Steven Michael Bronson

Steven M. Bronson was named the Public Justice Foundation's "2012 Trial Lawyer of the Year", as well as the “2011 Lawyer of the Year” for the State of Missouri, by Missouri Lawyers Media.  He was also awarded as a 2013 San Diego Top Attorneys semi-finalist, a 2012 San Diego Young Attorneys Finalist, and a “2009 Lawyer of the Year Honoree” for the State of Missouri.  He is in private practice, representing injured consumers and victims.  

Mr. Bronson represents children exposed to toxic substances, including lead, arsenic, cadmium, and other toxins.  Recently, the trial of sixteen Plaintiffs’ cases for personal injuries due to toxic exposure to these chemicals resulted in a verdict of $ Million for the Plaintiffs.  The verdict is the largest collectible jury verdict in Missouri state history.

In 2009, Mr. Bronson was lead trial attorney in a case where a drunk driver caused a collision, seriously injuring Mr. Bronson’s client and killing his client’s fiancé and the father of their child.  The jury unanimously awarded $89,000, in damages.  He has also represented individuals who developed HIV and Hepatitis C after contaminated needles were used on them during routine blood draws.  

His firm Smoger & Associates was appointed as class counsel in Plascencia v. Lending 1st Mortgage, LLC,  Jordan v. Paul Financial, Monaco v. Bear Stearns Residential Mortgage Corp., and In re: Wachovia Corp.  These cases involve representing consumers who were defrauded into purchasing Option ARM loans– the same loans that have brought the economy to the brink of economic collapse– originated using loan documents that failed to disclose, among other things, that the loans were guaranteed to cause the loan’s principal balance to increase, rather than decrease, with each payment made, resulting in a loss of equity in the home.

In addition to his private practice, Mr. Bronson volunteers his time to the public interest. In the past few years, he worked on amici briefs to the United States Supreme Court, supporting the positions of the editors of the New England Journal of Medicine in Wyeth v. Levine; the American Medical Association, American Cancer Society, and eight other national public health groups in Altria v. Good; and forty renowned marine biologists, lead by Jean-Michel Cousteau, in Exxon v. Baker.  He has also received awards for completing pro bono work in San Diego.

Mr. Bronson earned his Bachelor's Degree from the University of Wisconsin— Madison, before he undertook graduate studies at California Western School of Law, where he received his Juris Doctor’s Degree.  He is a member of the Bars of California, Missouri, and the United States District Courts for the Northern, Central, and Southern Districts of California. 

DID YOU KNOW?

Actual or Compensatory Damages are intended to compensate for injuries or death. Compensation means "to balance the scales"—to match the amount of money with each of the harms and losses that the injury has caused.  Losses from injury may include the past, present and future loss of earnings, past and future medical expenses; long or short term mental disabilities, such as injuries to the brain resulting in loss of IQ, cerebral palsy, learning disabilities, attention problems, hyperactivity; long or short term physical disabilities, such as paralysis, fractures, burns, cancer; disfigurement; the loss of capacity to enjoy life, lost opportunity, an increased risk of harm, and the pain, suffering, and mental anguish caused by these losses and the injury that was suffered.

Punitive Damages are included in a Jury Verdict to deter the responsible defendant and others from continuing or repeating similar wrongful conduct in the future. They are designed to punish for the great risk of potential harm caused by the defendant’s actions. In many states, 50% of the net verdict for Punitive Damages goes directly to the state's Victims Compensation Fund with the other half going to the plaintiff. The plaintiff’s portion is typically taxable income.