Oregon Court of Appeals Affirms Hart Wagner Trial Win

On July 31, 2019, the Oregon Court of Appeals affirmed the defense jury verdict and multiple pretrial rulings in Sanford v. Hampton Resources, Inc. and Risseeuw Logging, Inc., 298 Or. App. 558 (2019).  Plaintiff claimed traumatic brain injury and other damages stemming from a logging accident.  The court’s 24 page opinion separately affirmed summary judgment rulings dismissing plaintiffs’ Employer Liability Law claim and an Intentional Interference with Economic Relations claims, and affirmed the trial court’s denial of plaintiffs’ motion to amend the complaint to add a new claim on the eve of trial. The court also affirmed without discussion the trial court’s multiple evidentiary rulings challenged on appeal. Janet Schroerhandled the appeal on behalf of both defendants.  The appeal was filed following a lengthy trial in Marion County in 2015. Gordon Welbornand Michael Jacobsdefended Risseeuw Logging in the trial court.