David M. Reddan | Attorney

David Reddan devotes his practice to complex civil litigation in the areas of products liability, commercial litigation, and general torts/insurance law. As part of his products liability practice, David represents insurers, manufacturers, and property owners in matters involving catastrophic losses and significant damage claims. In doing so, David has gained extensive experience litigating cases involving large fires, explosions, and chemical spills throughout the United States . Moreover, David is one of only a handful of attorneys to complete an intensive two-year Fire Investigator and Inspector Certificate Program that meets the National Fire Protection Association's Standards 1031 and 1033. This depth of knowledge and expertise gives David a unique perspective in fire litigation, enabling him to achieve the best results for his clients in a cost-effective manner.

David's wealth of experience and specialization in the fire litigation arena also allows him to provide valuable advice to clients and experts at the critical stages of a case, including: retention of experts; cause and origin investigation of the fire scene; identifying parties for third-party practice or subrogation potential; defending or examining fire experts at discovery depositions or trial; analyzing and advocating evidentiary issues such as admissibility of fire experts' testimony under Daubert or Frye -Mack challenges; preventing or advocating for spoliation sanctions for the destruction of evidence; and presenting or defending fire cause, origin, and spread theories at trial.

David's commercial litigation experience ranges from representing small family-owned businesses to Fortune 500 companies, such as Northwest Airlines, in complex commercial disputes throughout the nation. David has handled multi-party cases involving numerous experts, competing claims, hundreds of thousands of documents, and significant damages.

David rejoined Arthur Chapman in 2002 after a two-year association with the Minneapolis firm of Leonard, Street and Deinard. While in law school, David clerked as a judicial intern with Chief Judge Paul Magnuson of United States District Court for the District of Minnesota.

Recent Representative Cases - Fire/Catastrophic Loss  

• Manufacturing Facility Chemical Leak and Resulting Fire/Explosion: (Over $250,000,000 in claimed losses) Defense counsel for insurer and component-part manufacturer in an action involving a chemical leak and resulting fire/explosion at a food manufacturing facility using liquid-ammonia refrigeration systems.
• Arabian Horse Facility Fire: (Over $22,000,000 in claimed losses) Defense counsel for insurer and wallboard material manufacturer in an action involving fire spread claims related to the total destruction of an Arabian horse breeding/training facility.
• Natural Gas Pipeline Leak: (Over $5,000,000 in estimated losses) Counsel for subrogated insurer involving claims for workers compensation, business interruption and lost property arising out of a natural gas leak and resulting explosion at a commercial building.
• Fires at Agricultural Facilities: (Alleged losses ranging from $2,500,000 - $2,000,000) Defense counsel for insurers and manufacturers in multiple cases involving fires at agricultural/livestock facilities, arising out of negligence, strict liability and breach of contract claims.
• Greenhouse Fire:  (Over $2,500,000 in estimated losses) Defense counsel for insurer and international manufacturer of motor control systems in action for loss of commercial greenhouses due to alleged electrical fire.
• University Library Fire: (Over $2,000,000 in estimated losses) Defense counsel for insurer and manufacturer of cable television equipment with regard to an alleged electrical fire inside a library at a local university.
• Restaurant Fire: (Over $1,700,000 in claimed losses) Defense counsel for insurer and fire inspection/service company where alleged grease fire resulted in total loss of the facility.
• Maritime Fire Loss: (Over $1,500,000 in claimed losses) Defense counsel for arc-welder and maritime insurer in action for total loss of passenger ship due to fire.
• Custom Home Fire: (Over $1,300,000 in alleged losses) Defense counsel for electrical contractor and insurer in a fire at a home construction site, involving numerous parties and complex spoliation issues.
• Assisted Living Facility Fire: (Over $1,000,000 in alleged losses) Defense counsel for insurer and construction company in action involving cause and origin issues, flame spread claims, and possible spoliation of evidence by Plaintiff related to fire at assisted living facility.
• Combine and Tractor Sales/Servicing Facility Fire: (Over $1,000,000 in estimated losses) Defense counsel for insurer and international distributor of ventilation system in a matter involving the total loss of a major tractor/combine servicing facility.
• Office Complex Fire: (Over $1,000,000 in claimed losses) Obtained confidential settlement as defense counsel for insurer and international manufacturer of electrical appliances in an action involving a fire at a business office complex.
• Custom Home Fire: (Obtained six-figure settlement) Counsel for general contractor/owner of a custom home destroyed by fire.
• Town Home Complex Fire: (Over $400,000 in claimed losses) Defense counsel for heating contractor in action involving cause and origin issues and flame spread claims regarding a fire at a town home complex.
• Residential Construction Fire: (Over $300,000 in claimed losses) Defense counsel for insurer and heating contractor in action involving claims of negligence and breach of contract related to fire at residential construction site.
• Commercial Parking Garage Fire:   (Argued for and obtained $1,000 jury verdict where Plaintiff had claimed damages in excess of $250,000) as Defense Counsel for international commercial parking garage company in an action involving breach of contract and negligence claims for a fire allegedly arising out of use of a portable heater.
• Manufactured Home Fire: (Over $190,000 in claimed losses) Defense counsel for national manufacturer of portable heating product in action arising out of a fire at a manufactured home.
• Arson/Fraud: Defense counsel for insurers on numerous cases involving arson, fraud, and insurance coverage related to fires in single family homes.
• Fire Subrogation: Counsel for insurers and insureds in multiple fire subrogation cases involving homes, offices, and other structures.