Bordas Capabilities Booklet

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ABOUT BORDAS & BORDAS

With record results and many of the firm’s attorneys having settlement videos to enhance and maximize settlement value.
been named as Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Almost all of the firm’s cases are handled on a contingency fee
year after year, Bordas & Bordas has established a reputation basis, which means that clients only pay a fee if a recovery is
as a premier law firm. The firm includes 19 attorneys and nearly made for the client. Initial consultations are always free and no
30 staff members with offices in Pittsburgh, PA; Wheeling, retainer is required as the firm advances all case expenses.
W. Va.; St. Clairsville, Ohio; and Moundsville, W.Va. The firm
takes pride in its reputation of being willing and able to take Awards and Recognition
on any opponent in the courtroom. This reputation is derived
from years of success and from obtaining record results across Throughout the years, Bordas & Bordas attorneys have been
a broad range of practice areas. The firm’s practice areas on continually recognized for outstanding work in the legal field.
behalf of plaintiffs include: commercial litigation, mass torts, Partners Jim Bordas, Scott Blass, Jamie Bordas, Geoff Brown
medical malpractice, personal injury, nursing home injuries, and Chris Regan have been named as Super Lawyers numerous
mesothelioma/asbestos, oil and gas rights and injuries, times, while attorneys Chris McCabe, Jeremy McGraw and
insurance misconduct, auto/atv accidents, defective products, Laura Pollard have been selected as Rising Stars. Jim Bordas
toxic torts, bank/lender misconduct, consumer protection and has also been named among Best Lawyers in America on
trucking accidents. multiple occasions and was also listed in Newsweek Magazine
as a national leader in medical malpractice. He has previously
Because of the firm’s success in the courtroom, most of the been named as West Virginia Association of Justice Member
firm’s cases are able to be settled without the necessity of a trial. of the Year. That honor was also bestowed upon Chris Regan
The attorneys at the firm take settlement negotiations seriously and upon Scott Blass on two occasions. The firm and its cases
and put the time, effort and money into creating dynamic have been featured on 60 Minutes, Inside Edition and CNN.

JIM BORDAS
Partner

A trial lawyer for 45 years, Jim Bordas founded Bordas & Bordas with his wife Linda in 1985. Over the
course of his career, Jim Bordas has obtained outstanding results in virtually every area of tort law.
Major verdicts and settlements in cases of product liability, medical malpractice, chemical exposure,
lender liability, bad faith insurance, nursing home abuse, bad faith insurance practices, workplace
injuries, and wrongful death have been his calling card. Record setting awards for Jim’s clients include
a $50,000,000 verdict in 2002 that remains one of the largest ever awarded against a nursing home
corporation. His cases and results have been featured on CNN, 60 Minutes and Inside Edition, as well
as in the National Law Journal and throughout many national and regional newspapers.
Jim has received numerous awards and recognition for prowess in the courtroom including being
named Lawyer of the year on multiple occasions, but remains most proud of his recognition from his
fellow trial lawyers, and of the extensive charitable work the firm’s success has enabled. The husband-
and-wife partnership that began in 1985 is now a nineteen-lawyer firm, including Jim and Linda’s son,
managing partner Jamie Bordas. The firm employs dozens of staff members and now has four offices
in three states. Jim continues to be active not only in all aspects of the firm’s traditional practices,
but also in expanding its scope to business cases, mineral rights disputes, class actions, and other
complex litigation.

LINDA BORDAS
Partner

Linda Bordas founded Bordas & Bordas with her husband Jim when she joined his practice upon
graduating from law school in 1985. She had previously worked as a pharmacist and immediately
applied her background to become one of the region’s most successful medical malpractice attorneys.
Linda obtained numerous major verdicts and handled appeals that expanded the rights of patients and
especially the families of children who were injured or killed as a result of negligence. Her multi-million
dollar verdicts and settlements gained her a reputation as a fierce and respected litigator.
Linda has successfully handled cases involving orthopedic surgery, internal medicine, surgery, radiation
oncology, pediatrics, cardiology, and cancer treatment. Extraordinary preparation and dedication to
protecting her clients has been her calling card. Linda’s mission as a litigator is not only to do justice for
her seriously injured clients, but also to make our society safer by holding physicians and hospitals to
accepted standards of professional practice.
Linda is a member of the West Virginia Association for Justice. She is a member of the Board of
Governors of that organization and has been past member of the executive committee. She is a member
of the West Virginia State Bar Association, Ohio State Bar Association and the American Association for
Justice. Linda has lectured in the areas of medical malpractice and trial practice in general.

