Manufacturing

Automotive

Retail

Insurance

Trucking

Product, Tort & Insurance Practice Group, Chair

• Indiana

• Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, J.D., 1988
• Indiana University, B.A., 1985

Eric is the Chair of the firm's Product, Tort and Insurance Practice Group.  His practice is focused upon the defense of catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, and business and economic loss claims.  Eric has tried 53 jury trials and has obtained 44 defense verdicts for his clients. These include cases involving quadriplegia, paraplegia, locked-in syndrome, wrongful death of minors and adults, closed-head injuries, intentional torts, constructive fraud, and breach of contract leading to insolvency.  In 2013, Eric was inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.  Fellowship in the College is by invitation only, and is limited to one percent of the lawyers in each state, as determined by judges and peers. 

Some of Eric's noteworthy trials include the following:

Berry v. Utility Company (defense verdict in wrongful death case involving platform lift).

Simmons v. Automotive Manufacturer (defense verdict in product liability case involving paraplegia of mentally-handicapped plaintiff who allegedly sustained his injuries as a result of defective seatbelt).

Chandler v. Trucking Carrier (defense verdict in case of wrongful death of a special-needs minor killed in head-on truck/vehicle collision).

Good v. Automation Software Developer (favorable settlement during trial wherein bankruptcy trustee was seeking $60,000,000 for alleged insolvency of debtor as a result of broken contract and supposedly defective software).

Purvis v. Automobile Manufacturer (defense verdict in product liability crashworthiness case involving alleged "locked-in" syndrome).

Moore v. Automobile Manufacturer (substantial plaintiff's verdict in wrongful death/crashworthiness case, reversed on appeal, re-tried and ultimately settled).

A number of Eric's cases have resulted in significant appellate decisions.  These include:

Ford Motor Co. v. Rushford, 868 N.E.2d 806 (S.Ct.Ind. 2007) (duty to warn clarified).

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Wright, 774 N.E.2d 891 (S.Ct.Ind. 2002) (internal policies do not create higher standard of care).

Zawistoski v. Glick, 727 N.E.2d 790 (Ind.Ct.App. 2000) (interpretation of commercial lease).

Rogers v. Ford Motor Co., 952 F.Supp. 606 (N.D.Ind. 1997) (Daubert standard under Indiana law).

Experience

Tried 53 jury trials and at least 20 bench trials, and has eight reported appellate decisions.

Served as regional coordinating and trial counsel for a major automotive supplier.

Extensive experience with Alternative Dispute Resolution in multi-district mass-tort federal litigation.

Appointed by a Fortune 500 client to a team of settlement specialists that traveled the United States attempting to resolve major claims and suits involving a high-profile recalled product. 

• Chambers USA, Recognized Practitioner, Litigation: General Commercial, 2017–2018
• American College of Trial Lawyers, inducted 2013; Indiana State Committee, 2018–present 
• The Best Lawyers in America©, 2008–2020
• American Board of Trial Advocates, inducted 2004
• Selected for inclusion in Indiana Super Lawyers®,  2007–2018
• Outstanding Lawyers of America, 2003–present

• American Bar Association
• Indianapolis Bar Association 
• Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, invited 2002
• Defense Research Institute
• Defense Trial Counsel of Indiana 
• Indianapolis Lawyers Club 

Past

• Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law - Indianapolis Alumni Association Board of Directors, President, 2006-2007; Vice President, 2005-2006; Treasurer, 2004-2005
• Indianapolis Bar Association Distinguished Fellow, 2009 - present
• Homeless Project
• Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish Council

Indiana's Product Liability Act & Related Statutes, 2004
UM/UIM Compendium, Indiana, 2007, Defense Research Institute
FDCC Claims Professional Desk Reference, Indiana 2018 
Presenter, FDCC Corporate Counsel Seminar, Chicago, Illinois, June, 2017: "Discovery on Discovery" 
Presenter, FDCC Annual Meeting, Sun Valley, ID, July, 2019: "Discovery on Discovery"