Hon. Christopher Warner, Ret.

Cannabis Industry

• Mediated a dispute between a cannabis enterprise and its investors.

Disability Discrimination

• Mediated dispute between disabled tenant and landlord over installation of exterior therapeutic spa, with claims under FEHA, Mobilehome Residency Law, Civil Code §51 et seq., ADA, and breach of lease; plaintiff sought punitive damages, treble compensatory damages, attorney’s fees, and costs.

PAGA

• Mediated wage and hour and PAGA class action involving hundreds of plaintiffs against a security services employer.

Wrongful Termination

• Mediated wrongful termination and employment discrimination case against a private educational institution.
• Mediated wrongful termination case involving allegations of sexual harassment and defamation.
• Mediated employment dispute involving termination following expiration of medical leave related to a recent workers’ compensation claim. Plaintiff alleged retaliatory termination, failure to accommodate, and discrimination, with claims for punitive damages. Confidential settlement reached.

Bad Faith

• Mediated life insurance dispute involving erroneous agent representation that a minor could not be named as beneficiary, resulting in full payout to a single beneficiary. Omitted beneficiary, in exchange for partial payment, assigned claim against insurer. Insurer filed cross-complaint for equitable relief. Case settled in mediation while competing summary judgment motions were pending.
• Mediated underinsured motorist claim involving rear-end collision with minimal property damage, followed by cervical spine and bilateral rotator cuff surgeries. Claimant filed UIM and bad faith actions; insurer removed to federal court. Confidential settlement reached at mediation, including dismissal of bad faith claims.
• Mediated catastrophic injury case involving plaintiff who fell through an unprotected roof opening at a construction site, resulting in brain damage and quadriplegia. Initial suit against general contractor resulted in eight-figure judgment. Subsequently, a bad faith action was filed against the contractor’s insurer after denial of coverage and withdrawal of defense. Confidential settlement reached at mediation.

Subrogation

• Mediated property damage and subrogation dispute arising from extensive water damage to medical offices caused by improper plumbing installation. Claims included damage to specialized laser equipment and business interruption losses exceeding seven figures, brought by four separate insurers. Resolved in a single mediation session for confidential amounts.
• Mediated building fire subrogation case against manufacturer of allegedly defective ice machine. Settlement reached in second mediation session for mid seven figures.

Dental

• Mediated dental malpractice case involving endodontic and general dentistry errors, resulting in the need for reconstructive and cosmetic plastic surgery.

Medical

• Mediated medical malpractice case resulting in vision loss.
• Mediated medical malpractice case involving cancer diagnosis, with allegations of delayed treatment due to failure to timely process insurance coverage.
• Mediated medical negligence case involving plaintiff who was discharged from a skilled nursing facility without prescribed DVT medication following hip fracture surgery. Plaintiff was subsequently hospitalized with pulmonary emboli. Dispute arose between attending physician and facility regarding responsibility for the error. Confidential settlement reached at mediation.

Legal

• Mediated a malicious prosecution claim brought by an attorney against a former client and two subsequent lawyers, following an unsuccessful legal malpractice suit. The underlying dispute stemmed from a failed business venture and involved extensive motion practice and multiple appeals.

Breach Of Contract

• Mediated a dispute stemming from an agreement to acquire, improve, and market residential real property. Issues included the enforceability of the arbitration clause. Resolution encompassed dismissal of unlawful detainer and Superior Court actions.
• Mediated a real estate dispute involving the sale of a vacant parcel intended for future development, with issues centered on permitting challenges with local agencies.

Buy/Sell

• Mediated a real estate dispute arising from a failed purchase of acreage for residential development, following years of feasibility and entitlement efforts hindered by CEQA litigation. The matter involved substantial disputed deposits. A new purchase agreement was negotiated, culminating in a completed transaction.

Home Owners Association

• Mediated a real property boundary dispute involving claims for quiet title, trespass, conversion, treble damages, and elder abuse.
• Mediated disputes between a homeowner and a Homeowners Association involving alleged CC&R violations related to operating a business from a residence. The matter was hotly contested, with multiple citations, a SLAPP motion, and appellate proceedings.

Landlord/Tenant

• Mediated a landlord-tenant dispute involving breach of the warranty of habitability and eviction claims.
• Mediated a dispute arising from a long-term commercial retail lease impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with key issues involving the applicability of government shutdown orders and custom manuscript lease provisions.

Real Property

• Mediated a dispute involving injunctive relief and an inverse condemnation claim related to utility easements on leased real property.

Transaction

• Mediated a neighbor’s claims against a shopping center for public and private nuisance, alleging noise, vibration, and criminal and transient activity. Settlement included confidentiality and non-disparagement provisions, a Civil Code §1542 waiver, and a notice-and-cure agreement for future perceived violations.

Warranty of Habitability

• Mediated a post-eviction dispute involving breach of the warranty of habitability, with allegations of personal injury to three tenants due to insect and rodent infestation, and numerous housing code violations.

