Barbara Zurek
PartnerBarbara focused her practice on defending healthcare providers who are faced with claims of medical malpractice – including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, therapists, dentists, chiropractors, podiatrists, social workers, physician assistants and physical therapists, and entities such as hospitals and nursing homes.
Barbara and her colleagues served as defense counsel for the leading underwriter of medical malpractice insurance in Minnesota. They are also approved local defense counsel for the leading medical malpractice insurers of chiropractors and dentists. She has tried approximately 75 such cases – in trial and on appeal.
I pride myself on being efficient, thoughtful, supportive and available – and on achieving the best possible outcomes for my clients and their employers.
She often spoke to healthcare organizations and providers on the issues surrounding professional liability and is an instructor for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy.
In addition to her medical malpractice work, Barbara represented healthcare providers in their dealings with professional licensing boards. Since she was a registered nurse in addition to being a lawyer, she was intimately acquainted with these venues and issues.
Education
- William Mitchell College of Law, J.D., summa cum laude, 1990
- Metropolitan State University, B.A.N., 1985
- North Hennepin Community College, A.D. in Nursing, 1977
Representative Trials and Verdicts
-
Roseau County, MN
Court File No. 68-CV-16-284
Claim(s) alleged: Allegations of negligent chiropractic treatment resulting in injury to the neck and spine.
Defense verdict, June 23, 2017 -
Douglas County, MN
Court File No. 27-CV-15-1479
Claim(s) alleged: Allegations of negligence resulting in serious and disabling injuries arising from patient fall to floor from chiropractic adjustment table.
Defense verdict, June 8, 2017 -
Carver County, MN
Court File No. 10-CV-14-1375
Claim(s) alleged: Allegations of negligent chiropractic care and treatment, resulting in patient death.
Defense verdict, November 2016 -
Washington County, MN Court
File No. 82-CV-15-2690
Claim(s) alleged: Allegations of negligent chiropractic adjustments resulting in rib fractures.
Defense verdict, September 2016 -
Blue Earth County, MN
Court File No. 07-CV-13-1836
Claim(s) alleged: Allegations of negligence in failure to reasonably and appropriately diagnose patient with a brain tumor.
Defense verdict, April 2016 -
Hennepin County, MN
Court File No. 27-CV-14-10873
Claim(s) alleged: Allegations of negligence in the timing and treatment of anastomotic leak post-bariatric surgery.
Defense verdict, November 2015 -
Hennepin County, MN
Court File No. 27-CV-14-9968
Claim(s) alleged: Allegations of negligence in performing the wrong surgical procedure; one that was too conservative.
Defense verdict, October 2015 -
Washington County, MN Court
File No. 14-CV-14-1341
Claim(s) alleged: Allegations of negligent and intentional mis-prescribing of narcotics under false names, resulting in addiction.
Defense verdict, June 2015 -
Binding Arbitration
Nursing Home Litigation
Claim(s): Medical negligence case. Harm allegedly resulting from delay in diagnosis and treatment of diabetes mellitus.
Defense verdict, March 2015 -
Hennepin County, MN
Court File No. 27-CV-14-2636
Claim(s) alleged: Allegations of negligent preparation of dental prosthetics and lack of informed consent.
Defense verdict, January 2015 -
Binding Arbitration
Nursing Home Litigation
Claim(s): Wrongful death claim, allegedly resulting from failure to properly respond to a resident aspiration event.
Defense verdict, September 2014 -
Olmsted County, MN
Court File No. 55-CV-12-3019
Claim(s) alleged: Negligent orthopedic knee surgery leading to further surgery and further injury.
Plaintiffs dismissed case after Defendant’s case in chief presented, June 2014 -
Dakota County, MN
Court File No. 19 HA-CV-12-5629
Claim(s) alleged: Negligent lumbar transforaminal epidural steroid injection leading to paraplegia.
Defense verdict, May 2014 -
Hennepin County, MN
Court File No. 27-CV-13-38
Claim(s) alleged: Negligent Postoperative monitoring after open heart surgery resulting in neurological delays and disabilities.
Defense verdict, February 2014 -
Hennepin County, MN
Court File No. 27-CV-12-2036
Claim(s) alleged: Claimed death from metastatic anal cancer due to negligent oncology care and treatment.
Defense verdict, November 2013 -
Chippewa County, WI Court
File No. 11-CV-59
Claim(s) alleged: Claimed carotid artery dissection and stroke due to chiropractic adjustment.
Defense verdict, October 2013 -
Hennepin County, MN
Court File No. 27-CV-12-7335
Claim(s) alleged: Post spinal surgery hematoma resulting in paraparesis claimed post-surgical mismanagement leading to injuries.
