Berkowitz Hanna

Attorney Russell Berkowitz

Russell Berkowitz is widely known as one of the leading medical malpractice attorneys in Connecticut and regularly obtains substantial settlements and verdicts for seriously injured adults and children stemming from birth injuries, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, cancer misdiagnosis, wrongful death and other life altering injuries.

He is Board Certified as a Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, voted as one of the Best Lawyers in America in the field of Medical Malpractice by US News and World Reports, a Fellow in the Connecticut Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates, a Fellow in the American Academy of Medical Malpractice Lawyers, and a member of The National Trial Lawyers Top 25 in the field of Medical Malpractice. In addition, Russ has been voted as a Super Lawyer by Connecticut Magazine and New England Super Lawyers Magazine in the field of medical malpractice every year since each list has been published.

Over the last 6 years alone, Russ has obtained more than 65 medical malpractice awards for $1,000,000.00 or more for clients. Some of Russ’ recent awards include a $9 million medical malpractice recovery on behalf of an infant who suffered severe brain damage during delivery, $6.1 million medical malpractice settlement on behalf of a client who sustained a spinal cord injury during neck surgery, $5.25 million medical malpractice award on behalf of a client who sustained a stroke following her delivery causing her to sustain permanent paralysis, $5 million medical malpractice payout against a physician who failed to timely diagnose a client’s bacterial infection leading to catastrophic limb-altering injuries, $4.85 million medical malpractice settlement on behalf of an infant who sustained a hypoxic brain injury as a result of a hospital neonatal intensive care unit’s negligent airway management, $4.75 million medical malpractice award on behalf of a child who sustained brain damage as a result of a hospital’s negligent airway management, $4 million medical malpractice verdict against a gynecologist whose negligence during surgery destroyed the plaintiff’s ability to bear children, $3.7 million medical malpractice payout on behalf of a client who died following surgical complications, $3 million medical malpractice recovery on behalf of a child who sustained brain damage following the negligent administration of anesthesia during surgery, $3 million medical malpractice settlement on behalf a newborn who sustained brain damage during delivery.

Attorney Christina Hanna

Christina Hanna has a well-established commitment to representing injured individuals and families and heads the personal injury practice at the firm. Christina began working at the firm upon graduation from law school and has been a shareholder since 2017. She consistently advocates for clients and families who have been injured as a result of the negligence of others. Christina’s focus is on helping individuals and families through difficult and challenging times and fighting for fair and just compensation on their behalf. Christina resolves between 150-200 personal injury cases per year through settlement or trial. Christina has tried multiple cases to verdict throughout her career, while resolving several cases annually through mediation and arbitration.

Christina represents clients across the entire State of Connecticut in matters arising from: motor vehicle, pedestrian, trucking and motorcycle collisions; premises liability; liquor liability/intoxication; recreational sports; school safety and supervision; wrongful death; nursing home negligence/medical malpractice; med-spa negligence; and construction/workplace accidents. She works with a team of legal assistants and attorneys who have a common goal of helping people navigate the legal landscape and truly enjoys her work as a personal injury trial attorney. Christina takes a hands on approach with each client and is actively involved in each case. You can read more about Attorney Hanna and the firm by accessing the following link: https://berkowitzlawfirm.com

Some of Christina’s recent results include a $1,525,000.00 wrongful death award on behalf of the estate of a client who sustained catastrophic injuries and died following an automobile accident, a $1,100,000.00 arbitration award for a client who sustained significant injuries in an automobile accident, a $500,000.00 workers compensation survivor benefits settlement on behalf of a widow, and a $406,000.00 recovery for a client who sustained permanent back injuries in an automobile collision.

Christina is a member of the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association and has been named a Connecticut Super Lawyer and New England Super Lawyer Rising Star since 2011. Christina is licensed in Connecticut State and Federal Court and frequently handles Probate Court matters across the State.

Christina earned her undergraduate degree from Fairfield University and her J.D. at Quinnipiac University School of Law. Christina remains an active alumni of Quinnipiac and was a member of the former Dean’s Council. Christina is a strong advocate of many of the non-profits that the firm’s Charitable Fund supports.