SCOTT BLASS
Partner

Scott Blass, a Super Lawyer and two-time West Virginia Association for Justice Member of the Year
Award Winner, has been litigating complex civil cases for over 25 years. He has obtained seven-figure
verdicts on behalf of his clients in diverse areas of the law, including verdicts of over $4 million in
a product liability case, $8 million in an auto accident case, $1.4 million in an insurance bad faith
case, and $5.7 million in a medical malpractice case. He has been recognized as one of the foremost
insurance bad faith and insurance coverage lawyers in the region.
Scott joined the law firm of Bordas & Bordas in 1992 after working for five years as an insurance
defense attorney and becoming a partner at his previous firm while also gaining valuable trial
experience working as an Assistant Prosecuting attorney for two years.
In his career at Bordas & Bordas, Scott has handled hundreds of cases representing individuals who
have suffered catastrophic injuries and damages including individuals exposed to toxic chemicals,
individuals victimized by medical malpractice, individuals severely injured or killed in truck and
automobile collisions, and individuals victimized by defective products. Scott regularly handles cases
involving insurance bad faith, insurance agent negligence, and insurance coverage issues. He is
frequently called upon to lecture to other lawyers in these areas of the law. Scott has served as lead
trial counsel in over three dozen jury trials.

JAMIE BORDAS
Managing Partner

The firm’s managing partner, Jamie Bordas spearheads Bordas & Bordas’ operations across
multiple states and jurisdictions. An extremely accomplished litigator, Jamie has concentrated on
the negotiation and resolution of the firm’s most complex and significant cases, including mass
tort settlements of $36,500,000 and $18,500,000 and a single plaintiff settlement of $18,000,000.
He has also handled numerous jury trials when defendants declined to settle, including a verdict of
$10,000,000 plus fees and costs in an insurance bad faith case.
Jamie works on cases involving diverse areas of law, including insurance bad faith, toxic torts, personal
injury, medical malpractice, oil and gas cases, business litigation and more. He has frequently been
invited to speak to groups of attorneys on techniques applicable to the negotiation, mediation and
resolution of cases as a result of his reputation for getting the best possible settlements for his clients,
as well as trial practice and strategy.
Jamie also hosts a weekly television program called the Jamie Bordas Show on WTRF-TV. He is an
honors graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the Notre Dame Law School. He is married to
the former Stacy Contraguerro, also an attorney at the firm. They have six children.

CHRIS REGAN
Partner

Chris Regan focuses his practice on high-stakes litigation and jury trials. He has obtained multi-million
dollar verdicts in cases of medical malpractice, nursing home abuse, workplace injury, deliberate
intent, fraud, and wrongful death. He has also taken a leading role in the firm’s mass tort practice,
handling cases with total verdicts well over $80,000,000. Chris also focuses on cases involving litigation
misconduct by defendants and their legal counsel and has obtained default judgments and awards of
monetary sanctions against courtroom miscreants.
Chris’ work has included appellate work in the highest courts of Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio.
He has successfully handled appeals in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and the
U.S. Supreme Court. Chris has frequently spoken at seminars and CLEs about a variety of legal topics.
He has received the West Virginia Association for Justice’s Member of the Year Award for his work
advocating on behalf of ordinary people victimized by corporate misconduct in the legal and political
arenas.
Chris is a graduate of the Notre Dame Law School where he served on the Law Review and won the
moot court competition. In high school, he was the 1993 National Champion in Lincoln-Douglas debate.

