Thomas P. Giuffra
A partner of the firm, Mr. Giuffra specializes in the trial of significant personal injury and medical malpractice actions. Tom has earned his reputation as a trial lawyer early on in his career when he obtained his first million dollar verdict when he was only four years out of law school. Tom's successes as a leading trial lawyer have continued through a combination of hard work and dedication to his clients together with outstanding skills as an advocate. Mr. Giuffra has successfully tried numerous cases representing severely injured plaintiffs to verdict throughout New York in both State and Federal Courts. Over his 17 year career, Tom's innovative approach, thorough preparation and trial of cases has led to 11 verdicts and numerous settlements in excess of one million dollars. Tom is one of the youngest trial lawyers in New York to amass such a successful record. One of his significant verdicts was for $21 million for three children who suffered lead poisoning due to the presence of lead-based paint in their apartment. This was one of the largest verdicts in the United States in 2008 as reported by the National Law Journal. Mr. Giuffra also had one of the largest medical malpractice verdicts in New York State in 2009 and 2010 as reported by the New York Law Journal. During his career, Mr. Giuffra has handled cases involving medical malpractice, construction accidents, civil rights violations, product liability (including motor vehicle crashworthiness), toxic torts, admiralty, pharmaceutical mass tort litigation car accidents, premises accidents and general negligence.
Tom holds the coveted Martindale-Hubbell A/V preeminent rating which is the highest peer review rating for legal ability and ethics. For the past four years, Tom was recognized top 5% of lawyers in the New York Metropolitan Area in the New York Times edition of Super Lawyers for personal injury and medical malpractice litigation. This year Tom was honored by being elected to the National Trial Lawyers as one of the 100 top trial lawyers in New York and among the best plaintiff's attorneys in the United States. The National Trial Lawyers is an organization of America's top trial lawyers. Membership is by invitation only and "is limited only to those individuals who exemplify superior qualifications, trial results, and leadership in their respective state." In recognition of Mr. Giuffra's achievements as a trial attorney, he was appointed to and serves on the Board of Directors of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association. His successes have resulted in his appointment to the Highest Panel of the Legal Referral Service of the New York City Bar Association. He was also appointed to and serves on the Medical Malpractice Committee of The New York City Bar Association.
In addition, Mr. Giuffra is an expert legal commentator and has appeared on "Primetime Justice" and "Court T.V. Live" regarding product liability actions. He also figured prominently in the Dutch documentary entitled "Claiming Justice" regarding U.S. personal injury litigation. Mr. Giuffra has also lectured on trial advocacy techniques.
Recent Cases
- $3.25 Million Verdict -Failure to Treat MRSA
- $21 Million verdict for three children who suffered lead poisoning due to the presence of lead - based paint in their Bronx apartment
- $4.194 Million verdict for failure to diagnose lung cancer
- $2.25 Million verdict for failure to properly perform a sphenoid sinus biopsy resulting in blindness in one eye
- $2.032 Million labor law verdict for a man who fell at a construction site
- $2 Million verdict for a man left unsupervised in a nursing home, resulting to his exposure to freezing temperatures and leading to wrongful death
- $2 Million settlement for a labor law action after a man's right tibia was cut through by a saw at an unsafe worksite
- $1.975 Million settlement for two children who sustained lead poisoning in a city apartment
