Brett Oppenheimer | Louisville Health Care Lawyer

Since 1991, Brett Oppenheimer, our founding attorney, has had the honor of fighting for victims and families who have suffered serious losses due to personal injury. Brett Oppenheimer has a wealth of experience in cases involving personal injury, auto accidents, nursing home abuse, medical malpractice, legal malpractice, defective drugs, product liability, and more. In addition to years of work in Kentucky, being born and raised in Louisville has given Brett Oppenheimer a unique ability to understand and best protect the interests of his clients. Currently, Brett Oppenheimer lives and practices law in Louisville, Kentucky, pursuing cases statewide. He has a wife, Laurie, and two boys, Ben and Blake. What Sets Him Apart? Impressive Accomplishments - Millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements Accessibility – Every call is returned, every email is answered promptly Hands-On Counsel – He handles cases himself from start to finish Reputation – His peers respect him and his clients love him Through his assiduous legal work, Brett Oppenheimer strives to make nursing homes and hospitals safer for patients and to make doctors more careful. Brett also works hard to hold negligent product manufacturers responsible when they have made unreasonably dangerous products that have harmed consumers. Most importantly, however, Brett Oppenheimer strives to protect the interests of Kentucky's people by helping them receive fair compensation after injuries and other losses.

Lawyer.com Member Questionnaire

Please describe a case in the last year or two where you made a big difference.
Re: Opioid Epidemic: we represent ~500 individuals who have lost their lives, suffered addiction, or been born in withdrawal from or addicted to opioid drugs.

Re: Making Hospitals Safer/Holding Medical Professionals Accountable for Errors: we have successfully prosecuted cases in which hospital staffs and physicians have failed to properly monitor patients and/or have failed to timely call for a C-section resulting in oxygen deprivation to the babies and diagnoses of Cerebral Palsy. Holding medical providers accountable not only provides needed/deserved financial resources for the victim, but, arguably, makes the labor and delivery process safer for the “next patient”.

Re: Defective Products: we have recently successfully represented families who have lost loved ones in fires and similar events, resulting from dangerously and defectively designed products, including: -a disposable lighter (which had a defective “child resistant” feature allowing a 3 year old to ignite his home resulting in the death of two family members); an excessively flammable sofa (which accelerated a house fire rather than acting as a retardant—resulting in injuries to a husband and the death of his wife); a defective portable room heater (the defect failed to turn off the heat in a 2 year old’s room—resulting in his dehydration, hyperthermia and, tragically, his death).

How did you build a successful practice?
Initially, I handled many types of cases, including criminal, divorce/custody, real estate, injury, bankruptcy, disability etc. I wanted as much trial experience as I could get…so I took “all comers”. Eventually, I learned that I was a better lawyer if I only accepted cases in areas that I enjoyed practicing—those that have medicine at their base (e.g. motor vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, product liability). Once I achieved a certain level of experience and success, I came to understand that I can be a better lawyer for fewer clients…and so I have become more and more selective…taking on fewer cases versus a “more-is-better” model. I have also learned to not force-settlements: If I feel an offer is reasonable, but the client does not—we do not settle. But, the single most important factor in our success has been our ability and willingness to communicate: Everyone gets my cell # and my office #--and I respond quickly to all emails, texts and calls.

What should clients look for in a lawyer?
Strong communication skills. Honesty. Hard Work.

How important is local knowledge to the success of your cases?
It is beneficial to know the judges, clerks, bailiffs, secretaries, staff, etc. However, if we represent someone outside of our strongest geographic area, we associate with local counsel to gain the local knowledge that we may be missing.

What information can you provide in a free phone consultation?
During the initial consultation, I feel my job is NOT to “candy-coat” or “cheerlead”…rather, I want to answer questions, advise the potential client of their rights, advise the potential client of the law (as it applies to their situation) and determine if we make a good fit for an attorney-client relationship.

What information do you need in a free phone consultation?
I like to hear the “story” in timeline fashion, including the discussion of the facts surrounding the incident, the allegations against the alleged wrong-doer, the “damages” (i.e. injuries) and the ways in which this incident has and will impact the potential client into the future.

What differentiates you from other lawyers in your community?
1) Excellent communication skills—everyone gets our home and office numbers as well as my cell and email—we respond quickly—7 days a week. Also, my wife, Laurie, is my assistant and she is intimately involved in moving cases forward and providing meaningful and timely communications.

2) Non-pressure approach—often clients have come to us with complaints that their previous attorney pressured them to accept settlements that were unacceptable—we do not do that. The client is the “boss”.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?
At this point, we only accept cases in which we have a real affinity—if I do not feel strongly about the cause of action and if I don’t love the client, I feel I’m not the right attorney. For these reasons, we are very selective in who we represent. As a result, I love what I do.

What are your other interests in addition to law?
I am an artist (sculptor) and love to collect art. I enjoy playing golf and poker. I enjoy hiking. I love my dogs (boxers). I practice Transcendental Meditation daily.

Are you involved in your community?
Yes. Laurie and I are very involved. Between us, we have had the honor to serve on many Boards of Directors (Louisville Visual Arts Association, KIDS Center for Pediatric Therapies (developmentally-challenged kids therapy facility), Harmonium (alcohol and drug support entity)). We are members of the Speed Museum and the Ft. Wayne Museum of Art. Laurie is very involved as a long-time volunteer at the West End School. We also support many charities including, but not limited to: The YMCA, St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Juvenile Diabetes, Wayside Christian Mission, St. Joseph Children’s Home, The Alzheimer’s Association, Best Buddies, Norton Cancer Institute, Birthright Israel Foundation, Columbia Christian Church, Public Justice, Honor Flight, Cystic Fibrosis, Dance Blue, Dare to Care Food Bank, Disabled American Veterans, The KIDS Center for Pediatric Therapies, Kentucky Humane Society, Little Flock Baptist Church, Impact Africa, Louisville Urban League, Make a Wish International, River Fields, Saint Agnes Catholic Community,St. Baldrick’s Foundation, St. John Missionary Baptist Church, The Healing Place, The Temple—Congregation Adath Israel, Brith Sholom, West End School, Community Foundation of Louisville, Restaurant Workers Relief Program, Blessings in a Backpack, St. Gabriel.

Position	Organization	Location	Duration
Owner	Brett H. Oppenheimer, PLLC	Louisville, KY	Present

School	Degree	Major	Graduation
Louis D. Brandeis School of Law, University of Louisville	J.D.	Law School	1991
University of Florida	Bachelors	Marketing	1987

State / Court	Date
Kentucky	1991

• Million Dollar Advocates Forum | Lifetime Member

• Top 100 Kentucky | National Trial Lawyers
  Distinguished | Martindale-Hubbell | 2018
  Million Dollar Advocate | Million Dollar Advocates Forum | 2018

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Brett H. Oppenheimer has been a Premium Member since August 04, 2020.
Lawyers with longer memberships tend to have more experience so we use the Membership date to help prioritize lawyer listings on search pages.

Verified Credentials	Date Verified
(1991) Licensed as Attorney in Kentucky. Verified with Kentucky Bar Association.	August 04, 2020

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