Medical Malpractice

Stephen M. Kapral, Jr., one of the firm’s founding members and partners, was born in Williamsburg, Virginia. Mr. Kapral has been awarded the “AV” or “preeminent” rating by the prestigious Martindale Hubbell legal rating publication. Mr. Kapral is a 1987 cum laude graduate of Lehigh University and a 1990 graduate of the University of Miami School of Law. Mr. Kapral is a member of the North Carolina and Florida bars as well as the United States District Court (Western and Middle Districts of North Carolina). Previously, Mr. Kapral served as a past summer intern for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Prior to relocating to western North Carolina from Florida with his wife, Gae and their two children, Mr. Kapral was a partner and shareholder in the boutique south Florida firm of Zappitell & Kapral, P.A.. Throughout his distinguished legal career in Florida, Mr. Kapral has handled numerous catastrophic injury cases in all areas of personal injury including nursing home abuse, wrongful death, medical malpractice and automobile and trucking accidents. Mr. Kapral’s legal track record is outstanding with many significant high dollar verdicts and settlements achieved. (Click “recent result” page for more information) In fact, Mr. Kapral was selected as one of the top 3000 Plaintiff’s lawyers in America as published in Lawdragon. Stephen M. Kapral, Jr. is a member of The Million Dollar Advocates Forum, one of the most prestigious groups of trial lawyers in the United States. Membership is limited to attorneys who have won million-dollar verdicts and settlements. Fewer than 1% of U.S. lawyers are members. Please note: Past successes do not guarantee future results, and membership in the Million Dollar Advocates Forum is not a guarantee of any outcome in your potential case. www.milliondollaradvocates.com Mr. Kapral is proud to have been involved as a past scoring judge at the Association of Trial Lawyers of America National Student Trial Advocacy Competition. He is a current member of the North Carolina Bar Association, American Bar Association, North Carolina Advocates for Justice and a board member for the Greystone IV Property Association. Mr. Kapral continues to concentrate his practice on providing quality representation to clients in personal injury matters, wrongful death, nursing home cases, and property and fire loss claims.

Stuart Paynter is an experienced trial attorney specializing in catastrophic personal injury cases, products liability and other complex litigation. Mr. Paynter began his career at one of the nations most prestigious law firms Sullivan & Cromwell before starting in own law firm in 2005. Under his leadership, Paynter Law has obtained over $500 million in verdicts and settlements, including one of the largest verdicts of 2018 in a medical malpractice case. Mr. Paynter believes every client deserves their day in court and fights to make it happen. During the course of his career, Mr. Paynter has taken on and won against Fortune 500 companies and other large institutions--including groundbreaking litigation against the NCAA that resulted in a $60 million settlement for student athletes.

I always knew that I wanted to start my own practice after I graduated from law school. My goal was to help people with their personal issues. Being a personal advocate to me was always taking the strongest position for your client and never giving up the fight, even when you think you might lose. The motto of "Never give up" was something that carried over throughout my career as an attorney. In 2002 I began my legal career in litigation at a plaintiff's personal injury firm. I learned the value of communicating with clients who were severely injured and were looking for compensation. Their biggest complaints were that the attorneys in the office never got back to them on what was happening with their case. So I made it my goal to always return every phone call. I never left the office for the day until every single phone call had been returned. As a young associate, I knew client communication was the number one goal to a satisfied customer. Shortly thereafter in early 2003, I felt it was time to move on, and I launched my career into criminal law at the Kings County District Attorney's Office. I was quickly thrown into the courtroom and cut my teeth on over 300 misdemeanor cases, many of which I tried to successful verdicts. I was then placed into the grand jury were I successfully indicated over 500 criminals resulting in sustainable felony charges. In 2006, I was promoted to a felony assistant. I returned to the courtroom in the Supreme Court of New York fighting for the citizens of Brooklyn. While trying numerous felony cases I quickly learned how to size up my cases early on, gather evidence that would hold up in front of a jury, and prepare my witnesses so that their stories were fluid, credible, and accurate. I won as many cases as I lost, but I learned to never be afraid to take any case to verdict, especially the tough ones, because you never know what can help. I never enjoyed being pushed around in the courtroom and I learned how to push back respectfully and diligently with the most up to date legal precedent and as much evidence as possible to prove my point. I never stopped until I found the truth and combed every piece of paper, report, or photo to find the answers I was seeking. I always went the extra mile to find as many witnesses as possible and as much evidence as I could to win. In 2007 I began to feel that I needed to make a change in my career. I returned to civil litigation. I spent a number of years in private practice where I defended insurance companies on complex litigation matters. I am extremely glad that I made the switch because it gave me the opportunity to learn the behind the scene decisions of insurance adjusters and lengths they will go in order to deny your claim. Additionally, I learned how litigate complex matters breaking down the issues to handle them effectively. I never thought of myself as a "defense guy" and I knew my skills were better equipped for a plaintiff's practice. The decisions the insurance companies made in denying claims against parties that were truly injured I believed were performed in error. In 2010 I made the decision to open my own law firm. I knew that I wanted to devote myself to taking on smaller clients that needed personal attention and were looking for guidance. I was fortunate enough to be selective in the types of cases that I took on in my practice. I did not want to treat my clients like they were just a name and number whose file was sitting on a shelf. I made it my business to know my clients personally, give them as much individual attention so that they feel that they are my only client. In my current practice I bring intuitive trial skills along with my communication skills. I still make it my number one priority to personally return every phone message I receive. Additionally, I guide my clients through every step of the litigation. I like to make them feel they are part of the process. I know my clients appreciate my diligence and hard work. Lastly, I've learned to take on the difficult cases, and I know that there are times when you have to force your adversary into the courtroom. I am not afraid to lose, and it's that confidence which has made me successful.