- $1.7 Million verdict for delayed treatment of a complication of cataract surgery resulting in blindness in one eye
- $1.74 Million verdict for traumatic amputation of two fingers as a result of a defective snow blower
- $1.6 Million labor law verdict for a man who fell from a ladder at a dangerous construction site
- $1.6 Million settlement for two children who sustained lead poisoning
- $1.5 Million settlement for a doctor's failure to timely diagnose lung cancer in a woman
- $1.26 Million verdict for a pedestrian involved in a motor vehicle accident, leaving him with a serious brain injury
- $1.08 Million verdict for failure to diagnose an I.V. infiltration of an infant
- $1 Million settlement for the lead poisoning of an infant
Areas of Practice
- Medical Malpractice
- Civil Rights Violations
- Construction Accidents
- Personal Injury
- Product Liability
- Toxic Torts
Litigation Percentage
- 100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
Bar Admissions
- New York, 1995
- New Jersey, 1994
- U.S. Supreme Court, 2009
- U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit, 1995
- U.S. District Court District of New Jersey, 1994
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York, 1995
- U.S. District Court Southern District of New York, 1995
- U.S. District Court District of Connecticut, 1998
- U.S. Court of International Trade, 1995
- U.S. Tax Court, 1995
Education
- St. John's University School of Law, Jamaica, New York
- J.D. - 1994
- Honors: Member, Trial Advocacy Team
- Honors: Best Advocate Civil Trial Institute 1993
- Honors: Phi Delta Phi 1993
- Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
- A.B. - 1991
- Honors: Departmental Honors in History
- Honors: Phi Alpha Theta: National History Honor Society 1990
- Honors: Dean's List
Representative Cases
- Brice v. Vermeulen, 74 A.D.3d 858, 901 N.Y.S.2d 853 (N.Y.S.2d 2010)
- Alrobaia ex rel. Severs v. Park Lane Mosholu Corp., 74 A.D.3d 403, 902 N.Y.S.2d 63 (N.Y.S.2d 2010)
- Laguna v. New York City Housing Authority, 74 A.D.3d 498, 902 N.Y.S.2d 88 (N.Y.S.2d 2010)
- Quiroz v. Beitia, 58 A.D.3d 957, 893 N.Y.S.2d 70 (N.Y.S.2d 2009)
- Sau Fong Woo v. 267 Canal Street Corp., 59 A.D.3d 608, 874 N.Y.S.2d 181 (N.Y.S.2d 2009)
- Bakiridden v. Idi Construction Company, Inc., 45 A.D.3d 300, 846 N.Y.S.2d 1 (N.Y.S.2d 2007)
- Tiffany R. v. New York City Housing Authority, 35 A.D.3d 327 (A.D.3d 2006)
- People v. Salazar, 13 Misc.3d 120, 827 N.Y.S.2d 439 (N.Y.S.2d 2006)
- Santero v. Kotwal, 4 A.D.3d 464, 772 N.Y.S.2d 342 (N.Y.S.2d 2004)
- Stanley v. City of New York, New York City Housing Authority, 257 A.D.2d 497, 684 N.Y.S.2d 522 (N.Y.S.2d 1999)
- Abulhasan v. Uniroyal-Goodrich Tire Company, 258 A.D.2d 728, 684 N.Y.S.2d 691 (N.Y.S.2d 1999)
- Employers Mutual Casualty Co. v. Key Pharmaceuticals, 75 F.3d 815 (2d Cir. 1996)
- DeRosa v. U.S. Dredging Corporation, 215 A.D.2d 625, 628 N.Y.S.2d 314 (N.Y.S.2d 1995)
- Flannery v. General Motors Corporation, 86 N.Y.2d 771, 655 N.E.2d 176, 631 N.Y.S.2d 135 (N.Y.2d 1995)
Classes/Seminars
- Lecturer, Trial Practice, St. John's University School of Law
Honors and Awards
- New York Metro Super Lawyers, Medical Malpractice and Personal Injury, 2008 - 2010
- A/V Preeminent Peer Review Rated, Martindale- Hubbell, Highest Possible Rating in Legal Ability and Legal Ethics
- National Trial Lawyers- Top 100 Trial Lawyers in New York State
- Rated "Superb" by AVVO Attorney Rating Service
- National Institute for Trial Advocacy, Trial Advocacy Skills Diploma, 2004
Professional Associations and Memberships
- New York State Trial Lawyers Association, Board of Directors
- New York City Bar Association, Medical Malpractice Committee
- American Association for Justice, Member, 1991 - Present
- American Bar Association, Member
- Maritime Law Association of the United States
- Brooklyn Bar Association
Past Employment Positions
- Barton, Barton & Plotkin LLP, Partner, 2001 - 2011
- Rheingold, Valet & Rheingold LLP, Associate, 1996 - 2001
- Dougherty, Ryan, Giuffra & Zambito, Associate, 1994 - 1996
Languages
- Spanish
