Scott C. Cummins

Scott Cummins, of counsel to the firm, is an experienced product liability and insurance bad faith coverage lawyer who has handled several multi-million dollar cases against aircraft and product manufacturers and insurance companies. He successfully sued the manufacturer of a water brake cylinder (a device which stops the ram used to launch aircraft on aircraft carriers) which had seen twenty years of service on the U.S. Carrier Midway before it failed, causing the death of our client, an F-4 Phantom jet pilot. In another matter, passengers in a plane sued an aircraft engine maintenance facility and after a month long trial received a $9 million verdict, which was upheld on appeal. In an insurance case, a large insurance disability claim involved the loss of a medical license arising out of alleged criminal conduct at the same time a disability claim was presented. The federal court upheld our client's claim to a $15,000/month disability insurance payment and a settlement followed.

Graduate of USC and Loyola Law School, Mr. Cummins began his career with Luce Forward Hamilton & Scripps, handling business and product liability litigation. He then co-founded Sullivan Cummins Wertz McDade & Wallace, an 18-lawyer law firm, before becoming of counsel to Casey Gerry. In 1999 Mr. Cummins put his insurance law background to use in co-founding Insurex, a commercial insurance services business doing business in 40 states through over 1,000 affiliates and employing 10 insurance professionals.

Some of Mr. Cummins' other cases include an aircraft product liability matter where the family of a jet engine inspector sued over his death. The inspector was inside of an RB 211 (Rolls Royce) "jumbo" jet engine when the thrust reverser doors closed the cowling of the jet engine, crushing him. The three-week trial resulted in a seven-figure award for the family. A mid-air fire in a Cessna airplane caused by a burning headliner resulted in a $3,000,000 settlement for burn injuries to the client. He also recovered for passengers on a Korean Air Lines 747, which crashed in Guam. In a case against a water park, Mr. Cummins' client was a rider who was injured on a new type of water ride that was poorly designed. A product liability suit was filed for his client and the case was eventually settled for over $3 million. In a dangerous road case against the County of San Diego, an over seven-figure settlement was achieved for a client.

Mr. Cummins serves on the boards of the City of San Diego's Small Business Advisory Board, La Jolla youth, Inc., and La Jolla Youth Soccer League. He is also a present or past barrister of the Welsh, Enright and Todd Inn of Court. In his spare time, he enjoys tennis, sailing and surfing and is a member of the San Diego Yacht and La Jolla Beach and Tennis Clubs.