GEOFF BROWN
Partner

Geoff Brown concentrates his work on the firm’s complex litigation and medical malpractice cases. He has
obtained major jury verdicts not only in medical malpractice, but also in cases of stockbroker negligence,
workplace injury, and wrongful death. Geoff has earned a reputation for comprehensive preparation and
attention to detail in these demanding areas of law. Geoff also works in Bordas & Bordas’ business litigation
department and has handled multi-jurisdictional contract disputes involving Fortune 500 companies and
representation of individuals before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration panel.
Geoff is a member of the American Association for Justice, the West Virginia Association for Justice, and the
Ohio Association for Justice. He is active in advancing the development of the legal profession, including
through publications in scholarly journals of the law and service as a trustee of the Ohio Association for
Justice.
Geoff graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1994. While at West Point,
Geoff received the prestigious Commandant’s Wreath for excellence in academics, military, and physical
achievement. Upon graduation, Geoff received his Bachelor of Science degree in economics and was
commissioned in the United States Army as a Field Artillery officer. Geoff served our country overseas during
the peacekeeping mission in Bosnia in 1994. He then graduated with high honors from the University of Notre
Dame Law School in 2000.

ASSOCIATE ATTORNEYS Zak Zatezalo Jason Causey
Handles cases involving Obtained verdict of nearly $3
Jeremy McGraw mesothelioma, traumatic brain million and penalties of nearly
Previously employed by the injury, workplace injury and $11 million against Quicken
West Virginia Supreme Court toxic torts. Obtained successful Loans in predatory lending
of Appeals as a law clerk for jury verdicts and is involved in actions. Leader in consumer
the Honorable Judge John S. some of the firm's most difficult law. Frequent national lecturer
Hrko. Has handled hundreds matters. on unfair lending practices.
of matters involving oil and gas Stacy Contraguerro Bordas Sharon Eubanks
rights and injuries. Finished second in her class Lead counsel on behalf of the
John Artimez from the WVU College of United States in United States
Has more than 30 years of Business. Consults and v. Phillip Morris USA, et. al., -
complex litigation experience. advises on complex litigation the federal tobacco litigation.
Secured multiple seven-figure particularly those involving Adjunct professor and speaker.
verdicts and settlements business matters. Graduate of Georgetown
for clients. Former assistant Maggie Tague University Law Center.
prosecuting attorney. University of Notre Dame Law Tyler Smith
Christopher McCabe School graduate. Handles An experienced courtroom
A graduate of the University cases involving motor vehicle, advocate, having tried more
of Duquesne School of Law. motorcycle and trucking than 40 corporate and
Pennsylvania Super Lawyer- accidents and premises liability. professional liability lawsuits
Rising Star Edition. Handles to verdict. Graduate of The
trucking accidents, construction Jay Stoneking Penn State Dickinson School
defect injury claims and product Assisted the West Virginia of Law.
liability cases. Supreme Court of Appeals in Laura Pollard
drafting opinions that became Articles Editor for the Notre
law. For 25 years, has been Dame Journal of Law, Ethics and
conducting research and writing Public Policy and recipient of the
in most of the firm’s complex Dean Konop Legal Aid Award
cases. Baptist minister. at the Notre Dame Law School.
Jake Stout Litigates complex matters.
West Virginia College of Law
graduate. Worked as law clerk Jodi Wood Cunningham
for Honorable Phillip Gaujot. Former college basketball
Received awards for excellence player who has been an
in the study of civil procedure attorney representing injured
and administrative law. individuals for more than 20
years. Concentrates practice
on intake evaluation.

OUR PRACTICE AREAS

At Bordas & Bordas, we stand up for the rights of our clients. Whether you are the victim of a personal injury
accident, corporate misconduct or consumer fraud, our attorneys are here to protect your rights. Our attorneys have
the knowledge and resources to help you pursue full and fair compensation for all of your losses and damages. We
have extensive experience representing clients throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio and are prepared
to help you pursue a favorable outcome for your legal matter.

Commercial Litigation Insurance Misconduct
Mass Torts Auto/ATV Accidents
Defective Products
Medical Malpractice Toxic Torts
Personal Injury Bank/Lender Misconduct
Consumer Protection
Nursing Home Injuries Truck Accidents
Mesothelioma/Asbestos
Oil and Gas Rights and Injuries

What sets Bordas & Bordas apart from other law firms?
Trial experience. While cases are often resolved through
negotiations, the award-winning lawyers at Bordas &
Bordas never assume that a case will settle. We prepare
every case with the intention of trying it. The firm’s
adversaries know that and, as a result, are more willing
to make a fair settlement offer short of trial.

