Bradford S. Purcell

PARTNER

[email protected]
312-385-2166

PRACTICE OVERVIEW

Bradford S. Purcell defends individuals, public entities, and private companies of all types in civil litigation, particularly legal actions involving catastrophic injury and death. He represents his clients in all phases of the litigation process, developing defense strategies during the claims stage, guiding clients through the discovery process and, most importantly, defending clients all the way to verdict, if necessary. His reputation in the legal community, earned over three decades, of successfully defending clients to verdict facilitates optimal results in all cases.

REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE

Gone to verdict as lead trial counsel in federal court and state courts in Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan in cases involving wrongful death, traumatic brain injury, amputation, and catastrophic injuries. During a seven year stretch beginning in November 2011 alone, he went to verdict 10 times in cases that plaintiffs requested an aggregate of over $128,350,000 in damages, achieving a defense verdict in all but two of the trials contesting liability.

• Served as lead trial counsel through verdict in a wide variety of cases, including trials involving construction accidents, commercial vehicle collisions, premises liability, product liability, and Section 1983 actions.
• Obtained summary judgments on behalf of general contractors in two separate construction accident cases involving catastrophic injury arguing lack of “retained control” pursuant to Section 414 of the Restatement (Second) of Torts.
• Achieved summary judgment in favor of municipalities in two separate cases, one involving alleged false imprisonment and false arrest, and the other involving alleged failure to maintain elevators at a correctional facility.
• Achieved summary judgment in favor of a security company in a case involving multiple fatalities due to an assailant who open fired on workers at a manufacturing facility. He successfully argued in front of the First District Appellate Court to affirm that summary judgment

PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS

Since 1994, Brad has presented more than 75 separate seminars in 17 different states across the country to diverse audiences, including insurance claims representatives, construction safety personnel, police officers, municipal employees, attorneys, and third party administrators.

The topics that he has lectured upon include:

• Handling Premises Liability Claims and Litigation
• Analyzing Construction Accident Litigation
• The Use of Documents in Construction Accident Litigation
• The Science of Settlement: Negotiation Techniques and Strategies
• Analyzing Construction Defect Litigation
• Liability for Criminal Acts and Terrorism
• Challenging Attorney Fees in §1983 Actions
• Authentication of Video Evidence at Trial
• Liability for Spoliation of Evidence

Brad has also authored the following publications:

• “Construction Accident Litigation,” 2012
• “Handling Premises Liability Claims Regardless of Jurisdiction,” Liability Insurance Research Bureau, 1995
• “Handling Premises Liability Claims in Illinois,” 2007
• “The Science of Settlement,” Liability Insurance Research Bureau, 1996
• “Criminal Acts, Terrorism & Liability Claims,” 2008

He was also a contributing author to “Liability Claim Practices,” § 8.34-8.38 (Insurance Institute of America 2001).

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Brad is AV-Rated® by Martindale-Hubbell peer-review ratings, the highest recognition of excellence in legal practice and ethics. Brad has also been listed in the A.M. Best Directory of Insurance Attorneys as Client Recommended for more than 10 years.

He earned the “Outstanding Presenter Award” at the national PLRB/LIRB Claims Conference in April 2006.

Brad was featured in the May 1994 issue of Claims Magazine in connection with his work in the field of premises liability law and on “CBS Good Morning” with respect to the effectiveness of surveillance in litigation.

EDUCATION

• University of Notre Dame Law School, 1987
• Valparaiso University, summa cum laude 1984

ADMISSIONS

• Illinois
• U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois

MEMBERSHIPS

• Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel
• Chicago Bar Association
• DRI