Defense verdict, July 2013 -
Ramsey County, MN
Court File No. 62-CV-12-737
Claim(s) alleged: Negligent surgical management of oomphalocele.
Defense verdict, May 2013 -
Hennepin County, MN
Court File No. 27-CV-12-1152
Claim(s) alleged: Negligent chiropractic diagnosis and treatment of cervical myelopathy.
Defense verdict, December 2012 -
Hennepin County, MN
Court File No. 27-CV-10-28620
Claim(s) alleged: Negligent treatment of esophageal and gastric varices.
Defense verdict, January 2012 -
Hennepin County, MN
Court File No. 27-CV-10-5917
Claim(s) alleged: Negligent management of wrist fracture, resulting in increased disability.
Defense verdict, December 2011 -
Ramsey County, MN
Court File No. 62-CV-09-5836
Claim(s) alleged: Negligent diagnosis of superior mesenteric artery stenosis, resulting in bowel perforation and ultimate death.
Defense verdict, November 2011 -
Hennepin County, MN
Court File No. 27-CV-10-20407
Claim(s) alleged: Negligently failed to timely evaluate symptoms of blurred vision, resulting in death.
Defense verdict, August 2011 -
Ramsey County, MN
Court File No. 62-CV-10-336
Claim(s) alleged: Negligence in failing to properly manage post-op care, including failure to timely place an NG tube, resulting in death.
Defense verdict, July 2011 -
Hennepin County, MN Court
File No. 27-CV-10-402
Claim(s) alleged: Negligent chiropractic care to cervical spine.
Defense verdict, June 2011 -
Ramsey County, MN
Court File 62-CV-08-12649
Claim(s) alleged: Negligent failure to diagnose complications of Crohn's Disease in pregnancy, resulting in bowel perforation and fetal death.
Defense verdict, November 2010 -
Hennepin County, MN Court
File 27-CV-08-12902
Claim(s) alleged: Negligent failure to diagnose and properly treat pseudo-tumor cerebri, resulting in blindness.
Defense verdict, October 2010 -
Hennepin County, MN Court
File 27-CV-07-1959
Claim(s) alleged: Negligent failure to diagnose lung cancer, leading to death.
Defense verdict, September 2010 -
Crow Wing County, MN Court
File 18-CV-09-2229
Claim(s) alleged: Negligent recommendations for and performance of LASIX eye surgery, resulting in vision complications.
Defense verdict, July 2010 -
Hennepin County, MN Court
File 27-CV-08-17606
Claim(s) alleged: Negligent recommendation for abdominal hysterectomy and negligent failure to diagnose post-op bowel perforation.
Defense verdict, February 2010 -
Anoka County, MN
Court File 02-CV-07-5289
Claim(s) alleged: Negligent intra-partum care, allegedly leading to birth injuries.
Defense verdict, November 2009 -
St. Croix County, WI Court
File 07-CV-472
Claim(s) alleged: Allegations of improper adjustments to ankle, claiming damage to ankle structures.
Defense verdict, August 2009 -
Hennepin County, MN Court
File 27-CV-08-7546
Claim(s) alleged: Allegations of improper post colonoscopy monitoring and safety.
Defense verdict, July 2009 -
Dakota County, MN
Court File 19HA-CV-08-746
Claim(s) alleged: Patient's death due to negligent care by hospital and physician following Laser Vein Ablation Procedure for varicose veins.
Defense verdict, July 2009 -
Washington County, MN Court
File CX-07-1762
Claim(s) alleged: Failure to recognize bowel perforation.
Defense verdict, March 2009 -
Hennepin County, MN Court
File CV-07-2521
Claim(s) alleged: Failure to diagnose myocardial ischemia.
Defense verdict, August 2008 -
Cottonwood County, MN Court
File 17-CV-07-263
Claim(s) alleged: Negligent chiropractic care causing a neck fracture.
Defense verdict, June 2008 -
Hennepin County, MN Court
File CV-06-2747
Claim(s) alleged: Failure to properly evaluate and diagnose radiologic studies done to evaluate for thoracic outlet syndrome and Paget-Schroetter’s Syndrome.
Defense verdict, October 2007 -
Crow Wing County, MN Court
File C8-06-000460
Claim(s) alleged: Defamation, breach of patient confidentiality, breach of contract, HIPAA violations intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, punitive damages as a result of publication of patient photographs for advertising purposes.
