STEPHEN C. OFFUTT
Stephen Offutt is one of the Nation’s Preeminent Birth Injury Attorneys. Mr. Offutt holds record Birth Injury Verdicts in two different states (Minnesota $15,500,000.00 and Tennessee $33,400,000.00) and dozens of Multi-million dollar results in over a dozen different states (MD, MN, TN, WS, WV, PA, NC, SC, IA, IL, OK, AL, VA, TX, MS, MI) across the country. As a former defense attorney (with a 95% Jury Trial success record) he brings over 30 years of trial experience to each case he handles and will fight to see that your family gets the justice they deserve. See below for more details of Mr. Offutt's accomplishments.
If you, a friend or a family member have a child that you suspect may have been caused a serious birth injury (Cerebral Palsy, Developmental Delays, Brain Damage) due to a medical or nursing mistake, then call him right now. DO NOT WAIT - CALL RIGHT NOW. He can be reached on his cell phone 24/7 at (301) 704-0632. Every State has laws limiting the time you have to make a claim. Don't wait until it's too late - time could be running out.
FREE CONSULTATION AND THERE IS NO FEE OR COST TO YOU
UNLESS WE WIN
In 2014 the National Trial Lawyers Association named Mr. Offutt as one of the 100 Best Trial Lawyers. This particular recognition came following a 2013 verdict he obtained on behalf of a little boy named "Jordan". The jury in that case returned a verdict in the amount of THIRTY THREE MILLION FOUR HUNDRED THOUSANDS DOLLARS $33,400,000.00).
Jordan had been caused catastrophic brain damage at birth which later developed into a condition known as "Cerebral Palsy". His brain damage was due to the medical negligence of his Health Care Providers. The injuries were so severe that he would need 24/7 care for the rest of his life. His mother needed help in obtaining justice for Jordan but the attorneys she initially approached declined. These attorneys probably declined because they were concerned that the case would be too difficult and costly for them to pursue. It is no secret in the legal community that taking on a case like this will require that attorney to go up against the Multi-Billion-dollar insurance industry and the lawyers they will hire will spare no expense to defend the Health Care Providers responsible for the harm caused. It is an all-out war, and the insurance industry has endless resources.
The case eventually came to Mr. Offutt who reviewed the merits of the case very closely with the assistance of medical experts. He determined that it was a clear case of medical negligence and the jury later agreed. Mr. Offutt filed suit on behalf of Jordan and after several years of relentless and aggressive work, the jury returned a verdict for Jordan in the amount of 33.4 Million dollars. Mr. Offutt then had a "Special Needs Trust" (SNT) established for Jordan that would take care of him for the rest of his life. Jordan's verdict was the largest in Tennessee history.
DHEVYN'S CASE
Fighting the Billion-dollar Insurance Industry is tough, but Mr. Offutt has obtained other record-breaking verdicts in his career. In Minnesota he won a 15.5-Million-dollar verdict on behalf of "Dhevyn" - another little boy needlessly injured at birth and caused to suffer Cerebral Palsy. Again, a SNT fund was set up to care for Dhevyn for the rest of his life.
OTHER LEADING ATTORNEY RATING ORGANIZATIONS
The National Trial Lawyers Association is not the only respected attorney rating organization that has recognized Mr. Offutt's skills and accomplishments. Martindale-Hubbell® has repeatedly awarded him its highest possible rating (AV) for legal ability and professional ethics.
Others such as Super Lawyers®, AVVO and THE MILLION DOLLAR ADVOCATES FORUM have also identified him as one of the nation’s top attorneys.
FORMER DEFENSE ATTORNEY WITH 95% JURY TRIAL SUCCESS RATE TURNS TO PATIENT ADVOCACY
Prior to 2004 Mr. Offutt worked for the insurance industry as a defense attorney representing defendants accused of negligently causing harm to others. As a defense attorney, he had a jury trial success rate of better than 95%.
