OVERVIEW

For nearly 20 years, Dan has focused his practice principally on complex medical malpractice litigation and general liability matters. As a trial lawyer, he defends hospitals, physicians, nurses and other healthcare providers against professional liability and catastrophic loss claims at the trial court and appellate court levels. 

Dan is called upon to defend a wide array of medical malpractice matters, including cases involving death, brain-damage, obstetrical complications, orthopedic injuries, medication errors, cardiac injuries and surgical complications. A significant portion of Dan’s practice includes the defense of pediatric providers and hospitals against medical negligence allegations and claims of lack of informed consent. Many of these cases involve allegations of delayed diagnosis and a failure to treat complex medical conditions such as meningitis, bacterial infection and/or sepsis.  Dan immerses himself in the medical literature and identifies and works with world-class experts to fully understand the medicine, which enables him to effectively develop and shape standard of care and causation defenses early on in a case.

Dan has substantial courtroom experience and has tried several cases to verdict before juries, judges, and arbitrators.  He has also been retained to assist physicians in administrative proceedings before peer review credentialing committees. A trusted advisor, Dan also frequently provides strategic advice to in-house hospital counsel and risk managers on peer review and patient safety issues. 

Mindful of his clients’ goals, Dan uses a creative and proactive approach that is tailored to each client’s specific needs. Always ready to try a case, Dan also recognizes that sometimes the best value he can add is by identifying cases, early on, that present a significant risk of exposure and working creatively to resolve the case in a cost-effective and efficient manner.  Dan constantly integrates emerging technological advances into his practice and he is proficient with modern courtroom and litigation technology.  At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dan tried two neonatal malpractice cases to defense verdicts utilizing Zoom technology.  Because of his facility with the technology, Dan seamlessly confronted witnesses and utilized demonstrative exhibits in an effective and powerful manner. 

Dan has also assumed leadership roles within the firm and in the legal community. Dan previously served on the firm’s Executive Committee and was President of the Philadelphia Association of Defense Counsel (PADC), a local defense bar organization comprised of approximately 300 attorneys. The PADC was recognized nationally in 2020 as one of the premier local civil defense bar organizations in the United States by Defense Research Institute.

Recognition and Involvement

Recognition & Involvement

On several occasions throughout his career, Dan was recognized by his peers and selected as a Pennsylvania “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers.  Dan is a Fellow of the Academy of Trial Advocacy, and he currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Medical-Legal Committee, State Civil Litigation Section. He is an active participant within Philadelphia County’s local medical malpractice bar where he is part of a court liaison group that provides the court with case management assistance.

In his time away from the office, Dan enjoys outdoor activities and spending time with his wife, his four daughters, and his son. 

Credentials

Bar and Court Admissions

Pennsylvania

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania

Education

Widener University School of Law, JD, cum laude, 2002 

Kutztown University, BS, 1998

News & Insights

Memberships

Philadelphia Association of Defense Counsel

Philadelphia Bar Association

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

  • Defense verdict in a three-week medical malpractice trial which included allegations that a pediatric neurosurgeon failed to appreciate signs and symptoms of bacterial meningitis in a two-week old baby
  • Defense verdict in a medical malpractice/wrongful death case involving a 28-week premature baby who developed necrotizing enterocolitis on day 12 of life
  • Defense verdict in a medical malpractice case involving death of a 5-day-old baby due to complications relating to necrotizing enterocolitis
  • Defense verdict for a commercial real estate company in a premises liability case involving claims that the plaintiff suffered permanent injuries to her foot after departing a bus. After trying the case and obtaining a defense verdict, Dan successfully defended the case on appeal to both the Superior Court and Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
  • Successfully argued for the reinstatement of a surgeon in a health network following a credentialing committee’s decision to terminate. Dan presented the appeal to a credentialing committee comprised of multiple physicians from varying specialties
  • Represented a prominent Philadelphia-based physician’s orthopedic practice group in five different malpractice cases, all of which resulted in defense verdicts
  • Tried a premises liability case to defense verdict for a national university involving claims that the plaintiff suffered significant physical injuries, including permanent injuries to her eye
  • Obtained summary judgment for a national university in a premises liability case involving claims that a woman suffered significant and permanent injuries to her back and neck  
  • Represented a large regional hospital in Central Pennsylvania in a medical malpractice case involving the death of a 48 year-old woman who died in the hospital two days after undergoing uncomplicated surgery for breast cancer; case was tried over the course of three weeks and resulted in a defense verdict
  • Represented a prominent Philadelphia-based physician’s orthopedic practice group in five different malpractice cases, all of which resulted in defense verdicts
  • Tried a premises liability case to defense verdict for a national university involving claims that the plaintiff suffered significant physical injuries, including permanent injuries to her eye
  • Obtained summary judgment for a national university in a fall down case involving claims that a woman suffered significant and permanent injuries to her back and neck  
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