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Todd A. Scharnhorst
Partner
Practice Focus:
- Medical Malpractice
- Catastrophic Injury and Wrongful Death
- Business and Commercial Litigation
- Product Liability
Representative Experience:
Achieved defense verdict in lawsuit involving allegations of peripheral nerve injury. Plaintiff alleged permanent and severe injury as a result of instruments used during cervical spine surgery.
Achieved defense verdict while representing a national exercise equipment manufacturer. Plaintiff alleged defects in design of a treadmill resulted in a large fire which partially destroyed an apartment complex.
Successfully argued multiple cases relating to the professional and medical malpractice statutes of limitation before the Kansas appellate courts. See Bonin v. Vannaman, 261 Kan. 199, 929 P.2d 754 (1996); P.W.P. v. L.S., 969 P.2d 896, 266 Kan. 417 (1998).
Achieved summary judgment for construction contractor which allegedly caused devastating neurologic injuries, including quadriplegia. Case continued against co-defendants, resulting in multi-million dollar jury verdict in favor of the injured plaintiff.
Successfully defended manufacturer whose tool allegedly resulted in a deadly explosion at a gun powder packaging facility. Following cross-examination of key engineering witnesses, achieved a nominal settlement for the manufacturer before costly international litigation ensued against remaining defendant.
Extensive experience with the management and defense of professional malpractice claims throughout the continental United States.
Admissions:
- Kansas Supreme Court
- Missouri Supreme Court
- United States District Court for the District of Kansas
- United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri
- United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
Education:
- J.D., Dean’s Honors, Washburn University School of Law, 1994
- B.A., cum laude, Washburn University, 1992
Memberships & Recognitions:
- Best Lawyers in America, 2007 to Present
- Brain Injury
- Catastrophic Injury
- Medical Malpractice
- Nursing Home Litigation
- Best of the Bar, Kansas City Business Journal, 2007, 2010, 2011
- Best Lawyers in Kansas City, Ingram’s Magazine, 2009 to Present
- Missouri and Kansas Super Lawyers, 2007 to Present
- AV® Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
- Kansas and Missouri Bar Associations
Presentations:
- Product Liability and Hospital Claims (Kansas City, Missouri)
- Meeting of the Minds: National Trends in Nursing Home Litigation (Las Vegas, Nevada)
- Legal and Ethical Issues You Should Know: Determination of Surrogate Decision-Makers (Kansas City, Kansas)
- Kansas and Missouri Long-Term Care: Legal and Financial Issues (Overland Park, Kansas)
- A Plaintiff’s Damages: Bates v. Hogg (Overland Park, Kansas)
- Obstetrical Malpractice: Reducing the Risk Through Documentation (Kansas City, Kansas)
- To Defend or Not to Defend: Knowing When to Try Your Case (Kansas City, Missouri)
- Medical Malpractice for the Kansas Physician (Leavenworth, Kansas)
- Electronic Discovery for the Health Care Institution (Lenexa, Kansas)
- Accessing Protected Health Information: HIPAA Compliance (Overland Park, Kansas)
Background:
- Co-Founded Scharnhorst Ast & Kennard, P.C., 2006
- Warden Triplett Grier, P.A., 2002-2006
- Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin LLP, 1995-2002
Personal:
Todd was born in Kansas City, Missouri. His interests include family, fishing, hunting, and recreational travel. Todd lives in Olathe, Kansas with his wife, Michelle, and their three children.
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