Biography
Charles Miller is an experienced litigator practicing in the areas of products liability, personal injury, wrongful death, class actions, consumer fraud, and complex commercial litigation.
Mr. Miller has successfully handled more than 200 pharmaceutical product liability cases involving deaths caused by defective Duragesic fentanyl patches. Fentanyl is a potent analgesic that is approximately 80 times stronger than morphine. Mr. Miller was trial counsel in two jury trials involving defective fentanyl patches manufactured by ALZA Corporation, a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary. Both trials resulted in multi-million dollar jury verdicts for the plaintiffs. Mr. Miller successfully litigated and settled the remainder of the Duragesic cases in state and federal courts across the United States.
Mr. Miller was counsel for plaintiffs in approximately 85 wrongful death cases involving defective Watson fentanyl patches. Mr. Miller successfully litigated and settled the Watson cases, which were part of a federal MDL and a California coordinated proceeding (JCCP). Mr. Miller Served as plaintiffs’ alternative lead counsel in JCCP No. 4717, a California coordinated proceeding comprised of all Watson fentanyl patch cases filed in California. (Orange County Superior Court, Judge Gail Andler.) Mr. Miller also served as plaintiffs’ alternative lead counsel in MDL No. 2372, an MDL comprised of all federal Watson fentanyl patch cases. (N.D. Ill., Judge Matthew Kennelly.)
Mr. Miller represented individual consumers and class members in the Volkswagen “Clean Diesel” diesel emissions litigation. Mr. Miller worked with Volkswagen PSC member Michael Heygood (another Heygood Orr & Pearson lawyer) and the other law firms on the PSC to review millions of documents, counsel class members, coordinate the MDL with parallel state proceedings, and help class members navigate the complexities of the class actions settlements. Mr. Miller also represents numerous clients who are pursuing individual claims against Volkswagen and serves as co-liaison counsel in JCCP No. 4848, a California coordinated proceeding comprised of Volkswagen and Audi diesel emissions cases in California state court.