Defense verdict, July 2007 -
Beadle County, SD Court
File CIV 03-58
Claim(s) alleged: Delayed diagnosis and associated complications therewith of bowel perforation post-laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Defense verdict, July 2007 -
Hennepin County, MN Court
File MP 05-016785
Claim(s) alleged: Malpractice in cosmetic surgery related to a variety of aesthetic reconstructive procedures, including brachioplasty surgery.
Defense verdict, February 2007 -
Hennepin County, MN Court
File WD #04-009322
Claim(s) alleged: Psychiatric malpractice case involving successful suicide in hospital’s acute locked psychiatric unit.
Defense verdict, December 2006 -
Crow Wing County, MN Court
File C3-04-703
Claim(s) alleged: Common bile duct injury and stenosis in the course of performing laparoscopic cholecystectomy resulting in the need for reconstructive surgery.
Defense verdict, November 2006 -
Hennepin County, MN Court
File MP 05-003938
Claim(s) alleged: Spinal cord injury during the course of neurosurgical spine surgery on the thoracic spine.
Defense verdict, July 2006 -
Anoka County, MN Court
File C3-04-1121
Claim(s) alleged: Failure to recognize bowel perforation and gastric leak post-Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery.
Defense verdict, May 2006 -
Crow Wing County, MN Court
File C9-03-3160
Claim(s) alleged: Improper surgical decision-making and skill in the performance of abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery resulting in patient death.
Defense verdict, February 2006 -
Dakota County, MN Court
File C0-04-009562
Claim(s) alleged: Chiropractic malpractice, purportedly exacerbating a lumbar herniated disc.
Defense verdict, January 2006 -
Hennepin County, MN Court
File MP 04-007720
Claim(s) alleged: Stevens-Johnson Syndrome secondary to anti-viral medication administered for HIV disease resulting in severe corneal damage.
Defense verdict, July 2005 -
Anoka County, MN Court
File C1-03-989
Claim(s) alleged: Intra-operative and post-operative vascular surgery malpractice allegedly resulting in neurologic injury and spastic dyplegia post-abdominal aortic bi-femoral bypass.
Defense verdict, June 2005 -
Hennepin County, MN Court
File MP-03-15601
Claim(s) alleged: Failure to properly recognize additional injuries in traumatic arm amputation case, with residual nerve injury claimed.
Defense verdict, November 2004 -
Hennepin County, MN Court
File C8-03-863
Claim(s) alleged: Carotid and vertebral artery dissection secondary to cervical spine adjustment, resulting in patient death.
Defense verdict, September 2004 -
Hennepin County, MN Court
File MP 01-19512
Claim(s) alleged: Failure to diagnose and delay in diagnosis of diabetes insipidus.
Defense verdict, July 2003 -
Dakota County, MN Court
File 19-C1-02-7802
Claim(s) alleged: Failure to recognize patient’s presenting symptoms as those of vascular insufficiency, ultimately culminating in the patient having bilateral leg amputations.
Defense verdict, May 2003 -
Freeborn County, MN Court
File C4-01-661
Claim(s) alleged: Improper obstetrical care, labor, and delivery management, uterine rupture and hypoxic ischemic brain injury.
Defense verdict, April 2003
Professional Affiliations
- Member, International Society of Barristers, an honor society of outstanding trial lawyers chosen by their peers on the basis of excellence and integrity in advocacy
- Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America, (A trial lawyer honorary society, with membership limited to one-half of one percent of American lawyers, and by invitation only)
- Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
- International Academy of Trial Lawyers
- American Board of Trial Advocates
- Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association
- Minnesota Women Lawyers
- Hennepin County Bar Association
Accolades
- Member, American Board of Trial Advocates
- Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
- Fellow, International Academy of Trial Lawyers
- Member, International Society of Barristers
- Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America
- Named Minneapolis Best Lawyers Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants Lawyer of the Year, 2017
- Named an Attorney of the Year, Minnesota Lawyer, 2013
- Named Minneapolis Best Lawyers Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants Lawyer of the Year, 2012
- Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers of America® (Woodward/White, Inc., Aiken, S.C.), 2009-2018
- Selected for inclusion in the Minnesota Super Lawyers® list, Thomson Reuters, (only five percent of lawyers in the state were selected), 2003-2017
- Recognized in the list of Top 100 Super Lawyers, 2010-2017
- Recognized in the list of Top 50 Women Super Lawyers, 2010-2017
- Recognized in the list of Top 100 Women Super Lawyers, 2006-2009
- Awarded the highest possible Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating, AV® Preeminent ™ (AV is a registered certification mark of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies)
- Elected to the Minneapolis Patrick Henry High School Hall of Fame