Item 3. Legal Proceedings
ITEM
3.
Legal
Proceedings
From
time to time, we may be subject to litigation and arbitration claims incidental to its business. Such claims may not be covered by our
insurance coverage, and even if they are, if claims against us are successful, they may exceed the limits of applicable insurance coverage.
On July 9, 2020, the Company
was served with a civil complaint filed in the Superior Court for the State of California, County of Orange by a former employee, Robert
Rankin, who resigned his employment on or about March 30, 2020. The case is entitled Rankin v. Hancock Jaffe Laboratories, Inc.
et al., Case No. 30-2020-01146555-CU-WR-CJC and was filed on May 27, 2020. The complaint asserts several causes of action, including
a cause of action for failure to timely pay Mr. Rankin’s accrued and unused vacation and three months’ severance under his
July 16, 2018 employment agreement with the Company. Mr. Rankin alleges that he was forced to resign, however, we believe that he did
not give the Company notice or an opportunity to cure the allegations. The complaint seeks, inter alia, back pay, unpaid wages, compensatory
damages, punitive damages, attorneys’ fees, and costs. On September 3, 2020 the Company and its Chief Executive Officer were served
with a second complaint filed in the Superior Court for the State of California, County of Orange by Mr. Rankin. The case is entitled
Rankin v. Hancock Jaffe Laboratories, Inc. et al., Case No. 30-2020-01157857 and was filed on August 31, 2020. The complaint asserts
several causes of action, including defamation, unlawful labor code violations, sex-based discrimination, unfair competition, and seeks
damages for lost wages, emotional and mental distress, consequential damages, punitive damages and attorney’s fees and costs. Mr.
Rankin resigned as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer on March 30, 2020. The Company has denied
all claims in both matters (which have now been consolidated) and has filed a counterclaim asserting that Rankin has breached his employment
agreement with the Company to the Company’s damage. The Company continues to believe it has meritorious defenses to both matters,
which are set for trial June 27, 2022.
ITEM
4.
Mine
and Safety Disclosure
Not
applicable.
29
PART
II
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