In 1999, the Institute Of Medicine (IOM) published a very important report entitled "To Err Is Human - Building A Safer Health System". In this report they exposed "the nation's epidemic of medical errors". The report was based on two independent in depth studies concerning the estimates of "preventable" medical errors that kill patients in hospitals in the United States. This peer reviewed report exposed the harsh reality that negligent care by Hospitals and their employees is by some estimates the 8th leading cause of death in America.
"Health care in the United States is not as safe as it should be--and can be. At least 44,000 people, and perhaps as many as 98,000 people, die in hospitals each year as a result of medical errors that could have been prevented, according to estimates from two major studies. Even using the lower estimate, deaths due to medical errors exceed the number attributable to the 8th-leading cause of death.
More people die in a given year as a result of medical errors than from motor vehicle accidents or breast cancer. "
"This report describes a serious concern in health care that, if discussed at all, is discussed only behind closed doors. As health care and the system that delivers it become more complex, the opportunities for errors abound. Correcting this will require a concerted effort by the professions, health care organizations, purchasers, consumers, regulators and policy-makers."
The full text of this report is available at:
http://www.nap.edu/books/0309068371/html/
This report talks about what it will take to correct this problem. The concerted effort they talk about includes the jury system. Jurors have incredible power to right the wrongs inflicted upon the individual by the powerful. The jury has the power to send a message to the medical profession and demand that proper care be given to patients.
Since this report came out in 1999 there have been two more studies that have concluded that the problem is actually getting worse. (J. Patient Saf. Volume 9, Number 3, September 2013) In 2004, Mr. Offutt was approached by a national prestigious patient advocate group to join their firm. He accepted the position and began his career working for individuals like Jordan and Dhevyn who had been needlessly injured by the negligence of medical institutions and their employees.
OVERVIEW OF RECENT SUCCESS SINCE 2004
- OVER A DOZEN STATES WHERE A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR RESULT WAS ACHIEVED.
- OVER 40 CASES WITH A VERDICT OR SETTLEMENT IN EXCESS OF A MILLION DOLLARS;
- TWO VERDICTS IN TWO DIFFERENT STATES THAT WERE THE LARGEST VERDICTS RECORDED IN THAT STATE'S HISTORY
- OVER 400 MILLION DOLLARS IN SETTLEMENTS & VERDICTS. COMBINED WITH MR. OFFUTT'S PARTNERS OVER THE YEARS, THEY HAVE OVER A BILLION DOLLARS IN SETTLEMENTS OR VERDICTS.
MORE RESULTS BY MR. OFFUTT SINCE 2004 (VERDICT OR SETTLEMENT)
MINNESOTA – $3,000,000.00
CEREBRAL PALSY. ANOTHER CASE WHERE A CHILD’S HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS IGNORED OBVIOUS SIGNS OF DISTRESS AND FAILED TO DELIVER HIM BEFORE SERIOUS BRAIN DAMAGE WAS CAUSED. IN THIS CASE THE BRAIN DAMAGE WAS MILD/MODERATE.
MINNESOTA - $2,500,000.00
MILD CEREBRAL PALSY. ANOTHER CASE WHERE A CHILD’S HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS IGNORED OBVIOUS SIGNS OF DISTRESS AND FAILED TO DELIVER HIM BEFORE BRAIN DAMAGE WAS CAUSED. IN THIS CASE THE BRAIN DAMAGE WAS MILD.
MINNESOTA – $4,250,000.00
FAILURE TO DIAGNOSE/BRAIN DAMAGE. THIS LITTLE BOY’S HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS COMMITTED A SERIES OF ERRORS. FIRST THEY FAILED TO DIAGNOSE A SERIOUS CONDITION HE HAD IN UTERO WHICH WOULD HAVE REQUIRED DELIVERY AT A HOSPITAL WITH PERSONNEL ABLE TO SAFELY DELIVER HIM. THEN THEY FAILED TO RECOGNIZE THAT HE WAS IN SERIOUS DISTRESS AFTER BIRTH AND OBTAIN AN IMMEDIATE TRANSFER TO AN APPROPRIATE FACILITY. THE END RESULT WAS SERIOUS BRAIN DAMAGE.