Catastrophic Injury

• Mediated a premises liability and ADA/disability access case arising from a trip-and-fall at a restaurant restroom entrance. The incident resulted in a mild traumatic brain injury to the husband and a loss of consortium claim by his spouse.

Civil Rights

• Mediated a federal civil rights action arising from a severe assault of a plaintiff by his cellmate following a verbal altercation. Injuries included a subdural hematoma, multiple facial and orbital fractures, and dental damage. The case involved Monell claims and the Prisoner Litigation Reform Act. A modest, partially structured confidential settlement was reached, designed to avoid impingement upon the plaintiff’s release. Plaintiff also agreed to unilateral confidentiality provisions for personal protection.

General Negligence

• Mediated a case involving a plaintiff who ingested a foreign object in food prepared at the defendant’s restaurant, requiring emergency throat surgery and multiple follow-up ER visits due to ongoing symptoms.
• Mediated a severe dog bite case involving a senior male who sustained a de-gloving injury to his left forearm, resulting in permanent loss of sensation, strength, muscle tissue, and significant scarring. The dog belonged to a neighbor and close friend of the plaintiff. A bilateral confidentiality agreement was included in the settlement to preserve neighborhood harmony.

PI Auto

• Mediated a case involving a single-vehicle rollover accident that resulted in brain damage and serious injuries. The matter included complex issues related to workers’ compensation and agency.
• Mediated a case involving severe personal injuries to elderly individuals resulting from a collision with a public entity emergency vehicle.
• Mediated a motor vehicle accident case involving a head-on collision that resulted in orthopedic injuries, including a patella fracture and a severe bi-malleolar ankle fracture.
• Mediated an uninsured motorist claim involving a six-month pregnant claimant injured in a three-car collision, asserting physical injuries and severe emotional distress.
• Mediated a disputed liability traffic collision at a signal-controlled intersection, where the elderly plaintiff turned left in front of the defendant. The plaintiff sustained orthopedic injuries that interfered with ongoing cancer treatment and led to a decline from a previously active lifestyle.
• Mediated a personal injury case involving a hospitalist working in obstetrics who sustained soft tissue injuries and a Galeazzi fracture with delayed union. As a cancer survivor, the plaintiff experienced a delay in scheduled cancer-related surgery, contributing to claims of emotional distress and non-economic damages.
• Mediated a motorcycle vs. auto uninsured motorist case initially slated for a two-day arbitration, with disputed liability. Parties stipulated to mediation in lieu of proceeding directly to arbitration. The matter was resolved in four hours, avoiding potential bad faith exposure. Injuries included multi-level lumbar spine fractures and a fractured clavicle.
• Mediated an Underinsured Motorist (UIM) claim involving a high-impact rear-end collision. The claimant alleged orthopedic injuries and a mild traumatic brain injury, complicated by extensive pre-existing conditions, including prior cervical fusions at two levels and complete lumbar spinal fusion.
• Mediated a Bus vs. Bicycle collision involving catastrophic injuries to an adult cyclist. The cyclist, who was not wearing a helmet, sustained bilateral temporal subdural hematomas and is now permanently confined to a skilled nursing facility.
• Arbitrated an Underinsured Motorist (UIM) claim involving third-tier coverage from a multi-vehicle rear-end collision. The case centered on orthopedic injuries and post-concussion syndrome alleged to be a traumatic brain injury, alongside a significant lost earnings claim supported by a Social Security disability finding.
• Arbitrated consolidated claims from an uninsured hit-and-run and a subsequent underinsured motorist accident one year later. Injuries included spinal sprains superimposed on pre-existing degenerative disc disease. Treatment involved facet and epidural injections, and bilateral lumbar radiofrequency ablation at three levels.
• Mediated a multi-vehicle freeway accident involving a cross-median collision. Defendant struck a vehicle in the HOV lane, propelling it over the K-rail divider into a head-on impact with Plaintiff’s vehicle. Plaintiff sustained blunt force trauma with internal injuries, including a ruptured spleen and lacerated kidney. Case settled at the second mediation session.
• Mediated a freeway incident involving an airborne sailboat detaching from a truck and striking Plaintiffs’ SUV. Both driver and passenger claimed significant orthopedic and psychological injuries, with the driver being a high wage earner. Case settled post-mediation following a “Confidential Mediator’s Recommendation” to one party.
• Mediated a wrongful death case involving a 22-year-old motorcyclist at a signal-controlled intersection shared by two public entities. The fatal collision occurred with a left-turning vehicle. Allegations included a dangerous condition due to intersection signalization, excessive speed by the motorcyclist, and negligence by the left-turning driver.

PI Sexual Assault

• Mediated a case involving allegations of elder abuse and sexual battery at an extended care facility.

