Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_05-cv-03720/USCOURTS-cand-3_05-cv-03720-4/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Costco Wholesale Corporation
Defendant
Homedics
Defendant
Laurissa M. Wells
Plaintiff
Rebecca Westerfield
Mediator

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STIPULATION

210867.1 0170-15513 

LAW OFFICES

SHAW, TERHAR &

LAMONTAGNE, LLP

John W. Shaw [State Bar No. 82802] 

jshaw@stl-lawoffices.com 

Christopher M. McDonald [State Bar No. 198093] 

cmcdonald@stl-lawoffices.com 

SHAW, TERHAR & LaMONTAGNE, LLP 

707 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 3060 

Los Angeles, California 90017 

Telephone: (213) 614-0400 

Facsimile: (213) 629-4534 

Attorneys for Defendants 

HOMEDICS-U.S.A., INC. (erroneously sued 

and served herein as “HOMEDICS”) and 

COSTCO WHOLESALE CORPORATION 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

LAURISSA M. WELLS, 

Plaintiff, 

vs. 

COSTCO WHOLESALE 

CORPORATION, HOMEDICS, and 

DOES 1 to 50, 

Defendants. 

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Case No. C-05-3720-MJJ 

STIPULATION TO CONTINUE 

TRIAL DATE AND ALL TRIALRELATED DATES AND 

DEADLINES; [PROPOSED] 

ORDER

 The parties, by and through their respective counsel of record, hereby 

stipulate to continue the trial date and related cut-off dates/deadlines as follows: 

ISSUE: ORIGINAL DATE: PROPOSED DATE: 

Designation of Experts: Fri., July 7, 2006 Fri., Oct. 6, 2006 

Expert Reports: Fri., July 14, 2006 Fri., Oct. 13, 2006 

Designation of Supp/ 

 Rebuttal Experts: Fri., July 28, 2006 Fri., Oct. 27, 2006 

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Case 3:05-cv-03720-MJJ Document 24-1 Filed 07/06/2006 Page 1 of 4
 Case 3:05-cv-03720-MJJ Document 25 Filed 07/17/06 Page 1 of 4
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STIPULATION

210867.1 0170-15513 

LAW OFFICES

SHAW, TERHAR &

LAMONTAGNE, LLP

Supp/Rebuttal Expert 

 Reports: Fri., July 28, 2006 Fri., Oct. 27, 2006 

Expert Disco Cutoff: Fri., Aug. 4, 2006 Fri., Nov. 3, 2006 

Settlement Conf: Mon., Aug. 28, 2006 To be provided by the 

 Magistrate Judge 

Dispositive Motion 

 Hearing Cutoff: Tues., Aug. 29, 2006 Tues., Nov. 28, 2006 

Pretrial Conference: Tues., Oct. 24, 2006 Tues., Jan. 23, 2007 

Trial: Mon., Nov. 6, 2006 Mon., Feb. 5, 2007 

 This Stipulation may be executed and submitted to the court in counterparts 

and a faxed copy of any and all necessary signature pages to this Stipulation may be 

submitted to the court in lieu of the originals. 

 The following good cause exists for the court to grant this Stipulation in its 

entirety: 

 1. Plaintiff LAURISSA M. WELLS (“MS. WELLS”) alleges that she 

suffered “burns” to her back that resulted from her use of a WV-100H Therapist 

Select Wave Action Massager (“MASSAGER”) distributed by defendant 

HOMEDICS-U.S.A., INC. (“HOMEDICS”) that she purchased from defendant 

COSTCO WHOLESALE CORPORATION, INC. (“COSTCO”). 

 2. MS. WELLS has sued HOMEDICS and COSTCO under the theories of 

product liability and negligence. 

 3. MS. WELLS claims that the MASSAGER was defective because she 

claims that there were no instructions in the box that the MASSAGER was sold in 

and that several parts were missing from that box. 

 4. COSTCO and HOMEDICS contend that the MASSAGER was not 

defective. 

 5. On Tuesday, June 20, 2006, Kent S. Carson, M.D., a dermatologist 

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STIPULATION

210867.1 0170-15513 

LAW OFFICES

SHAW, TERHAR &

LAMONTAGNE, LLP

retained by COSTCO and HOMEDICS, performed a Defense Medical Examination 

of MS. WELLS. Since the Defense Medical Examination, counsel for defendants 

has represented the following: (1) Dr. Carson diagnosed MS. WELLS with “mild 

post-inflammatory hyper-pigmentation” at approximately six locations on her back; 

(2) Dr. Carson noted that five of the locations consisted of mild discoloration and 

that one of the locations consisted of minor scaling and mild discoloration; (3) Dr. 

Carson opined that the appropriate treatment for MS. WELLS’ condition would 

consist of: (a) One office visit wherein he would prescribe a bleaching cream and a 

Cortisone cream to be applied regularly by MS. WELLS to the subject areas; and (b) 

One follow-up appointment to evaluate MS. WELLS’ response to the 

aforementioned treatment; and (4) Dr. Carson has not provided an estimate for the 

length of time necessary to complete the proposed treatment of MS. WELLS. 

 6. On Monday, June 26, 2006, the parties, by and through their counsel of 

record, mediated this matter before the Honorable Rebecca Westerfield (Retired). 

The matter did not settle. However, the parties agreed that MS. WELLS should 

undergo the medical treatment identified in paragraph 2. (above) and then submit 

this matter to a supplemental mediation session before Judge Westerfield. 

 7. The parties have agreed that the cost associated with the 

aforementioned medical treatment will be handled by COSTCO and HOMEDICS. 

 8. The parties have agreed that the medical treatment identified in 

paragraph 2. (above) will be administered by Dr. Carson. 

 9. However, Dr. Carson will be out of the country from Thursday, July 6, 

2006, through Sunday, July 23, 2006, and therefore unable to commence his 

treatment of MS. WELLS until the end of July, 2006. 

 10. The parties have agreed to conduct a supplemental mediation session 

before Judge Westerfield after MS. WELLS completes the medical treatment 

identified in paragraph 2. (above) and Judge Westerfield has agreed to assist the 

parties with the aforementioned supplemental mediation session. (Judge Westerfield 

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STIPULATION

210867.1 0170-15513 

LAW OFFICES

SHAW, TERHAR &

LAMONTAGNE, LLP

has advised the court in the Certification of ADR Session, which was filed with the 

court on June 28, 2006, that the ADR Process is not yet complete.) 

 11. The parties are uncertain as to how long it will take to complete the 

medical treatment identified in paragraph 2. (above) and, out of an abundance of 

caution, have agreed to stipulate to continue the trial date and all related cut-off 

dates/deadlines as set forth above. 

 12. The continuation of the above-referenced trial date and related cut-off 

dates/deadlines will not adversely affect any of the parties to this action. 

DATE: July ___, 2006 LAW OFFICES OF STEPHEN M. MACKOUSE 

 By: ____________________________________ 

 STEPHEN M. MACKOUSE 

 Counsel for Plaintiff, 

LAURISSA M. WELLS 

DATE: July ___, 2006 SHAW, TERHAR & LaMONTAGNE LLP 

 By: ____________________________________ 

 JOHN W. SHAW 

 CHRISTOPHER M. McDONALD 

 Counsel for Defendants, 

 HOMEDICS-U.S.A., INC. and COSTCO 

WHOLESALE CORPORATION, INC. 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

DATE: __________ ___, 2006 ____________________________________ 

 THE HONORABLE MARTIN J. JENKINS 

Case 3:05-cv-03720-MJJ Document 24-1 Filed 07/06/2006 Page 4 of 4

July 17

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