RESULTS

As Bordas & Bordas is preparing a case, our attorneys
work with experts from throughout the country to gather
the most accurate information. Experts can play a vital
role in litigation. From the initial tasks of investigating,
verifying and organizing facts to testifying at trial, experts
can be very important in a case. Furthermore, Bordas &
Bordas utilizes legal settlement videos to maximize the
settlement value of the cases.

With nearly 20 attorneys, Bordas & Bordas has a depth
of legal talent, allowing the firm to go up against major
corporations and the large and powerful law firms that
represent them. Bordas & Bordas also has the financial
resources that allows the firm to invest the money
needed to take a case as far as it needs to go to obtain
a fair outcome.

* Disclaimer: The results in a legal case depend on a variety of factors, many of which are
unique to each case. Prior results by this firm or any other firm do not guarantee future
results. Case results presented here are illustrations of the type of work done by Bordas
& Bordas and not a guarantee that any prospective case will yield any particular amount.

REPRESENTATIVE VERDICTS $36,500,000 Settlement,
Toxic Tort
AND SETTLEMENTS Doe v. Chemical Company

$50,000,000 Verdict, Bordas & Bordas represented over
Nursing Home Abuse 200 individuals who contracted
and Wrongful Death illnesses or had to be monitored for
Meredith v. Heartland of illness as a result of being exposed
Clarksburg to dangerous toxins being emitted
into the air by a nearby chemical
Intentional understaffing of the company. The case showcased the
Heartland Nursing Home led to firm’s ability to successfully handle
the unnecessary death of Toni a mass tort requiring significant
Meredith, a relatively young attorney resources.
woman who had entered the
facility for rehabilitation, and $10,000,000 Settlement,
died of severe neglect leading to Commercial Litigation
gangrene. Founder Jim Bordas Biotech Company v. Multi-
tried the case with Chris Regan for National Corporation
two weeks and demonstrated to
the jury that intentional wrongdoing Jim Bordas and Geoff Brown
caused the Meredith family to lose spearheaded the firm’s efforts in
its beloved matriarch. A “high-low” representing a Pennsylvania biotech
agreement ended the trial after a company in a multi-institutional
$50,000,000 compensatory award contract dispute against a multi-
was rendered, but jurors indicated national corporation that jeopardized
that they had contemplated an the small companies existence.
additional $100,000,000 punitive The settlement allowed the biotech
award in the case as well. company to recover its losses and
continue its efforts to find cures for
disease.

$18,500,000 Settlement, $18,000,000 $10,000,000 Verdict,
Construction Defects Settlement, Insurance Bad Faith
Doe v. Home Builder Workplace Injury Cox v. Personal Service
and Wrongful Death Insurance Company
Bordas & Bordas represented Phipps v. Exterran et al.
dozens of families in a The Cox and Bigler families faced
neighborhood who had homes built Corporate negligence killed a serious tragedy when an auto
by a national homebuilder who Bruce Phipps at a natural gas accident led to a death. Horribly,
fraudulently represented that it had “pigging” station. He suffered the insurance carrier involved
installed radon mitigation systems burns over almost his entire body. refused to pay the claim in a
in the homes. The firm was able Bordas & Bordas’ Scott Blass led fair and timely manner, trying to
to take on regional and national a comprehensive investigation portray the insurance policy as
firms and successfully achieve a uncovering company records, emails, cancelled. Bordas & Bordas was
significant settlement on behalf of text messages and other information ready to help. Jamie Bordas tried
the families. that proved the company knew of the complex case in Belmont
the serious dangers at the facility, County, Ohio, and Scott Blass
but failed to address them, costing served as a key witness. The
Mr. Phipps his life. The ultimate record-setting $10,000,000
recovery of $18,000,000, negotiated verdict was upheld after multiple
by Managing Partner Jamie Bordas, appeals and remains one of the
is believed to be one of the largest most significant verdicts ever
ever recovered on behalf of a single returned in southeast Ohio.
Plaintiff in West Virginia history.

