Poorad Razavi has handled cases involving products liability, vehicle defects, roadway design and maintenance defects, trucking and car accidents, chemical exposure, and negligent security, with a focus on multimillion dollar wrongful death and catastrophic injury suits.
Based in Florida, Poorad represents clients in state and federal courts across the nation. He has litigated claims against all the major insurance carriers, as well as automobile, tire, and component part manufacturers, including General Motors, Toyota, Honda, Chrysler, Takata, and Continental, and highway guardrail manufacturers, installers, and other contractors. Poorad initiated the investigation and discovery of a nationwide vehicle airbag defect resulting in the filing of a subsequent class action against the world’s largest automobile manufacturers, in which he was selected to the Interim Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee.
Poorad brings a unique perspective to his practice given his experience as a former civil litigation defense attorney. He understands the mindset of insurance companies and corporate defendants which allows him to maximize the value of a claim and ensure his clients receive maximum compensation for their injuries.
Poorad also has extensive experience in claims against the Department of Transportation and private state contractors for flawed roadway design and defects. He has litigated multiple roadway design and maintenance defect claims resulting in multimillion dollar settlements and subsequent installation and remediation of guardrails, re-paving, curbing, and rehabilitation of roadways in multiple counties.
A frequent writer and speaker, Poorad has been published in Florida Justice Association’s (FJA) Journal and the American Bar Association (ABA) Journal. Annually, he is invited to speak at FJA seminars, Topics have included “Identifying and Developing Roadway and Guardrail Defect Claims” and the use of technology in litigation for the Palm Beach County Justice Association.
- American Association for Justice
- The American Bar Association
- The California Bar
- The Florida Bar
- Florida Justice Association, Eagle Member
- Miami-Dade County Bar Association
- Palm Beach County Bar Association
- Palm Beach County Justice Association
- American Bar Association Delegate Palm Beach County Bar Association (2022-2024)
- Board Member, Palm Beach County Justice Association (2015-2019)
- Committee Chair Personal Injury Section Palm Beach County Bar Association’s Annual Bench Bar Conference (2014-2016)
- Committee Chair for the Palm Beach County Bar Association’s Personal Injury/Wrongful Death CLE Committee (2015-2016)
- Committee Member for the Judicial Relations Committee (2015)
- Committee Chair Young Lawyer Division’s Judicial Relations committee (2014- 2015)
- California
- Florida
- University of Cincinnati College of Law, J.D., 2005
- Indiana University, B.S., International Business and Business Economics, 2002
Current Cases
Bains, et al. v. American Tactical, Inc.
Bains, et al. v. American Tactical, Inc., et al. (W.D.N.Y.): On April 13, 2023, Cohen Milstein and Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence filed a negligence, public nuisance and unlawful marketing lawsuit against American Tactical, Inc. and others involved in the manufacturing, marketing, and sale of the 60-round high-capacity magazine (HCM) used by the perpetrator in a deadly mass shooting on April 15, 2021 at a FedEx Ground Package facility in Indianapolis, Indiana. Tragically, thirteen people were shot during the attack. Eight died. At least five other people were injured.
Bains, et al. v. Securitas Security Services, USA, Inc.
Bains, et al. v. Securitas Security Services, USA, Inc. (S.D. Ind.): On April 13, 2023, Cohen Milstein filed a personal injury and wrongful death lawsuit against Securitas Security Services, USA, Inc. (Securitas) for its role in the deadly mass shooting that occurred on April 15, 2021 at the FedEx Ground Package facility on Mirabel Road in Indianapolis, Indiana. Securitas provided security guard services to the FedEx Ground facility.
Edwards v. Tesla, Inc.
Edwards v. Tesla (Sup. Crt. Cal., Alameda Cnty.): On June 25, 2020, Cohen Milstein filed a product liability lawsuit against Tesla, Inc. on behalf of Kristian and Jason Edwards. Ms. Edwards sustained catastrophic injuries as a result of the failure of the airbags to deploy in her Tesla Model 3 during an accident.
Ratha, et al v. Phatthana Seafood Co
Ratha, et al v. Phatthana Seafood Co. (C.D. Cal.): Cohen Milstein is representing seven Cambodian plaintiffs in a cross-border human rights lawsuit involving human trafficking, forced labor, involuntary servitude, and peonage by factories in Thailand that produce shrimp and seafood for export to the United States.
