What's Happening at Hart Wagner
- Karen O'Kasey Obtains Defense Verdict in Eight-Day Medical Malpractice Trial
- Karen O’Kasey Recognized by Best Lawyers® as the 2025 “Lawyer of the Year”
- Janet Schroer Recognized by Best Lawyers® as the 2025 “Lawyer of the Year”
- Nine Hart Wagner Attorneys Recognized in the 2025 Edition of Best Lawyers in America®
- Congratulations to our 2024 Oregon Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars®
Joe Traylor Secures $14.3 Million Dollar Settlement for the Victims of Snohomish County Sheriff Car Crash
Traylor, counsel for the plaintiff, successfully secured a $14,348,743 settlement for his clients Tom and Margarita Gillette. On April 17, 2015, Tom Gillette was performing a home remodel in Everett, Washington. As he reached into the bed of his truck to retrieve a saw horse, he was struck at high speed by a Snohomish County Sheriff’s deputy who had ran a stop sign doing nearly twice the speed limit. The Deputy collided with another vehicle in the intersection and then spun into Gillette. The impact from the police car caused massive traumatic and life threatening permanent injuries including amputations of both legs. Traylor, a 20+ year member of the firm ordinarily represents defendants in such cases which gave him an edge in securing the largest plaintiff’s settlement in the history of the firm. Whether working for the plaintiff or the defendant, Hart Wagner attorneys are known throughout the northwest for their skill in the courtroom.
Hart Wagner Attorneys to Speak at OADC Fall Seminar Sessions
EVENT NAME:
2016 Oregon Association of Defense Counsel Fall Seminar
EVENT DATE:
November 2, 2016
EVENT TIME:
7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
EVENT DESCRIPTION:
- Donna Lee will be speaking on the new rules and requirements related to litigation reporting to Medicare in Medicare Update for Litigation.
- Janet Schroer will be co-presenting on the topic of the Horton v. OHSU appeal and how it will affect current and future appellate cases.
Hart Wagner Supports Race for the Cure
Hart Wagner is a proud supporter of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. For the past 13 years, the firm has sponsored a team for this event, running, walking and sleeping in for the cure.
The Race for the Cure in Portland and Eugene now attracts tens of thousands of racers and raises over $2.9 million for life saving services to fight breast cancer and to aid in finding a cure.
Nine Hart Wagner Attorneys Listed in the 2017 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America©
In its 2017 peer-review guide, Best Lawyers included Troy Bundy, John Hart, Matt Kalmanson, Rod Norton, Karen O’Kasey, Janet Schroer, Jennifer Truzzolino, Gordy Welborn and Mike Wiswall with several receiving recognition in multiple practice areas.
Congratulations to both Karen O’Kasey and Janet Schroer for being named a “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers®! Karen was honored for Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants and Janet was recognized for Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants. This is the third time that Janet has been selected by her peers as a Lawyer of the Year. Lawyer of the Year recognitions are awarded to individual attorneys with the highest overall peer feedback for a specific practice area and geographic location. Only one lawyer is recognized as the Lawyer of the Year for each specialty and location. Receiving this designation reflects the high level of respect a lawyer has earned among other leading lawyers in the same communities and in the same practice areas for his or her abilities, professionalism and integrity.
Since it was first published in 1983, The Best Lawyers in America has become known as the most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession.
Gordy Welborn on Faculty for Oregon Medical Association’s Advanced Training in Risk Management, September 24, 2016
“The OMA Risk Management Education Programs are open to all physicians and allied health care professionals. These programs are specifically structured to provide training and resources to help physicians and allied health care professionals avoid situations which may lead to malpractice claims, as well as to provide valuable resources in the event a malpractice claim should occur.”
Eight Hart Wagner Attorneys Included in the 2016 Oregon Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists
Eight lawyers from the Hart Wagner law firm were honored in the 2016 issue of Oregon Super Lawyers magazine. The publication identifies the most outstanding attorneys in the state, as chosen by their peers and through the research of Super Lawyers, which is a Thomson Reuters business.
In its list of Oregon’s top lawyers, Super Lawyers recognized the following Hart Wagner partners, who were chosen for their experience in practice areas including medical malpractice, personal injury, professional liability, employment litigation and appellate law:
John Hart – Personal Injury Medical Malpractice: Defense
Rodney K. Norton – Personal Injury Medical Malpractice: Defense
Karen O’Kasey – Employment Litigation: Defense
Janet Schroer – Appellate
Gordon Welborn – Professional Liability: Defense
Michael Wiswall – Personal Injury Medical Malpractice: Defense
Melissa Lopeman Tahir and Mark C. Sherman, both associates at Hart Wagner, were selected to the 2016 Rising Stars list. Tahir was recognized in the Personal Injury Medical Malpractice: Defense category and Sherman was honored in the Employment Litigation: Defense category. While up to five percent of the lawyers in the state are named to the Super Lawyers roster, no more than 2.5 percent are named to the Rising Stars list.
Of note, for the sixth consecutive year, O’Kasey was included in Super Lawyers’ ranking of the top 25 women lawyers in Oregon.
Each year, the research team at Super Lawyers undertakes a multi-phase selection process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent evaluation of candidates by the attorney-led research staff, a peer review of candidates by practice area, and a good-standing and disciplinary check. The Super Lawyers lists are published nationwide in Super Lawyers magazines and in leading city and regional magazines and newspapers across the country. For more information, visit www.superlawyers.com.
Karen O’Kasey Honored as “Top 25″ Women Lawyers in Oregon for 2015 by Super Lawyers
Congratulations to Karen O’Kasey who made the Top 25 Women list by Super Lawyers for the fifth consecutive year.
Another Jury Verdict Favors Hart Wagner Healthcare Client
The jury verdicts keep rolling in for Hart Wagner healthcare clients. Trial attorney Troy Bundy and the jury delivered a powerful message: this well-respected and thoughtful Oregon physician met the standard of care. Plaintiff claimed that, during surgery, our client negligently injured her common bile duct which led to further injuries. Plaintiff demanded over $800,000 in damages and the defendants denied any negligence in this case.
Horton v. OHSU, Janet Schroer Helps Secure Supreme Court Victory for OHSU
The Oregon Supreme Court upheld an Oregon law stating that there will be a $3 million cap on damages that plaintiffs can receive in lawsuits against the state or its employees. Janet Schroer was instrumental in this decision which affects all public bodies and all caps on damages. Portland Tribune states that this case has been “closely followed” by trial lawyers, the Oregon Medical Association and public entities in Oregon. This was a huge victory for Janet and her client.
Jury Returns Defense Verdict for Joe Traylor in Rear-End Trucking Accident
On April 27, 2016, a Multnomah County jury returned a unanimous defense verdict for Traylor’s client who had rear-ended the plaintiff and caused substantial damage to her vehicle. Plaintiff was seeking $2.2 million in damages for a brain injury. Traylor was able to subpoena information from Plaintiff’s own insurance company showing she had been in a much more significant accident just a month earlier, and although symptoms did not start until after the second accident, Traylor convinced the jury through the use of a neuro-psychologist and neurologist that the brain injury was more likely than not caused by the prior accident. Traylor’s client had offered over $125,000 to settle the case prior to trial.