Patrick O. Dunphy was invited by Marquette University Law School to teach a class in advanced Torts. The presentation by Mr. Dunphy dealt with current practical issues in the day to day practice of personal injury law. His discussion included legislative changes in the law of products liability, joint and several liability, the collateral source rule, the growth of statutory immunities, caps on damages in medical malpractice cases, and insurance coverage issues in automobile accidents. Mr. Dunphy also discussed how low offers that are being accepted by high volume law firms are adversely affecting the entire personal injury practice to the detriment of the injured clients. Mr. Dunphy advised the class that the low settlement offers encouraged by these high volume law firms will likely lead to an increase in the number of trials over the next 5-10 years because law firms like his will not short change his clients to avoid trials and the low offers do not create much risk to his clients by going to trial. During the course of the class, the subjects of work place accidents, punch press accidents, medical malpractice cases, limitations on damages, auto, truck and jet ski accidents, and personal injury damages and the practical impact that changes in the law has had on the rights of injured people were all discussed.
