Hershey Law’s $27.5 Million Verdict Named Number 1 in Los Angeles County Whistleblower Retaliation Cases

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--TopVerdict.com has recognized Hershey Law, P.C. and attorneys Brennan M. Hershey and Johnny Rundell for obtaining the No. 1 whistleblower retaliation jury verdict in Los Angeles County for 2025. The firm and both trial attorneys each received a Number 1 Jury Verdict honor for the $27.5 million verdict in Valla v. Dignity Health, et al. (LA Case No. 20STCV30610).

TopVerdict.com’s annual county lists recognize the largest plaintiff’s jury verdict in each case category tried before a jury in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles. The verdict was obtained with co-counsel David M. deRubertis of The deRubertis Law Firm, APC.

The case was brought by the former Chief Nursing Officer at St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach, who reported serious patient safety problems at the hospital. Those reports included the absence of protective barriers on a parking structure after multiple suicide deaths, anesthesia machines and defibrillators in use past their stated end of life, and surgical instruments that were not properly sterilized. According to trial testimony, she even offered to pay for the barriers herself and leadership declined.

Instead of addressing the concerns, hospital leadership pushed her out. After a five-week trial, the jury unanimously found unlawful retaliation and failure to accommodate her disability, awarding $5 million in economic damages and $22.5 million in noneconomic damages. Dignity Health denied wrongdoing at trial.

“We hope a nurse somewhere sees this and understands the law is on your side,” said Brennan Hershey, founder of Hershey Law. “Being named the top whistleblower retaliation verdict in Los Angeles County matters to us, but it matters more if it reaches the people deciding whether reporting something is worth the risk.”

Most whistleblower retaliation claims resolve before reaching a jury. California employees who were fired, demoted, or forced out after reporting unlawful or unsafe conduct can reach Hershey Law for a free consultation at [phone].

About Hershey Law:
Hershey Law, P.C. is an employment law firm serving Los Angeles, Orange County, and the surrounding areas. The firm represents California employees, not employers, and its attorneys handle cases from the first consultation through trial. Learn more at hersheylaw.com.