Reed, et al. v. USA – Chimney Tops 2 Fire
Cohen Milstein is representing plaintiffs in a wrongful death and property damage mass action against the United States Department of Interior and National Park Service (NPS) for the negligence of its employees to perform their duties during The Chimney Tops 2 Fire in Tennessee, which originated in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and ultimately damaged or destroyed 2,500 homes, buildings and other structures, and killed more than a dozen people.
Past Cases
ExxonMobil -Villagers of Aceh Litigation
Doe, Aceh, Indonesia v. ExxonMobil Corporation (D.D.C.): Cohen Milstein represented eleven villagers from Aceh, Indonesia, who alleged that they or their relatives endured horrific human rights abuses, including murder, torture, sexual violence, and kidnapping, at the hands of Indonesian soldiers contracted by ExxonMobil to guard its oil operations in the region. On May 15, 2023, a week before a jury trial was to start and after 20 years of litigation, the case settled. Although the case was litigated in U.S. federal court, Indonesian law applied to Plaintiffs’ claims and was applied by the Court. The case set numerous legal precedents during its 20-year history, during which it saw two trips to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals (decided January 2007 and July 2011) and one to the Supreme Court (certiorari was denied in 2008). Each time, novel issues of foreign policy impact, extraterritorial jurisdiction, and choice of law were briefed and considered by the Court of Appeals. In August 2022, months before trial, the Court largely denied ExxonMobil’s motion for summary judgment, finding most of its arguments “entirely meritless.”
Hand et al., v. Scott et al.
Hand et al., v. Scott et.al (N.D. Fla.): Cohen Milstein and Fair Elections Legal Network, a national voting rights organization, achieved a major victory in 2018 on behalf of former felons in Florida, who claimed their constitutional rights had been infringed by Florida’s Clemency Board. The court ruled that the Clemency Board’s process to grant or deny former felons’ restoration of voting rights applications was unconstitutionally arbitrary and violated the U.S. Constitution’s First and Fourteenth Amendments.
Lindsay X-LITE Guardrail End Terminal Litigation
Lindsay X-LITE Guardrail End Terminal Litigation: Cohen Milstein represented a number of families of decedents and victims of catastrophic injuries in a series of individual products liability, wrongful death and catastrophic injury lawsuits in Tennessee and South Carolina state courts against the Lindsay Corporation and several related entities for designing, manufacturing, selling, and installing defective, X-Lite guardrails on state roadways.
Quinteros, et al. v. DynCorp, et al.
Quinteros, et al. v. DynCorp, et al. (D.D.C.): Cohen Milstein represented over 2,000 Ecuadorian farmers and their families who suffered physical injuries and property damage as a result of aerial spraying of toxic herbicides on or near their land by DynCorp, a U.S. government contractor. A bellwether trial on behalf of the first six Ecuadorian clients came to a conclusion in April 2017, when the ten-person jury unanimously determined that DynCorp was responsible for the conduct of the pilots with whom it had subcontracted to conduct the chemical spraying after April 2003. This resolution allowed for a successful case settlement.
Saori Yamauchi, et al. v. Toyota Motor Corporation, et al.
Saori Yamauchi, et al. v. Toyota Motor Corporation, et al. (Cir. Crt., Dutchess Cty., N.Y.): Cohen Milstein and local New York co-counsel resolved a product liability and personal injury lawsuit against Toyota Motor Corporation, Autoliv, and related entities on behalf of Saori Yamauchi. Mrs. Yamauchi sustained a catastrophic injury during an accident in her Toyota Sienna as a result of the vehicle’s airbag system deploying in a dangerous manner.
- Super Lawyers (2021-2024)
- The Best Lawyers in America (2019-2022)
- Super Lawyers Rising Star (2010-2011, 2015-2016)
- Palm Beach Illustrated Top Lawyers (2018-2022)
- Florida Trend, Legal Elite (2020-2021)
- Florida Trend, Legal Elite Up and Comer (2013-2014, 2018-2019)
March 15, 2024
Automobile Litigation in the Age of the Autonomous Vehicle and AI
Briana O’Neil interviews Poorad Razavi of Cohen Milstein about his experience litigating vehicle cases as a plaintiff’s attorney, along with the challenges every litigator, both plaintiff and defense, will have to navigate as technology advances. In particular, they discuss: Listen to the Insider Tips Podcast for this timely conversation.