Fighting For Justice

$9,100,000 Verdicts, $7,000,000 Verdict, $6,540,000 Verdict,
Medical Malpractice, Workplace Injury and Medical Malpractice,
Wrongful Death Wrongful Death Wrongful Death
Roberts v. Murthy and Doe v. Utility Company Boggs v. Camden-Clark
Karpacs v. Murthy Memorial Hospital
A family lost a father and
The severe negligence of Anandhi grandfather in devastating Wife, mother and first-grade
Murthy cost Elizabeth Karpacs fashion as a result of corporate teacher Hilda Boggs lost her
her life when Mrs. Karpacs came negligence, and a massive gas life at Camden-Clark hospital
to the hospital with treatable explosion. Bordas & Bordas’ when she was overdosed with
conditions, and Murthy ignored Geoff Brown retained world- anesthesia, and neither the
her. Even though Murthy’s leading experts in industrial doctor, nor the hospital personnel
neglect had recently been the safety, gas storage and noticed she had stopped
subject of an over-$5,000,000 thermodynamics and uncovered breathing until she had turned
verdict in Roberts v. Murthy, a raft of internal company blue on the operating table. The
Dr. Murthy forced a separate documents demonstrating that case cried out for justice. Family
case to trial and the jury again the company was well aware attorney Chris Rinehart referred
found her liable for medical of the safety problems before the matter to Chris Regan and
negligence. In the Roberts case, the explosion occurred. Brown the case was comprehensively
Murthy had severely mangled a and Chris Regan tried the investigated. Hospital personnel
gastrointestinal surgery, resulting case to a jury and the family had destroyed notes and medical
in the Plaintiff’s loss of her received a verdict including records had been altered.
esophagus. The unreasonable both compensatory and punitive Ultimately, the jury saw the truth
positions of her insurance damages. The case ultimately when Regan and Geoff Brown
companies and attempts at settled confidentially and a tried the case, and awarded a
misleading defenses remained measure of justice was delivered large verdict that was appealed
the subject of multiple appeals, to a grieving family, while a all the way, and affirmed by the
but ultimately, justice was done in corporation that put profits over Courts. A countersuit by the
the case. Both trials were handled people was punished. hospital was also successfully
by Geoff Brown, with Scott Blass defended by Bordas & Bordas.
assisting in Roberts and Chris
Regan assisting in Karpacs.

$5,100,000 Verdict, $3,600,000 Verdict,
Medical Malpractice Defective Automobile
Turkoly v. Gentile Safety Equipment
Strope v. Honda
Dr. Richard Gentile performed
surgery on Kelly Turkoly In 1993, Jim Bordas and Scott Blass
improperly and without informed tried and won the first ever second-
consent, leading to a MRSA impact seatback collapse case
infection, and severe distress against a major auto manufacturer.
for Kelly and her family. Gentile The case was tried against a
had deceived Turkoly about the Philadelphia defense lawyer who had
scope of the procedure he would never lost in court. The $3.6 million
perform, and refused to take any verdict against Honda served notice
responsibility for the results. After that defective seats and seat belt
a week-long trial in Youngstown, systems were a danger to American
Ohio, attorneys Geoff Brown and motorists that could lead to tragedy
Zak Zatezalo secured the multi- and death. The case was featured
million dollar verdict the case on the television program “Inside
deserved. Shockingly, Dr. Gentile Edition” and reflected Bordas &
later counter-sued Mrs. Turkoly, a Bordas’ engagement of nationally
case that Bordas & Bordas also renowned safety experts and
handled and won in 2016. whistleblowers who helped bring
dangerous industry practices to light.

$2,700,000 Verdict ,
Lender Liability and
Fraud
Brown v. Quicken Loans

Jim Bordas has made protecting
low-income families from
predatory banks and businesses
a focus of his career. Just as he
did decades ago in the Marook
v. Bank One case, he took Lourie
Brown’s case to heart and filed
suit against Quicken Loans for
predatory lending. Bordas and
Jason Causey showed how
Quicken had stacked the deck
against Ms. Brown and filled
her loan with illegal and unfair
terms. It could have never been
reasonably paid off. After a bench
trial, $2,700,000 was awarded to
the Browns. Quicken refused to
pay up, and filed multiple appeals,
including demanding a trip to the
U.S. Supreme Court. But Bordas
& Bordas defended the appeals
successfully, and delivered justice
to the Brown family.



One Gateway Center
420 Ft. Duquesne Blvd.

Suite 1800
Pittsburgh, PA 15222

412-502-5000

1358 National Road
Wheeling, WV 26003

304-242-8410

106 East Main Street
St. Clairsville, OH 43950

740-695-8141

526 7th Street
Moundsville, WV 26041

304-845-5600