Motor Vehicle

“From the time I started the practice of law in 1997, I have approached each client’s personal injury case with the mindset of leaving no stone unturned. Thorough preparation, tenacious advocacy, and an unwavering commitment to achieving justice and fair compensation for all of my clients have been the keys to my success. I am also proud to be one player on a team of dedicated trial lawyers who have earned a reputation for excellence in the courtroom.” David J. Martin began his career at MRR as a law clerk in the litigation department, and later became an associate where he quickly gained courtroom experience under the guidance and mentorship provided by Joseph B. Chazen and Paul A. Turkheimer. Early in his career, David was often retained by insurance companies to defend their insureds against claims of personal injury. Through that experience, and numerous jury trials, David learned valuable lessons from the defense of injury claims that have now provided perspective and experience to assist innocent injured victims of motor vehicle accidents, construction accidents, and medical malpractice. Before the age of 40, David was elected Principal at MRR, and obtained several significant settlements and verdicts for his clients, highlighted by a 6.1 million dollar jury verdict in a wrongful death medical malpractice case. David’s practice is now devoted exclusively to the representation of individuals and their families who have suffered serious personal injuries and death caused by the negligence of others. David has successfully resolved hundreds of cases and has recovered millions for his clients who have suffered injuries caused by medical errors, construction failures, motor vehicle collisions, dog bites, hazardous conditions, and food poisoning. In his free time, David enjoys cooking for friends and family, music, and travel. David also enjoys skiing, as well as competing in Olympic distance triathlons and running events.

A Dedication To Success Not many lawyers are as successful in court as they have been on the court. But Tim Williams is a rare breed. Before he became this firm’s lead litigator and honored as an Oregon Super Lawyer, Tim sharpened his competitive edge as a forward on Southern Oregon University’s nationally ranked basketball team. He’s been winning ever since, first graduating from SOU with honors, then finishing law school and being nominated to top leadership positions with professional and civic organizations across the state and nation. Tim brings that drive to every case he takes. Among Oregon lawyers, you’ll be hard pressed to find anyone who’s taken more personal injury cases to trial than Tim, who has been with the firm since 1999. His tenacity comes from Tim’s firmly held belief that individuals and corporations that harm people or cause death must be held fully accountable. The competence and professionalism Tim brings to the courtroom extends to his work with various organizations that have become a priority for this civically active lawyer. Tim has held leadership positions with the Oregon State Bar, the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, the American Association for Justice, the J.R. Campbell Inns of Court, and the Rotary Club of Bend. He has also been admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court – a distinction held by few. Whether he’s working with leaders in the community or clients dealing with injury from a car crash, semi-truck collision, a work-related incident or who have lost a loved one due to wrongful death, Tim’s track record of bringing home wins speaks for itself. Since 2003, Tim has won tens of millions of dollars for his clients.

Brian Custy is no stranger to hard work, securing his first paying job in rural Colorado after 2nd grade working in grain elevators and maintaining physical jobs through college including drilling water wells, maintaining government wildlife property, and fencing acreage throughout the Rocky Mountains. He carried this work ethic through undergrad where he studied Civil Engineering while starting all 4 years on the varsity football team. Brian then attended law school where he earned scholarships based on his academic performance and graduated among the top 10 students in his law class. Following law school, Brian secured a position with a well-known Indiana and Illinois personal injury firm, where he was closely mentored and assisted the firm founder in obtaining a significant verdict in his first jury trial. Brian then accepted a position with Sidley Austin in Chicago, one of the largest and most prestigious international law firms in the world, where he represented major institutional clients including Wall Street investment banks. Desiring to be closer to his growing family and help people, Brian began representing one of Indiana’s most successful entrepreneurs and his business and personal interests before he founded Custy Law Firm. Brian was accepted to and attended the prestigious Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College in 2016. The Trial Lawyers College was established by legendary trial lawyer Gerry Spence to train attorneys who represent people and not insurance companies, the government or large corporations. He enjoys spending time with his wife and 3 boys, the outdoors, coaching his sons’ sports teams and working out. Lawyer.com Member Questionnaire Please describe a case(s) in the last year or two where you made a big difference. We’ve recently helped Clients obtain successful results in cases that other attorneys previously handled, referred over or brought us into including: - $550,000 recovered for client injured in car wreck in a case referred in by a local injury attorney; - $500,000 recovered for client hit by commercial motor vehicle after attorneys who filed the case quit and many others refused to get involved; and - $300,000 jury verdict for injured railroad worker after original union designated counsel quit the case. How did you build a successful practice? We provide the harmed with real, honest representation built on human interaction and trust. By always striving to adhere to these core principles, our Clients will be served well and our practice will benefit. What should clients look for in a lawyer? Clients should listen to their gut when selecting a lawyer to entrust with their case and lives. Clients come to us with difficult and life-changing problems that they did not create and have suffered financial losses and have often had valuable health and freedom to enjoy their lives taken from them.  Clients should ask themselves: Do I trust the lawyer? Does the lawyer listen to me? Can I communicate freely and openly with the lawyer? Does the lawyer care? If the answers to these questions are all “yes”, then the lawyer is likely one that will serve the Client’s best interests first and foremost.  Oftentimes, legal matters can take time to resolve, especially if a trial is needed to obtain a fair outcome. The strong Client and lawyer relationship is a close personal one. What differentiates you from other lawyers in your community? We focus on the Client and understanding the impact of the event at issue on the lives of them and their Family. By working to understand the true story of their situation, we are able to provide powerful and effective representation by sharing the truth with a jury or the other side.   What is the most rewarding aspect of your job? Helping people who cannot help themselves through trying situations is a reward in and of itself. We often come to know our clients as friends, we spend time with them and their Families. These relationships allow us to learn and effectively share the truth of their case with jurors, judges or insurance companies as if we were telling the story of a close family member who has been harmed. Gerry Spence teaches that we cannot ask a juror to do something we will not. If we do not care about our Client and what has happened to them, we cannot ask a juror to do so. What are your other interests in addition to law? I enjoy the outdoors, being physically active, and spending time with my wife, our 3 boys and our family dog “Bandit.” Are you involved in your community? I’m an active coach of my son’s pop warner and flag football teams and a board member of Our Greater Good which focuses its efforts on improving opportunities for disadvantaged youth and strengthening family relationships.