Multimedia | ABA's Insider TIPS Podcast
April 14, 2023
Indianapolis FedEx Shooting Victims Sue Over Magazine Size
A group of victims and families of victims of the April 15, 2021, mass shooting at an Indianapolis FedEx facility on Thursday sued the distributor of the 60-round magazine used in the attack, saying it recklessly advertised the magazine in a way that encouraged such a shooting. In the 54-page complaint in New York federal […]
In the News | Law360
April 13, 2023
Victims of the 2021 Indianapolis FedEx Mass Shooting File Lawsuit Against American Tactical, Inc.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Press Contact: cohenmilstein@berlinrosen.com Victims Allege American Tactical, Inc. Unlawfully Marketed the High Capacity Magazine Used in the FedEx Mass Shooting That Killed Eight ROCHESTER, NEW YORK (April 13, 2023) – Today, victims and families of victims of the 2021 Indianapolis FedEx mass shooting filed a lawsuit against American Tactical, Inc., the distributor […]
Press Releases | Cohen Milstein
March 10, 2023
Janssen Must Hand Over Records In Kickback Case
Janssen Biotech Inc. must hand over its communications with federal agencies regarding a former employee’s claims filed on behalf of the government that the company paid doctors kickbacks to boost its drug sales, a Boston federal judge ordered. Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge M. Page Kelley settled a crossfire of discovery motions in an order Thursday […]
In the News | Law360
February 17, 2023
Boosting Safety in Palm Beach County
Our Complex Tort Litigation team, co-chaired by Leslie M. Kroeger, is proud to once again partner with Safe Kids of Palm Beach County for our bi-annual booster seat and car seat giveaway this Saturday, February 25, 2023, at the Boynton Beach Fire Rescue – Station 5 in Boynton Beach, Florida. Saturday, February 25, 2023 9:30 […]
Events
December 16, 2022
Janssen Thwarting Docs Order in Kickback Suit, Court Told
Pharmaceutical giant Janssen is refusing to comply with previous orders for discovery, impeding the progress of a suit alleging that it paid kickbacks to doctors to boost sales of certain drugs, attorneys for a relator told a Massachusetts federal judge Thursday. In a memorandum to U.S. District Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor, relator Julie Long […]
In the News | Law360
October 31, 2022
Back to Basics: A Product Liability Primer
By Poorad Razavi I have frequently written and spoken about the many nuances of advancing a product liability claim, as well as a variety of strategic tactics to employ in order to advance a mature case theory. As a 15-year veteran product defect attorney, these are naturally the topics that appeal to me. However, as […]
Articles | FJA Journal
September 15, 2022
Cohen Milstein’s Complex Tort Team Hosts Booster Seat Giveaway in Riviera Beach, FL
In honor of National Child Passenger Safety Week and National Seat Check Saturday, our Complex Tort Litigation team, led by Leslie M. Kroeger, is hosting a booster seat giveaway on Saturday, September 24, 2022 at the Community Partners of South Florida in Riviera Beach, FL. Our booster seat giveaway is being hosted in partnership with Safe Kids Palm Beach County and […]
Events
August 5, 2022
ExxonMobil Bid to End Indonesia Lawsuit Found ‘Meritless’
US judge dismisses oil and gas giant’s arguments for avoiding trial over alleged human rights abuses in Indonesia. A United States judge cleared the way for 11 Indonesian villagers to sue ExxonMobil for alleged human rights abuses after finding the majority of the gas and oil giant’s arguments to be “entirely meritless”. In a searing […]
In the News | Al Jazeera
August 3, 2022
Confessions of Victims of Alleged Human Rights Violations by ExxonMobil and Military Personnel in Aceh Revealed After 20 Years
For the first time after 20 years of legal proceedings, the Washington DC District Court, United States, issued a document to the public revealing the testimonies of victims of alleged human rights violations allegedly committed by the ExxonMobil company in Aceh by hiring a number of Indonesian military personnel. Judge Royce C. Lambert, Tuesday (02/08), […]
In the News | BBC
May 18, 2022
Time for This Dad to “Leave—The Power of Parental Leave
By Poorad Razavi On August 10, 2020, I received what would become the greatest news of my life: my wife and I found out we were expecting our first child. As we began daydreaming about the new addition to our family, the realities of life also began setting in. Not only would we be contending […]
Articles | ABA TortSource
September 11, 2020
Judge Refuses to Extinguish Wildfire Lawsuits Against US Government
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park cases, filed in 2018, allege that National Park Service failed to warn local officials and the area community about a fire that broke out Nov. 23, 2016, eventually charring more than 10,000 acres. As wildfires ravage the West Coast, victims of a 2016 wildfire in Great Smoky Mountains National […]
