Newsroom
Andre J. Webb presents at the ALFA International 2022 Insurance & Professional Liability Seminar
Andre J. Webb will present at the ALFA International 2022 Insurance & Professional Liability Seminar on Friday, June 24, 2022. The presentation is entitled “Jury Verdict Trends in the Midst of a Pandemic”.
GGM is pleased to announce its newest Litigation Associate Elana D. Schnall
GGM is pleased to announce the addition of a new litigation associate, Elana Schnall. At GGM Elana will focus her practice on the defense of medical professional liability, product liability and general litigation matters. Before joining GGM, Elana practiced in Central Pennsylvania concentrating on municipal law and general litigation, including representing municipal entities in a broad range of civil, appellate, and administrative matters. She also has prior experience defending healthcare and long-term care providers in malpractice actions.
Elana graduated cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. While in law school she served as Senior Management Editor of the Journal of Environmental and Public Health Law and as a judicial intern for the Honorable Jill Rangos in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas.
Jury Verdict Trends In The Midst of a Pandemic
Before the pandemic, jury verdicts were already trending upwards, often surpassing traditional expectations. These upward-trending jury verdicts sometimes reach dollar amounts so high and unexpected, that they become colloquially referred to as “nuclear verdicts.” Although often cited through the lens of personal injury cases, the trend of increased jury verdicts and occurrences of nuclear verdicts are not exclusive to any one industry or jurisdiction.[1]
[1] Top Verdict’s 2020 Edition of Top 50 Plaintiff’s Jury Verdicts Obtained in the United States in year 2020
GGM is proud to announce its newest Litigation Associate Anwar Abdur-Rahman
German Gallagher & Murtagh is pleased to announce its newest Litigation Associate, Anwar Abdur-Rahman, who joined the firm on Monday, May 2. Anwar’s previous experience includes defending workers’ compensation cases at varying stages of litigation, making court appearances, drafting motions, and assisting in the development of litigation strategy. Prior to that, Anwar was an Associate Fellow at Rutgers Law Associates, where he worked on numerous cases ranging from personal injury defense, family law litigation, landlord/tenant, and estate law.
While in law school, Anwar won the Greg Lastowka Writing Competition and was recognized with the Pro-Bono Award for Significant Service upon graduation.
GGM Announces 2022 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
GGM is pleased to announce that Dean F. Murtagh, Gary R. Gremminger, John P. Shusted, Gary H. Hunter, and Jeffrey D. Laudenbach have been named Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, and Jacqueline E. Campbell, Jacob C. Lehman, and Andre J. Webb have been named Rising Stars for 2022.
A Thomson Reuters business, Super Lawyers is a rating service of lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Each year, no more than five percent of the lawyers in the state are selected for this honor. The selection process is multi-phased and includes independent research, peer nominations, and peer evaluations.
GGM Attends the 91st Radnor Hunt Races
Our GGM family came together for the 91st Radnor Hunt Races, benefiting the open space and clean water programs at Brandywine Conservancy.
Defense Verdict for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon and Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery Practice
On April 14, 2022, Jack Shusted and Nikki Mosco obtained a unanimous defense verdict on behalf of their clients, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon and a plastic and cosmetic surgery practice, after a four-day trial in Northampton County Court of Common Pleas in Easton, Pennsylvania.
The trial centered on Plaintiff’s allegations that the surgeon lacerated the Plaintiff’s spleen during an abdominoplasty and liposuction procedure. The defense maintained that the Plaintiff suffered an unfortunate complication in the form of splenic bleeding which could not be tied radiographically or otherwise with faulty surgical technique on the part of the surgeon but rather, the injury was likely due to a spontaneous splenic rupture secondary to blood thinner medication. Mr. Shusted and Ms. Mosco were able to demonstrate that the surgeon’s surgical technique, intraoperative and postoperative care of the Plaintiff was appropriate and met all standards of plastic surgery care and that no action or inaction on the surgeon’s part caused the Plaintiff’s injury.
Gary R. Gremminger named Best Law Firm Mentor 2022
German Gallagher & Murtagh is pleased to announce that Gary R Gremminger has been named one of the Pennsylvania Legal Awards 2022 Best Law Firm Mentors. Each year, The Legal Intelligencer recognizes lawyers across Pennsylvania who have worked tirelessly in their professional, personal and civic lives to improve the legal landscape and the future of others.
This year’s Pennsylvania Legal Awards winners will be honored at an award dinner and reception set for June 29, 2022.
Defense Verdict for Radiology Group
On April 1, 2022, Jack Shusted and Jacob Lehman obtained a defense verdict on behalf of their clients, two radiologists and a radiology practice after a week of trial in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
The trial centered on allegations that the two physician defendants had missed signs of a cancer recurrence in CT studies they read 3-4 years before a Stage IV recurrence was discovered. Mr. Shusted and Mr. Lehman were able to demonstrate that the physicians met the standard of care in all respects and that no action or inaction on their part increased the Plaintiff’s risk of harm. The jury found that both physicians met the standard of care in their practice. The demand prior to trial was $3 million dollars.
German Gallagher & Murtagh participates in the American Lung Association’s Fight For Air Climb
German Gallagher & Murtagh participated in the American Lung Association’s Fight For Air Climb. Team members were Attorneys Matthew McColgan, Yana Shapiro, Marni Stahl, Brian Sumner & Andre Webb.