Attorney Jennifer Amdur

Jennifer Amdur practices in the areas of medical malpractice and complex personal injury law and is licensed to practice law in Connecticut and Massachusetts. She is an active member of the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association, the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Women’s Caucus, the American Association of Justice, and Connecticut Bar Association. Jennifer also serves the community by working with and supporting a number of organizations including Dress for Success Mid-Fairfield County, Inspirica, Daniel Trust Foundation, and the Connecticut Veterans Legal Center. Jennifer has also been honored as a Connecticut and New England Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019.

Jennifer has been counsel and co-counsel in a number of significant medical malpractice cases. A few of the cases include a $5 million total recovery against a physician who failed to timely diagnose a client’s bacterial infection leading to catastrophic limb-altering injuries, a $4 million settlement in a wrongful death claim involving a failure to diagnose an aortic dissection, a $3 million settlement against a physician who failed to timely treat our client’s life-threatening progressive disease over a five year period, a $3 million settlement against a physician in a wrongful death action, a $2.5 million dollar settlement for an infant who passed away from surgical errors a few weeks after birth, a $2.35 million dollar wrongful death settlement for a neonate, a $2 million dollar settlement on behalf of an infant who suffered a brain injury at the time of birth, $1.4 million settlement against a physician in a wrongful death action, $1.25 million dollar wrongful death settlement against a hospital for a 77 year old patient, $1.1 million dollar settlement for a patient who suffered gastrointestinal injuries following a failed hernia procedure.

Jennifer has also resolved numerous Federal Tort Claim Act lawsuits on behalf of veterans. Jennifer is passionate about veterans receiving appropriate medical care at the VA and has successfully resolved cases at both the administrative level and in federal court.

Jennifer has also recently resolved a number of personal injury cases including a $2 million settlement on behalf of a client who sustained severe permanent injuries as a passenger in an automobile accident, a $875,000 settlement against a bar for serving an underage driver, a $680,000 settlement on behalf of a client who sustained neck and back injuries after being rear-ended, a $500,000 settlement for an asbestos worker injured in a ladder accident, a $400,000 settlement for a construction worker who sustained fractures to both legs following a workplace accident, and $150,000 for a client who sustained a fractured wrist as a result of a motor vehicle accident.

Jennifer graduated from Quinnipiac University School of Law, magna cum laude, and obtained her undergrad form Fairfield University, summa cum laude. Jennifer received numerous academic accolades at both institutions including induction into the National Honor Society Phi Beta Kappa and receiving the American Law Society/American Bar Association’s Scholarship and Leadership award, amongst other awards and societies.

Attorney Erik Siegel

Erik Siegel’s practice is focused on representing clients who have suffered life-altering injuries or lost loved ones due to medical malpractice throughout Connecticut. He is a dedicated and focused advocate for his clients, motivated by the struggles he sees his clients go through on a daily basis and a desire to help improve their lives moving forward.

Since joining Berkowitz and Hanna LLC, Erik has worked diligently on recovering significant monetary damages on behalf of his clients. He has handled a wide range of complex medical malpractice claims and has been involved in all aspects of building a successful case, from questioning medical providers and experts to putting on a winning case at trial. Among the types of cases that Erik has helped obtained resolution on or is currently pursuing include birth injury claims, post-surgical complications, failures to timely diagnose and treat cancer, emergency room and other hospital errors, psychiatric malpractice, malpractice claims due to the mistakes of the Veterans Administration, and nursing home negligence.

Some of the recent recoveries Erik’s efforts helped the firm secure for our clients include: (1) a $500,000.00 medical malpractice recovery on behalf of an 85 year old female client who fell out of a hospital bed and sustained a brain bleed that required emergency surgery as a result of the hospital’s physicians and nurses failing to properly supervise our client’s care, (2) a $935,000.00 medical malpractice settlement on behalf of a female client who progressed to septic shock following hernia surgery and ultimately underwent emergency surgery to remove part of her abdomen as a result of her surgeon’s failure to timely diagnose that he had perforated our client’s bowel during her hernia surgery, (3) an $825,000.00 medical malpractice wrongful death settlement on behalf of the estate of a baby that died at birth as a result of the negligent failure of a hospital and obstetrician to timely deliver our client despite signs and symptoms of her fetal distress, (4) a $937,500.00 medical malpractice wrongful death settlement on behalf of the estate of a 69 year old client against a gastroenterologist and radiologist for failing to timely diagnose her colon cancer before the disease had progressed to an incurable stage, (5) a $1.3 million dollar settlement in a wrongful death action on behalf of a client who tragically died after her psychiatrist and therapist failed to take steps to get her the help she needed despite clear evidence she was at risk of suicide, (6) a $5.25 million dollar medical malpractice settlement on behalf of a female client who suffered a catastrophic brain hemorrhage as a result of a failure to diagnose and treat her preeclampsia after she presented to a local hospital in labor, (7) a $ 1.35 million dollar medical malpractice wrongful death settlement on behalf of the estate of a 71 year old female who died at the hospital following the failure to timely recognize and treat a surgical bleed that developed during a routine lung examination procedure, (8) a settlement on behalf of a 60 year old man who died at a short-term rehab facility while recovering from brain surgery after he was improperly monitored and allowed to leave the facility despite his compromised mental state due to surgery, and (9) a settlement on behalf of a 52 year old man who presented to a local Veterans Administration hospital with acute appendicitis and was misdiagnosed with a rare medical condition that led to unnecessary surgeries and catastrophic complications that left him with a severely disfigured abdomen and the removal of most of his colon.