Premises Liability

• Mediated a premises liability case involving serious injury to a minor plaintiff. Liability was contested, with a dispute over responsibility for the accident location.
• Mediated a premises liability case involving a minor who fell 20–25 feet through a skylight adjacent to a rooftop running track at a sports club. The fall resulted in multiple fractures and internal injuries. Liability was contested. Case resolved through a structured settlement that included a five-year college fund.
• Mediated a case involving chemical burns to the torso and legs of a two-year-old child at a preschool.
• Mediated a traumatic brain injury (TBI) claim by a junior high student struck on the head by a falling window covering in the school gymnasium. Despite negative diagnostic imaging, the minor reported symptoms consistent with TBI. Four defendants and cross-defendants involved in a campus modernization project disputed proportionate liability. Case settled after extensive negotiations.
• Mediated a case involving a Water District pipeline rupture that created a geyser, causing property damage and serious injury. Plaintiff suffered major orthopedic injuries in a fall during the incident, along with damage to real and personal property. Claims included inverse condemnation, trespass, nuisance, and dangerous condition of public property. Case settled eight days before trial.
• Mediated a case involving a longshoreman who sustained a low back injury while operating a railroad de-railer at a port facility. Federal and state workers’ compensation claims were pending, along with a substantial employee benefit healthcare lien under the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act. Case settled at mediation for a confidential amount.
• Mediated a premises liability case involving a fall in a newly renovated, darkened movie theatre aisle. Plaintiff missed a step and suffered a severe femoral fracture extending into the knee joint, requiring ORIF surgery and resulting in long-term use of a cane. Defendants included the theatre operator, general contractor, and lighting subcontractor.
• Mediated a premises liability case involving an elderly plaintiff who fell from a wheelchair in a deteriorated county fair parking lot. The fall occurred when the front wheels caught in a separation/depression in the asphalt surface. Plaintiff sustained orthopedic injuries, and pre-existing conditions were aggravated, resulting in incapacitation and the need for attendant care with activities of daily living (ADLs).
• Mediated a premises liability case involving a woman in her late eighties who fell over a defective display standee in a theatre lobby. The incident resulted in nine surgeries and left her wheelchair-bound with significant lasting impairments. Case settled in mediation.
• Mediated a wrongful death case involving a falling eucalyptus tree branch during high winds following heavy rain. The branch crushed the vehicle of Plaintiffs’ wife and daughter as she backed out of her carport at an apartment complex, resulting in her death. The tree straddled the property line between the apartment complex and a neighboring parcel, implicating common ownership under California Civil Code §834. Case resolved through a confidential mediator’s proposal following good-faith negotiations.

Product Liability

• Mediated a product liability case involving a major manufacturer and serious injury to the plaintiff. The matter also included complex workers’ compensation issues related to the incident.
• Mediated a property damage case involving the unintended activation of a single fire sprinkler, resulting in over $1 million in damage to a commercial business. The parties presented competing technical theories regarding the cause of activation, requiring expert analysis and detailed investigation. Case settled for a confidential amount.

Wrongful Death

• Mediated a multi-vehicle trucking accident case involving claims of personal injury and wrongful death.
• Mediated a medical malpractice wrongful death case involving multiple individual and institutional defendants.
• Mediated a vehicular wrongful death case involving allegations of a dangerous condition of public property.
• Mediated a wrongful death case involving allegations of a dangerous condition of public property.
• Mediated a wrongful death case involving a commercial truck that struck and killed an adult bicyclist. The incident occurred as the truck pulled out from a stop sign while the cyclist, not wearing a helmet, was riding against traffic. Plaintiffs were the decedent’s adult siblings. Case settled in mediation for a mid-six-figure amount.
• Mediated a premises liability wrongful death case involving a participant in a fishing derby who rented a boat from the defendant after signing a broad release. The decedent slipped and fell while approaching the boat, sustaining a traumatic brain injury that left him confined to a care facility. While institutionalized, he suffered an internal abdominal injury due to alleged medical negligence and later died from a massive cardiac event en route to surgery. The case involved complex issues of causation, liability, and enforceability of the release, and was settled at mediation.
• Mediated a case involving alleged wrongful death and dependent elder abuse of an adult male with psychiatric conditions residing in a level 4 skilled nursing facility. Decedent had a history of physical aggression toward residents and staff, and died following restraint by facility personnel and law enforcement. Cause of death was disputed, with contested medical and factual issues.
• Mediated a wrongful death case arising from a public school shooting involving a minor special needs student with a rare genetic disorder. Case settled in post-mediation follow-up.
• Arbitrated a wrongful death claim brought by four children whose father was fatally injured while riding a Harley Davidson motorcycle. The decedent sustained multiple skull fractures. Key issues included allegations of comparative fault due to use of a non-DOT-compliant helmet and arguments regarding reduced life expectancy based on lifestyle factors.
• Mediated a wrongful death case involving an elderly resident who perished in a wildfire that destroyed a mobile home park. The fire was allegedly caused by the negligent dumping of burning waste.
• Mediated a wrongful death case involving a passenger in the defendant’s sports car. The vehicle, traveling at high speed and involving alcohol, left the roadway and struck a tree. Case settled for policy limits plus a personal contribution from the defendant driver.