MINNESOTA – $4,000,000.00
CEREBRAL PALSY. IN THIS CASE THE NURSING STAFF KNEW THAT THIS CHILD’S DOCTOR WAS MAKING SERIOUS MISTAKES. THE NURSE DID IN FACT GO TO HER SUPERVISORS TO CORRECT THE SITUATION BUT HER EFFORTS WERE TOO LITTLE AND TOO LATE AND THIS LITTLE BOY SUFFERED SERIOUS OXYGEN DEPRIVATION WHICH LED TO CEREBRAL PALSY.
MINNESOTA – $6,000,000.00
BRAIN DAMAGE. MISMANAGEMENT OF LABOR AND DELIVERY RESULTED IN BRAIN DAMAGE AND CEREBRAL PALSY.
MINNESOTA – $6,000,000.00
FAILURE TO PERFORM EMERGENCY C-SECTION. RECOVERY OF SIX MILLION DOLLARS AFTER MEDICAL STAFF FAILED TO APPROPRIATELY INTERPRET AND RESPOND TO EVIDENCE OF FETAL COMPROMISE AND PERFORM EMERGENCY C-SECTION RESULTING IN BRAIN DAMAGE.
MINNESOTA – $4,500,000.00
CEREBRAL PALSY. RECOVERY FOR A CHILD WHO SUFFERED CEREBRAL PALSY AND MENTAL RETARDATION BECAUSE OF MISMANAGED LABOR AND DELIVERY.
MINNESOTA – $5,500,000.00
FAILURE TO RESPOND TO ELECTRONIC FETAL MONITORING DATA. MEDICAL STAFF DID NOT ACT ON CONCERNING FETAL MONITOR TRACINGS IN A TIMELY MANNER, LEADING TO BRAIN DAMAGE AND CEREBRAL PALSY.
MINNESOTA - $4,000,000.00
FAILURE TO MANAGE INFECTION. FAILURE TO MANAGE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF AN INFECTION THAT DEVELOPED SHORTLY AFTER DELIVERY RESULTING IN MENINGITIS.
MINNESOTA – $13,500,000.00
LABOR AND DELIVERY MISMANAGEMENT. RECOVERY FOR A CHILD WHO SUFFERED CEREBRAL PALSY AND MENTAL RETARDATION DUE TO A MISMANAGED LABOR AND DELIVERY.
MARYLAND - $4,500,000.00
CEREBRAL PALSY. FAILURE OF THE DOCTOR AND HOSPITAL TO PROPERLY SUPERVISE A RESIDENT AND THEN FAILED TO STEP IN TO OBTAIN A TIMELY DELIVERY.
MARYLAND - $4,000,000.00
CEREBRAL PALSY. AFTER 14 YEARS THE PARENTS ASKED THE FIRM TO EVALUATE THE LABOR & DELIVERY CARE OF THEIR SON. CLEAR MISTAKES WERE FOUND AND A SETTLEMENT OBTAINED DAYS BEFORE TRIAL
MINNESOTA - $7,250,000.00
CEREBRAL PALSY. A COMBINATION OF ERRORS FROM THE CNM WHO MISREAD THE FHT TO THE OB WHO FAILED TO COME IN AND DELIVER THE CHILD TIMELY CAUSED SEVERE BRAIN DAMAGE TO THIS LITTLE BOY
TENNESSEE - $4,500,00.00
CEREBRAL PALSY AND DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS. BOTH THE DOCTOR AND THE NURSE FAILED TO RESPOND TO SIGNS OF DANGER THE LITTLE BOY WAS IN. THEY DELAYED DELIVERY AND CAUSED SEVERE BRAIN DAMAGE.
MINNESOTA - $6,750,000.00
CEREBRAL PALSY AND DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS. THIS CHILD HAD DEVELOPED A CONDITION CAUSING HIM TO LOSE BLOOD TO HIS MOTHER. DESPITE THE CLEAR SIGNS THE BABY WAS IN TROUBLE THE DOCTOR AND NURSE FAILED TO RESPOND TIMELY BEFORE PERMANENT HARM TO HIS BRAIN HAD OCCURRED.