Michael Schreyer is an advocate for the injured. He is a leader among injury attorneys in the state of Maryland, and across the greater Washington, DC region. Mr. Schreyer’s experience and record of success in the courtroom has led to the recognition of his skills, including: a “National Recognition of Achievement in Civil Trial Advocacy” from the Million Dollar Advocates Forum; “Preeminent,” from Martindale-Hubbell; “Superb” from AVVO; as well as membership in Super Lawyers. Mr. Schreyer currently serves as a member of the Interstate Trucking Group of the American Association of Justice, which provides leadership and education for the nation’s advocates for victims of catastrophic injuries in tractor trailer and bus collisions. Mr. Schreyer also serves as a member on the National Advisory Board of the Association of Plaintiff Interstate Trucking Lawyers of America (APITLA). He is also an active member of the Medical Malpractice Section of the Maryland Association for Justice. In the past, Mr. Schreyer has served in the position of Chairman of the Negligence, Insurance and Workers’ Compensation Section of the Maryland State Bar Association. He has tried cases and negotiated claims with some of the largest insurance companies in the world. His experience as a personal injury and workers’ compensation attorney has taken him to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals of the United States, the Court of Appeals of Maryland, and many of the trial courts in Maryland and Washington, DC. Mr. Schreyer has seen first hand the devastating physical and financial toll an injury can cause when others violate rules of safe conduct. He understands that without a fair and full verdict, an injury victim may never fully recover. Whether he is working on a car collision, truck crash, motorcycle wreck, pedestrian injury, construction catastrophe, medical malpractice or workers’ compensation case, Mr. Schreyer understands that each client faces a unique set of challenges. He applies his extensive knowledge of personal injury law, insurance, evidence, medicine and loss of earnings and disability to address the specific circumstances of each of his clients. He has been doing that since graduating from one of the nation’s top 20 law schools, The Washington and Lee University School of Law, and receiving a Juris Doctorate in 1988. Mr. Schreyer’s passion for aiding others has led him to contribute to a wide variety of organizations, including the Pope John Paul II Academy, and Big Brothers Big Sisters. Following the September 11, 2001, Pentagon and Twin Towers attacks, Mr. Schreyer was honored for his charitable representation of a victim through the Trial Lawyers Care Project of the American Association for Justice. While his litigation resulted in an award of more than one million dollars for a wounded hero, he accepted no legal fee for his work.

Practice Areas: Medical Malpractice, Product Liability, Wrongful Death, Personal Injury Born to Cuban and Colombian parents, Cassandra “Cassie” Lombard was raised in South Florida and is fluent in Spanish. She attended the University of Miami, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 2010. While there, she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and graduated in the top five percent of her class. She was also a member of the prestigious University of Miami President’s 100. She then attended the University of Miami Law School, graduating in 2013 Magna Cum Laude. She was also on the Inter- American Law Review during this time. Cassie began her internship with Gordon & Partners in 2012. One year later, she joined the firm’s Broward County office as an associate attorney. Cassie is currently a trial lawyer who has devoted her professional life to representing injured individuals in litigation. Cassie began her career at the firm handling all types of personal injury cases. In 2017, Cassie was trial counsel in a motor vehicle case where she obtained a verdict that was listed as one of Florida’s Top 100 Motor Vehicle Accident Verdicts in Florida. In 2017, Cassie began working exclusively in the firm’s tobacco litigation division. During this time, Cassie has been on trial teams that have received seven and eight figure verdicts including one that was named in the Top 100 Verdicts in Florida in 2018. During her free time, Cassie enjoys spending time with her family. Below is a list of recent verdicts that Cassie has been involved in: Duignan vs. R.J. Reynolds and Phillip Morris: $26,750,000.00 Coyne v. R.J. Reynolds: $17,589,233.00 Burgess v. R.J Reynolds: $3,000,000.00 Garcia v. Rance & X-Ray Copy Service Inc.: $254,461.00

