Bowman and Brooke LLP, with Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, secured a complete defense verdict on behalf of Koki Holdings America Ltd. (KHA), the U.S. distributor of Hitachi power tools, in a high-exposure products liability case in Riverside, California. The eight-week jury trial concluded on January 14, 2026.
Nelson Mullins partner Mike Hurvitz and Bowman and Brooke partner Frank Hosley led the trial team. They were assisted by Mariah Emmons of Nelson Mullins and C. Prentice Schanz of Bowman and Brooke. The case involved allegations arising from a 2019 workplace accident in which the plaintiff claimed a framing nailer “bounced” off the floor, rotated nearly 180 degrees, and discharged a nail into his face, causing serious injuries.
The plaintiff sought $50 million in compensatory damages and urged the jury to award punitive damages, alleging that a Hitachi NR83A pneumatic framing nailer was defectively designed, lacked adequate warnings and that KHA failed to recall or retrofit the nailer. Central to the defense was evidence demonstrating that the nailer’s contact trigger was not a design defect, but rather a required and expected feature for professional framers, allowing use in “bump fire” mode, which is a long-standing industry standard.
After extensive deliberation, the jury rejected all of Plaintiff’s claims and returned a verdict in favor of KHA.
“This verdict confirms that our client designs and manufactures safe power tools and equipment and takes its responsibilities to consumers seriously,” said Mike Hurvitz. “After five years of litigation, we are thrilled to conclude this case and secure this outstanding result for our client. The verdict underscores the depth of preparation and coordination between Nelson Mullins and Bowman and Brooke.”
Frank Hosley added, “we are pleased with the jury’s verdict and grateful for the careful attention the jurors gave to the evidence and testimony throughout this trial. The jury’s decision confirms what the facts showed from the outset: the product at issue was not defectively designed, and the accident did not result from any failure by the manufacturer. It was a pleasure collaborating our defense with Nelson Mullins on this significant consumer product case.”