Justin is a seasoned litigator whose practice focuses on medical malpractice, nursing home liability, and state board disciplinary actions. In addition to his legal background, Justin also received his pharmacy degree. Licensed as a pharmacist in both Iowa and Illinois, he leverages his deep knowledge in pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, toxicology, physiology, and anatomy to provide strategic, scientifically grounded defense in complex medical malpractice cases.
Justin has handled several hundred medical malpractice matters and has taken nearly 120 cases to trial. Ninety percent of all verdicts were defense verdicts, and roughly 30 of his cases ended in a verdict or mid-trial settlement significantly below the settlement demands. He has represented a considerable number of physicians and pharmacists at state board disciplinary proceedings. He successfully obtained favorable trial verdicts in multiple cases involving potentially high jury awards, including matters involving limb loss, kidney/liver injury, wrongful birth and wrongful death by demonstrating that the physicians were not negligent in the care and treatment that they rendered to their patients. He also handled a case for a physician involved in the Ortho Evra patch mass litigation.
Justin received a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy from Drake University in 1986. While at Drake, he received various honors, including The Norcliff-Thayer Publishing Grant, election into the Order of Omega (honor society), and inclusion on the Dean's List. Justin received his juris doctor from Pace University School of Law in June 1989 where he was involved in the Health Law Program.
After serving a judicial internship with the Honorable John Marbach in the New York Supreme Court, Justin became associated with Jeffrey A. Krompier, Esquire, of Florham Park, New Jersey, from 1989 through 1992. In 1992, Justin became associated with Michael J. Lunga, Esquire of Fairfield, New Jersey, and became a partner at their newly named firm Lunga, Evers & Johnson in 1995. He remained at that firm until he joined Marshall Dennehey in 2007.
Justin is admitted to the bar in New Jersey and the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, and he is a member of the New Jersey State Bar Association, and the American Society for Pharmacy Law. He was appointed to the Medical Malpractice Committee of the New Jersey State Bar Association, as well as the Joint Committee of Essex County Medical and Bar Associations.
Justin is an active member of the community, serving as a member of the Harrington Park Lions Club and, when his daughters were younger, serving as a board member and coach of serveral recreational and travel softball and basketball programs. He is also a consistory member and first vice-president of the Community Church of Harrington Park, New Jersey.
Results
No-Cause Jury Verdict Secured in Wrongful Death Trial
We successfully obtained a no-cause jury verdict in a 13-day wrongful death trial. The decedent, a 59-year-old man, was admitted to the emergency room on February 15, 2019, with complaints of abdominal pain, decreased appetite, and constipation, despite the use of laxatives. The patient did not complain of any nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. He had a significant medical history including diabetes, hypertension, prior coronary artery stenting, morbid obesity (with past gastric bypass surgery), longstanding ventral hernia, and back pain. A CT scan revealed multiple hernias and a potential closed-loop bowel obstruction, leading to a surgery consultation. Our client, an emergency general surgeon, interpreted that the patient did not have a closed loop or any significant obstruction and recommended non-surgical management. The patient was approved to have clear liquids, and had a vomiting incident shortly after, but our client was not notified. The patient was returned to NPO status, and after improving overnight, he was returned to “clears” and additional medical and renal consults were ordered. Our client did not receive any communications from the residents/nurses of any changes in the patient’s condition. On February 18, 2019, two rapid responses were called due to increased heart rate and vomiting. It is believed that the vomiting resulted in aspiration, causing sepsis, ultimately leading to the patient’s death. During the trial, the plaintiff’s sole medical expert highlighted imaging on the wrong hernia, which called into question all of his opinions in the case. We made key objections related to the expert testimony, limiting what the allegations were, and preventing new allegations from being made. After approximately two and a half hours of deliberating, the jury returned a no-cause verdict.
Unanimous Verdict Obtained in a Medical Malpractice Matter in Bergen County, New Jersey