Ted Whittenburg has 22 years of litigation experience and specializes in helping those who have suffered personal injuries as the result of other’s negligence. He represents clients who have been injured in motor vehicle crashes, construction accidents, slip and falls, and all other types of negligence cases, as well as those who are injured on the job. A growing number of Ted’s clients are bicyclists and pedestrians who have suffered injuries at the hands of distracted and inattentive drivers. He has represented clients in numerous catastrophic injury cases, as well as claims involving connective tissue neck and back injuries typically sustained in motor vehicle collisions. His early experience representing insured defendants has given Ted valuable insight into how insurance companies evaluate personal injury cases, which has proven invaluable in negotiating settlements for his clients.

Joseph Donatiello was born and raised in Northern New Jersey and received his J.D. in 2009 from Rutgers School of Law in Newark. Following law school, he served as the judicial law clerk for the Honorable Joseph V. Isabella, J.S.C., in the Criminal Division of the Hudson County Superior Court. ​ At the completion of his term as a judicial law clerk, Mr. Donatiello began a career in public service by working as an Assistant District Attorney with the Bronx County District Attorney's Office. During his time at the Bronx District Attorney's Office, Mr. Donatiello was assigned to the Criminal Court Bureau, where he gained invaluable experience with a variety of cases including Driving While Intoxicated, Assault, Harassment, Menacing, Driving While Suspended, Theft of Services, and Possession of Weapons and Drugs. He was responsible for prosecuting these cases from commencement through trial. ​ After leaving the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, Mr. Donatiello returned to New Jersey and, in February 2014, he opened up his own firm in Nutley, New Jersey. Since then, Mr. Donatiello has frequently appeared in court representing defendants charged with criminal and traffic offenses in New Jersey Superior Court and Municipal Court, New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission Suspension Hearings, as well as in New York Supreme and Criminal Court. ​ The clients he represents have been charged with a variety of offenses including Possession of Controlled Dangerous Substances, Driving While Intoxicated, Leaving the Scene of an Accident, Assault, Shoplifting, Criminal Mischief, Theft by Deception, Speeding, Driving While Suspended, and many other motor vehicle offenses. ​ Mr. Donatiello is currently admitted to practice in New Jersey, New York and the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. ​ In February 2022, Mr. Donatiello was appointed the Public Defender for the Township of Nutley.

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.

Sagi Shaked is a dedicated advocate for justice in the realm of personal injury law, specializing in cases involving catastrophic injuries and wrongful death. With a fervent commitment to championing the rights of victims and their families, Mr. Shaked has recovered tens of millions for injured clients. His areas of expertise span many cases, including those involving motor vehicle accidents, product liability, medical negligence, nursing home abuse, trucking accidents, and more. Notably, Mr. Shaked achieved a milestone at the age of 28 by securing a multi-million dollar verdict for a single personal injury lawsuit, establishing himself as one of the youngest lawyers in the United States to accomplish such a feat. Since then, he has continued to secure top settlements and verdicts in cases involving motor vehicle accidents, motorcycle accidents, trucking accidents, traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, medical malpractice, and wrongful death. As a highly experienced Florida Bar Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer, Mr. Shaked brings a wealth of knowledge and skill to his practice. His educational journey includes graduating with honors from Florida International University in 1996 with a B.S., followed by an equally distinguished graduation with honors from Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad Law Center in 1999. Throughout his career, Mr. Shaked's overarching goal has remained constant—to passionately pursue justice for those whose lives have been forever changed by the negligence of others. His tireless advocacy and commitment to the well-being of his clients has earned him the respect and admiration of colleagues and clients alike.

Raised in historic Fredericksburg, Virginia, Tom attended Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. He obtained his undergraduate degree in History and Government-Law while earning Academic All-Patriot League status on the diamond. He earned his juris doctor from the University of Georgia School of Law. While in Athens, he participated in the Special Education Practicum helping underprivileged families earn the educational benefits afforded them under the law. After law school, he returned to northern Virginia, practicing for four years with a boutique litigation firm in Warrenton. He then transitioned to a growing regional firm, where he managed two criminal defenses offices and spearheaded their Virginia civil litigation practice for over eight years. Tom brings this wealth of experience to the already dynamic team at the Laurel Brigade Law Group.