Derek’s Experienced Record

Midwest Trust vs. Gard M.D.
$12.1 Million Medical Malpractice Jury Verdict
Mr. Potts was lead counsel and second chaired by Timothy Sifers in the United States District Court of Kansas. After receiving an offer to settle of just $300,000, the jury unanimously found the defendant doctor guilty of negligence and awarded Mr. Potts’ client, a ten year old girl, $12,100,000. It was the biggest medical malpractice verdict in the four county metropolitan Kansas City area in nearly twenty years.

Estate of Novogradac vs. Shirshekan
$3 Million Nursing Home Negligence Jury Verdict
Mr. Potts was co-lead counsel with Thomas Cartmell in the Circuit Court of Platte County, Missouri. After receiving a $0 offer to settle, the jury awarded the Estate of his deceased client $3,000,000 for pain and suffering due to the negligence of a nursing home owner. It was the biggest civil verdict ever in that Missouri County at that time.

Geary vs. St. Louis University
$875,000 Medical Malpractice Jury Verdict
Mr. Potts was lead counsel and 2nd chaired by Jeffrey Kuntz in this medical malpractice case involving the failure to diagnose a hip fracture tried in the Circuit Court of the City of St Louis. After receiving a $0 offer from the defendant, the jury awarded $875,000 to the Estate of his deceased client On appeal, Mr. Potts successfully defended the verdict in the Supreme Court of Missouri. To hear Mr. Potts arguing before the Supreme Court, click here and scroll down to the middle of the page to select the MP3 file. Read the opinion written by the Court. (PDF)

Wilburn vs. Bethany Medical Center
$4 Million Medical Malpractice Jury Verdict
Mr. Potts was co-counsel Samuel Cullan in this medical malpractice case involving a spinal cord injury sustained by his client during her birth and delivery tried in the Wyandotte County Kansas District Court. After receiving a $0 offer from the defendant, the jury awarded his twelve year old client $4,000,000.

Kugel Mesh Hernia Patch Bellweather Jury Trial
Mr. Potts was co-counsel with Don Migliori of Motley Rice and Jeffrey Kuntz in the first Kugel Mesh Hernia Patch bellwether case tried in the country as part of the federal multi district litigation. Mr. Potts handled key witnesses at trial including the plaintiffs’ chief liability expert witness, a bioengineer. After a four week jury trial, the nine person jury unanimously found that the Composix Kugel Hernia Patch which was placed in over 100,000 patients was defective and unreasonably dangerous due to its propensity to change shape and buckle in the body.