MARYLAND - $4,500,000.00
CEREBRAL PALSY AND DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS. ONCE AGAIN DOCTORS AND NURSES FAILED TO RESPOND TO CLEAR SIGNS THE BABY WAS NOT TOLERATING THE STRESS OF LABOR. THEIR DELAY IN CALLING A C-SECTION CAUSED SIGNIFICANT OXYGEN DEPRIVATION AND RESULTED IN BRAIN DAMAGE.
MINNESOTA - $6,150,000.00
CEREBRAL PALSY. ANOTHER CASE OF DOCTORS AND NURSES FAILING TO RESPOND TO CLEAR SIGNS THE BABY WAS NOT TOLERATING THE STRESS OF LABOR. THEIR DELAY IN CALLING A C-SECTION CAUSED SIGNIFICANT OXYGEN DEPRIVATION AND RESULTED IN BRAIN DAMAGE.
MINNESOTA - $5,200,000.00
CEREBRAL PALSY. DESPITE CLEAR SIGNS THE BABY WAS BECOMING HYPOXIC (DECREASED OXYGEN) THE DOCTOR FAILED TO CONVERT THIS VAGINAL DELIVERY TO A C-SECTION. SEVERE BRAIN DAMAGE ENSUED.
MINNESOTA - $10,000,000.00
CEREBRAL PALSY AND DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS. THE DOCTOR CARELESSLY EVALUATED THE BABY TO BE IN PROPER POSITION FOR A VAGINAL DELIVERY. HOWEVER, HE WAS 100% WRONG. THE BABY WAS IN BREECH. HE THEN LEFT THE ROOM AND HAD THE NURSES PUSH. THE UMBILICAL CORD GOT PINCHED AS THEY IMPROPERLY TRIED FOR A VAGINAL DELIVERY AND THEN SCRAMBLED TO DO A C-SECTION. OXYGEN DEPRIVATION WAS OCCURRING AND RESULTED IN SEVERE BRAIN DAMAGE.
MARYLAND - $5,500,00.00
CEREBRAL PALSY. CALAMITY OR ERRORS STARTING WITH A MISTAKE IN ASSESSING THE BABY TO BE FULLY TERM WHEN CUT INTO MOM TO DO A C-SECTION NEEDLESSLY. THE BABY WAS STILL UNDERDEVELOPED AND SUFFERED RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS BECAUSE OF PREMATURITY AND RESULTED IN BRAIN DAMAGE.
MARYLAND - $9,400,000.00
CEREBRAL PALSY. THE NURSE FAILED TO RESPOND TO THE FHM TELLING HER THAT AN EMERGENCY WAS IN PROGRESS. SHE DELAYED SO LONG THAT THE BABY SUSTAINED SEVERE BRAIN DAMAGE.
LICENSED TO PRACTICE
- Supreme Court of the United States
- State and Federal courts of Maryland
- District of Columbia
- State and Federal Courts of Minnesota
SPECIAL PERMISSION TO PRACTICE - Due to Mr. Offutt's abilities and experience he has been asked by attorneys and clients from around the country to represent them. However, if he is not licensed in a particular State then a Motion must be filed asking the court to approve his representation of that individual in their State or Federal court. Mr. Offutt has never been denied approval.
Mr. Offutt has been granted special permission in the following State and Federal courts:
- Tennessee
- West Virginia
- Pennsylvania
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- Iowa
- Illinois
- Wisconsin
- Oklahoma
- Alabama
- Virginia
- Texas
- Mississippi
- Michigan
EDUCATION
- DeMatha Catholic High School
- BA degree in Law Enforcement and Psychology, University of Maryland undergraduate
- Juris Doctorate, University of Baltimore law school, 1988
BAR ADMISSIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS
- American Association of Justice (AAJ)
- Maryland Association for Justice (MAJ)
- Public Justice
- American Bar Association
- Birth Trauma Litigation Group, (BTLG)
- Maryland Bar Association
- Minnesota Bar Association
- District of Columbia Bar Association