Erik is licensed to practice law in Connecticut. He is an active member of the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association, the American Association of Justice, and supportive of various community service organizations in the area. Erik was recently honored as a Connecticut and New England Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2018.

Erik graduated from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, cum laude. While in law school, Erik worked in the in-house legal department of a large teaching and research hospital and also clerked for a civil court judge.

Attorney Kelly E. Ferraro

Kelly zealously and successfully advocates for the rights of injured victims in the areas of medical malpractice, personal injury, and class action litigation and is licensed to practice law in Connecticut. Kelly is an active member of Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association, Connecticut Bar Association, Fairfield County Bar Association and American Association of Justice. Kelly is also actively involved in serving the community by working with a number of organizations including Clasp Homes and Star, Inc. Kelly has also been honored as a Connecticut and New England Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2019.

Kelly is co-counsel on some of our most complex medical malpractice cases including birth injuries, brain injuries, cancer misdiagnosis, nursing home negligence and wrongful death. A few of the cases include a $2.3 million dollar settlement against a hospital in a wrongful death action, and a $1.6 million dollar settlement against a physician and hospital in a wrongful death action. Kelly is also actively involved in our representation of many retired NFL football players from all over the country in the NFL brain concussion class action pending in the U.S. District Court in Philadelphia where we have obtained numerous monetary awards on behalf of our clients who have developed severe cognitive impairments stemming from brain injuries they sustained while playing in the NFL, including a $2.3 million award on behalf of a 47 year-old retired NFL football player who played six seasons in the NFL, a $2 million dollar award on behalf of a 46 year-old retired NFL football player who played eight seasons in the NFL, a $1.5 million dollar award on behalf of a 43 year-old retired NFL football player who played eight seasons in the NFL, a $1,560,000 award on behalf of a 44 year-old retired NFL football player who played ten seasons in the NFL.

Kelly graduated from an accelerated program at Pace University School of Law, cum laude, and obtained her undergraduate degree from Eastern Connecticut State University. While in law school, Kelly also continued to work for the firm part-time and served as the Executive Acquisitions Editor of Pace Law Review. Prior to law school, Kelly was our lead medical malpractice paralegal for the firm from 2009 through 2014 and was instrumental in the success of many of the firm’s largest verdicts and settlements.

Attorney Emily G. Chumas

Emily practices in the area of medical malpractice, and is actively working on some of the firm’s most complicated cases where she assists in case management and provides research and brief writing support. Emily has assisted the malpractice team in resolving a number of significant cases, including a $1.2 million settlement in a wrongful death action, and a recent $1 million settlement against a hospital for failing to properly diagnose our client’s condition.

Prior to joining the firm, Emily was a legal research clerk for the Connecticut Judicial Branch where she researched and drafted memoranda and proposed decisions for Superior Court judges throughout the state. Emily is a graduate of New York University where she graduated with honors and was in the top 5% of her class at Quinnipiac University School of Law where she received her J.D. in 2017. While in law school, Emily was the Executive Managing Editor of the Quinnipiac Health Law Journal and she received a number of academic awards, including the James B. Boskey Dispute Resolution Essay Competition (2016 Winner) and Zeldes, Needle & Cooper Award for Excellence in Legal Writing.

Emily is a member of the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association and the Connecticut Bar Association.