As a Senior Trial Attorney in the King’s County District Attorney’s Office, Mr. Galleshaw prosecuted hundreds of felony and misdemeanor cases in New York Supreme Court, New York City Criminal Court, and New York State Family Court. Upon leaving the District Attorney’s Office, Mr. Galleshaw worked in the litigation department of one of the country’s most respected insurance defense firms, where he handled a wide range of complex litigation matters, including products liability, motor vehicle accidents, construction accidents, lead and asbestos poisoning, and general negligence claims. Mr. Galleshaw’s practice focuses on all types of complex litigation matters, including all state and federal criminal defense matters, complex commercial litigation and high-value construction, and motor vehicle injury claims. He is currently admitted to practice in New York State, New Jersey State, and the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.

At Barfoot & Schoettker our attorneys and staff are 100 percent focused on helping you when you need it the most. We pride ourselves in providing excellent service throughout every stage of your legal battle. We are focused on representing those who find themselves facing a seemingly insurmountable giant. Whether it’s the insurance company who refuses to adequately compensate you for your personal injury; the wrongful death of a loved one caused by the carelessness of another; a large corporation committing fraud; you've wrongfully been accused of a crime; an unsafe product has caused harm; or a pharmaceutical company has manufactured a dangerous drug. Regardless of the obstacles you face we can help. One of the keys to our success is that we have dedicated ourselves exclusively to civil and criminal litigation. This has allowed us to become good at what we do. We have been fortunate in the past to have helped individuals with very serious person injury cases and criminal defense matters obtain favorable results. We know that each case is different and each client has a unique personality. Our attorneys and staff tailor each case to the specific facts presented and the client’s personality. We are confident that we can help you to stand tall in the face of any giant.

For more than 20 years, we have represented clients dealing with personal injuries and related legal claims. Contact us to schedule a free initial consultation about your case. Hands-On Representation by a Local Lawyer The legal complexity of a car accident injury, medical malpractice, Social Security Disability or sexual harassment case requires the services of a seasoned attorney who personalizes his approach and who has a track record of success in these areas. When you come to the Law Offices of Edward P. Shaughnessy, starting with your initial consultation, your case will be handled by a highly knowledgeable attorney at all times. You can be confident in the knowledge that your file will never be passed on to any support staff. Many personal injury law firms that operate in the Lehigh Valley are large organizations based in Philadelphia or elsewhere. At the Law Offices of Edward P. Shaughnessy, we are from the area and community-oriented. This is not a satellite office from a large law firm. We know the people of Easton and the Lehigh Valley and are committed to resolving their legal problems.

The Levin Firm was founded in 2005 by Gabriel Levin, Esquire and Brian Zeiger, Esquire, who had worked together for many years at the Defender Association of Philadelphia. The lawyers of The Levin Firm consider themselves trial lawyers – they are intense, zealous and aggressive advocates for their clients and are willing to take every case to a jury in order to get justice. The firm prides itself on providing high quality legal representation in a personalized atmosphere. The lawyers of The Levin Firm consider themselves trial lawyers – they are intense, zealous and aggressive advocates for their clients and are willing to take every case to a jury in order to get justice. The firm prides itself on providing high quality legal representation in a personalized atmosphere. While serving as Public Defenders, Attorneys Levin and Zeiger gained invaluable trial experience, representing individuals charged with crimes ranging from misdemeanors to major felonies. Because of these experiences, the attorneys combined their expertise, creating the law firm of The Levin Firm. The Levin Firm recognizes that our success depends upon gaining the trust of our clients, as well as the judges and jury before whom we appear. As a result, the firm is known for its painstaking preparation and attention to detail. This focus on excellence can be a crucial factor when a client’s liberty is on the line or when a jury deliberates to decide how much compensation to award to a seriously injured client. Just as important to the firm is the need to work with our clients, as well as their family and friends. Often, these people can provide valuable insight that can help us as we prepare for trial. That is why, when you need a lawyer, you should call the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and New Jersey personal injury lawyers at The Levin Firm, who represent every client zealously in order to obtain the best results possible in each case.

We hope you can find everything you need. Our law firm is focused on providing high-quality service and customer satisfaction - we will do everything we can to meet your expectations. Steven Meyer has been recognized as a board certified specialist in boyh business litigation and civil trial law. Only a small percentage of attorneys in Florida hold these certifications and are specialists in this area.

Attorney Korteling has over 20 years experience representing clients in transactional and litigation matters, offering small firm attention with large firm resources.