In a classic case of corporate misbehavior and arrogance, Jerome Ringler secured a $16 million jury verdict against Titan Wheel for stealing trade secrets from Vehicular Technologies. In June 2003, after a month-long trial, a Los Angeles Superior Court jury awarded $13.8 million in compensatory damages and $2.5 million in punitive damages to Vehicular Technologies.
Vehicular Technologies had designed a "differential locker," which allowed vehicles better traction on difficult terrain and treacherous roads. Based on conceit and misrepresentation, Titan Wheel obtained this trade secret, exploited it and made the very product itself claiming it was its own design.
Prior to trial, Titan Wheel did not offer a penny in settlement and in fact claimed Vehicular Technologies stole their design for the differential locker. The legal challenges associated with this case took many years to resolve. The case originated in federal court, with Vehicular Technologies claiming patent and trade dress infringement. Although Titan Wheel won summary judgment as to the federal claims, the case was eventually tried in Los Angeles Superior Court. All told, the case presented an enormous challenge for Vehicular Technologies to prevail. This is particularly true given the fact the trade secret theft was based on the breach of an oral agreement and Vehicular Technologies had never made a profit during their entire time in business. In the hands of Mr. Jerome Ringler before a jury, Vehicular Technologies met that challenge, receiving a jury verdict in the sum of $16 million.
As with many other verdicts and settlements achieved by Mr. Jerome Ringler, there were multiple articles in the news and press about this litigation. Ringler Law Corporation's website reflects some of these articles as recounted in the local news media. To learn more about Jerome Ringler's efforts on behalf of Vehicular Technologies, please read the June 12, 2003, article in the Los Angeles Daily Journal.
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