In the News | Law.com
September 9, 2020
Judge: US Park Hasn’t Shown Enough Done to Inform of Fire
U.S. park officials have failed to show enough was done to keep the public updated as a deadly wildfire spread from Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2016, a judge ruled. The decision Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Ronnie Greer in Knoxville keeps lawsuits by survivors of the blaze on track for a potential trial, […]
In the News | Associated Press
July 1, 2020
Poorad Razavi to Speak on Technology & Use of Exhibits in Remote Deposition
Poorad Razavi, a member of Cohen Milstein’s Complex Tort Litigation practice, has been invited to speak on the Palm Beach County Justice Association’s (PBCJA) “Technology & Use of Exhibits in Remote Deposition” CLE panel webinar hosted via Zoom on July 1, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. The panel members will discuss and take questions concerning tools for remote deposition […]
Events | Palm Beach County Justice Association’s Webinar
June 25, 2020
Tesla Airbags, Seat Belts Faulted in Woman’s Brain Injury Suit
A Maryland woman who suffered traumatic brain injuries in a 2019 accident sued Tesla Inc. in California state court Wednesday alleging it manufactured an unsafe Model 3 vehicle with airbags that didn’t properly deploy. Kristian Edwards and her husband, Jason Edwards, allege Tesla designed and manufactured an “unreasonably dangerous” Model 3 vehicle with defective airbag […]
In the News | Law360
June 22, 2020
Objection, Ambiguous: Never Assume a Vehicle’s Identity
By Poorad Razavi There is an emerging trend of three-wheeled motorcycles, also known as motorized tricycles or motor trikes, proliferating on the roadways. Some may even offer the appearance of a car, yet with all the hazards of a motorcycle. Interestingly enough, three-wheeled ATVs were banned in the United States in 1988, due to a […]
Articles | FJA Journal
June 12, 2020
State of Missouri Suing X-LITE Manufacturer, Calls Guardrail ‘Defective
The state of Missouri is suing the company that made and marketed a guardrail that’s been at the center of a News4 Consumer investigation for years. A number of people across the country have died or been severely injured after crashing into guardrail end pieces known as the X-LITE. The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission, […]
In the News | WRC-TV NBC Washington
January 21, 2020
Toyota to Recall 3.4 Million Vehicles Worldwide, Air Bags May Not Deploy in Crashes
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Toyota Motor Corp said on Tuesday it will recall 3.4 million vehicles worldwide because of an electronic defect that can result in air bags not deploying in crashes. The recall, which includes 2.9 million U.S. vehicles, covers 2011-2019 Corolla, 2011-2013 Matrix, 2012-2018 Avalon and 2013-2018 Avalon Hybrid vehicles and is tied to […]
In the News | Reuters
October 25, 2019
What’s in a Defect?
By Leslie M. Kroeger, Diana L. Martin and Poorad Razavi The title of the section of the Journal is Products Liability. Each month, various types of defective products and corresponding litigation are described in hopes of educating you and warning you about what’s literally in your backyard. But, regardless of your legal acumen or experience […]
Articles | FJA Journal
November 1, 2017
WARNING! Spoiler Alert
A primary principle of a products liability attorney is to always preserve the product at issue. Having litigated defects ranging from airbags to guardrails to chemical receptacles, I can confidently confirm the cogency of that credo. The absence of the product provides the defense expanded reign to fabricate alternate failure mode theories to the detriment […]
Articles | Florida Justice Association Journal
April 21, 2017
Jury Finds DynCorp Responsible for the Actions of Plan Colombia Pilots Who Conducted Fumigations After April 2003
On Thursday, April 20, 2017 a federal jury returned a verdict in the first of the test trials against DynCorp International, the defense contractor that did the aerial fumigations in Plan Colombia. The International Rights Advocates (IRAdvocates) first filed this case in 2001 on behalf of over 2,000 Ecuadoran farmers who live near the border […]
Articles | International Rights Advocates
April 19, 2017
Were Peasant Farmers Poisoned by the U.S. War on Drugs? A Jury Has the Case
After a 15-year legal battle, a U.S. jury will begin deliberations Wednesday over whether a U.S. security contractor must pay damages to as many as 2,000 Ecuadoran farmers who say they were poisoned by the U.S. and Colombian governments’ years-long, coca-eradication campaign. During a two-week trial in Washington that ended Tuesday, a lawsuit against McLean, […]
In the News | The Washington Post
- “Misrepresentations in an Insurance Application,” KD Quarterly