As we say goodbye to 2022 and welcome in the new year, we wanted to take a moment to reflect. Let’s take a look at some of Custodio & Dubey’s greatest hits of 2022!Throughout the year, firm co-founder Miguel Custodio continued to be a go-to legal analyst for journalists as the lawsuits surrounding the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins on the set of ‘Rust’ in late October 2021 continued to unravel. Take a look at some of his analysis, which spans from January to October, in The Washington Post, New York Daily News, The Mercury News and Nicki Swift.In February, after news broke of the historic Remington Arms $73 million settlement with Sandy Hook families, Miguel spoke to New York Daily News, “While this does not change any existing gun laws or gun safety measures, it does show that gun manufacturers need to be extremely careful with how they market their products.”Firm co-founder Vineet Dubey filed a lawsuit against Kroger on behalf of Ecological Alliance LLC in March, continuing the fight against stores selling food products with high lead levels. Vineet filed similar lawsuits against Trader Joe’s and baby food brands such as Gerber and Nurture Inc. (also known as Happy Tot) in 2021. “Retailers need to either spend their own money testing products before they put them on shelves … or they need to have a stringent process in place for their distributors to make sure the products are clean and non-toxic,” Vineet said in an interview with WCPO, an ABC affiliate in Cincinnati where Kroger is headquartered.In August, Miguel and Vineet were featured in Lawdragon, which focuses on their journey from law school classmates to partners in their own personal injury firm. The article details their roots, the firm’s recent growth and their continuous mission to fight for the underdog.There was no shortage of high-profile lawsuits this year. One case that made headlines was a Missouri woman’s $5.2 million settlement against GEICO, her ex-boyfriend’s car insurance company, after she claimed that she got an STD from him after they had sex in his vehicle. In June, Miguel spoke to the Daily Mail, Mirror and Metro about this first-of-its-kind case, ”The lesson to be learned here is that people need to broaden the scope of what an injury is. Most people would not think that contracting this disease is an injury suffered in a vehicle — though it definitely is.”Another lawsuit that went viral this year was filed just this month; a Florida woman filed a lawsuit against Kraft Heinz for $5 million over false advertisement on their Velveeta microwavable mac and cheese cups, claiming they take longer than advertised to prepare. Miguel joined Telemundo’s Al Rojo Vivo to break down the case and said that the company is making false promises in their marketing, which is why there is a “good probability” for the plaintiff to win.This past summer, both Miguel and Vineet penned columns to bring attention to local and national laws, as well as legal issues. Read Vineet’s commentary in the Davis Vanguard where he explores the lack of progress in Congress’ Baby Food Safety Act. For more on the future of self driving cars and the growing responsibilities of delivery drivers in California, check out Miguel’s columns in the Daily Journal.Lastly, Custodio & Dubey LLP entered an ongoing partnership with Guiding Eyes for the Blind, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing the visually impaired with guide dogs. “We firmly believe in helping make our community stronger by supporting organizations who are making a difference,” said Miguel.“This is a great organization that is providing a crucial service to the visually impaired community,” said Vineet. “We strongly support their mission and are proud to be partnering with them.”As we ring in the new year, we hope to continue growing and look forward to what is to come in 2023. Remember to be safe in your celebrations, and Happy New Year!Miguel & Vineet
However you choose to celebrate the new year, make sure you’re being safe and mindful of others!
