jane, a 56 year old nurse on her way to work, suffered brain and spinal injuries when her vehicle was hit by a big rig.  Attorneys obtained a settlement for Jane Doe consisting of a $1,000,000 payment with one defendant and a settlement with a second defendant, the terms of which are confidential.

Jane Doe v. Automobile Driver, Taxicab Driver, and Taxicab Company
Jane, a middle aged homemaker, suffered severe leg injuries requiring a below the knee amputation after she was hit by another vehicle after alighting from a taxicab.  Attorneys settled for policy limits from all defendants.

John Doe vs. Richard Roes
John Doe, a college student, was assaulted at his part time job and suffered a severe shoulder injury requiring extensive reconstruction of his dominant shoulder.  Attorneys participated in a successful resolution of the case, the terms of which are confidential.

Jane Does v. Richard Roe
Jane Doe and her daughter were libeled on the internet by the mother's ex-boyfriend.  Attorneys obtained a $50,000 judgment on behalf of Jane and her daughter.

John Doe and Family v. Automobile Driver and Transport Company
An 86 year old grandmother was killed when the van in which she was being transported to her dialysis treatment impacted another vehicle and she was ejected from her inadequately secured wheel chair.  Attorneys obtained a $700,000 wrongful death settlement for her surviving husband and their adult children.

John Doe v. Construction Company and other defendants
John Doe was severely injured when involved in the raising of a house.  He received a comminuted fracture to the femur involving multiple surgeries and structural damage to his knee.  Attorneys obtained a $600,000 settlement for John Doe.

John Doe v. Crane Company
John Doe was severely injured when the crane loading k-rail onto his big rig tipped over onto his truck cab.  John Doe received a $350,000 settlement.

John Doe v. Forklift Manufacturer
John Doe suffered a fractured femur when operating his forklift on a construction site.  John Doe sued the manufacturer of the controls of the forklift and negotiated a $325,000 settlement.


Estate and Trust Litigation

Richard Roe, Successor Trustee v. Doe, CPA, Former Trustee
Doe, C.P.A., Former Trustee, was Decedent's trusted friend whom she had known since he was a boy and lived across the street from her.  Decedent had no children of her own and named Doe as the trustee of her trust.  After decedent moved to a rest home, Doe looted her trust of $300,000.  Attorney brought suit to remove and replace Doe as trustee, as well as for fraud, conversion and financial elder abuse.  At trial, Doe contended that he had properly used his power under the trust to make investments in his own internet start-up which ultimately failed.   After the trial, the court awarded judgment against Doe in the full amount of $300,000, plus $30,000 punitive damages, plus interest, attorneys' fees and costs.  Attorneys have successfully collected over $300,000 thus far.  This was the first financial elder abuse trial in San Francisco County.

Jane Doe v. Roe Estate
Jane Doe was the stepdaughter of decedent, and had remained very close to her after the death of her father.  Years later, Decedent remarried and her new husband had his attorney draw up a trust.  The trust was improperly drafted and allowed the second husband to effectively disinherit Jane Doe's stepdaughter to whom she intended to give her real property.  After winning at the trial court, attorneys negotiated a settlement while the case was on appeal that included the return of the real property to Jane.  Attorneys also sued the second husband's drafting attorney whose malpractice insurance policy limits contributed to the settlement.

Jane Doe v. Caretaker
Jane Doe was one of three children of a prominent San Francisco physician whose estate consisted of a condominium on Nob Hill and substantial financial assets.  The physician's caretaker caused her to be disinherited from her father's estate and the caretaker to be put in her place in the decedent's estate plan.  After a ten day will contest trial, the will submitted by the caretaker was denied probate and the caretaker was disinherited.  The decedent's former will which included Jane Doe was admitted to probate.

Roe Family v. Jane Doe
Jane Doe took care of her neighbor.  Jane's neighbor left Jane Doe her entire estate.  The Roe Family contended that Jane Doe unduly influenced her neighbor by plying her with alcohol and taking her to Reno to gamble, alleging that their "aunt" was demented and incompetent, and was defrauded by Jane Doe.  After a one week trial, the court ruled in favor of Jane Doe finding that Jane did not unduly influence her neighbor, did not defraud her neighbor, and that the decedent was competent at the time she executed the will. Jane Doe was awarded the entire estate plus costs of litigation.

Richard Roe v. Sister
Attorneys represented Richard Roe who contended that his sister had looted the assets of his family trust and had taken them for herself.  Roe's sister denied the claim and contended that the assets were given to her as a gift.  After a one day trial, the court found that the assets were properly part of the trust and ruled in favor of Roe and the Attorneys recovered the assets from the sister for the benefit of the trust.

Older Brother vs. Younger Brother
Decedent mother, left her estate to her younger son.  She left a small, but still substantial bequest to her eldest child.  Older brother filed a will contest against Younger brother contending that the majority of the estate was left to the younger brother because the younger brother unduly influenced their mother when he was caring for her.  Older brother also contended that their mother was demented and incompetent at the time the will was written.  Attorneys defended the younger brother in the ensuing will contest litigation reaching a resolution in which the older brother dismissed his case against younger brother and stipulated that the no contest clause was violated effectively disinheriting him for filing the lawsuit.

Jane Doe vs. Italian Charity
Jane Doe was a like a daughter to her Italian countryman who came here shortly after the Second World War.  She handled his business affairs for him including his interest in a Bakersfield ranch.   Jane Doe's countryman would travel between Italy and America and when he was in Italy, Jane Doe handled all of his American affairs.  On the last trip to Italy, Jane Doe's friend became sick and was unable to return to America.  He resided in Italy for the last three years of his life.  He executed a will in Italy leaving his entire estate to an Italian charity.  The Italian will was submitted for probate in California by the Charity.  Jane Doe objected and took the position that decedent's Italian will was to operate only in Italy and that his California will was to control in California.  The California will left Jane Doe the Bakersfield property.  After extensive litigation with the Italian charity, Jane Doe reached settlement in which she received 47.5% of the Bakersfield ranch proceeds when the ranch was sold. 

Religious Organizations & Charity vs. Caretaker
Attorneys represented three religious organizations and a charity against a caretaker who had obtained a trust drafted in her favor making her a beneficiary of the decedent's entire estate, valued at more than $3,000,000.  The caretaker had a certificate of independent review by a separate and independent attorney stating that there was no undue influence and that the settlor of the trust was competent at the time the trust was executed.  A prior will written many years before had left the entire estate to the three religious organizations and a charity.  After extensive litigation, the case was resolved with the Religious Organizations and Charity receiving 47.5% percent of the decedent's trust.

Seek Experienced Legal Counsel

Our experienced estate planning & personal injury attorneys are skilled in handling a wide variety of litigation and personal injury matters on behalf of our clients.  Contact Michael B. Bassi, A Law Corporation, to find out how we can help you resolve your claim.


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