Robert T. Szostak has over 34 years of recognized experience as a highly skilled and accomplished trial lawyer representing victims of catastrophic injury and death from initial client consult through appellate process with a reputation for delivering outstanding results through comprehensive professional dedication, integrity, intellect and resolve to maximize and win with genuine advocacy, personal and professional excellence, utmost ethical standards and a committed passion for leadership, successful service of others and the relentless pursuit of justice.
A longstanding Philadelphia “Super Lawyer” with exceptional legal prowess and integrity, Bob Szostak has been representing victims of catastrophic injury and death for the last 34 years, attaining an impressive number of million dollar resolutions, while staunchly advocating on behalf of his clients. As one family said: “He is the best attorney we have ever met or known.” Another client attributes the success of their case to “Bob’s diligent interrogation and masterful command of the facts of the case.” He is indeed a significant addition to a firm well-known for its high ethical standards, substantial settlements, and genuine commitment to the rights and well-being of its clients.
Mr. Szostak concentrates his practice in the area of complex civil litigation. He handles a wide range of legal cases: medical professional negligence, product liability, motor vehicle, premises liability, amusement park liability, construction/workplace injury, false imprisonment, insurance bad faith, fraud, defamation, and matters involving governmental immunity, highway design, explosion, traumatic brain injury and other forms of professional negligence.
He has been lead trial or co-trial counsel in more than thirty-five jury trials. He is ranked in the top five percent of Pennsylvania medical malpractice lawyers by Philadelphia Magazine, and has maintained a “preeminent” AV Peer Review rating from Martindale-Hubbell for over ten years. A graduate of Brown University and Widener University School of Law, Mr. Szostak often teaches classes and seminars for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute and trial attorney associations in his practice areas. His numerous publications include “The Brave New World of the Medical Malpractice Litigation: Filing Suit”, “Maximizing Your Clients’ Recovery in Challenging Times: Proof of Damages in Wrongful Death and Survival Actions”, “Trying a Case in State Court – from File to Trial”, and the “Medical Malpractice Update of the Law for 2012-2013”.
Mr. Szostak is admitted to practice in the State and Federal Courts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and in the United States Supreme Court. He is an active member of the Philadelphia Bar Association, the Montgomery Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Association for Justice, and the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association. Mr. Szostak chaired the Philadelphia Bar Association State Civil Litigation Section for three years, and he served on its Board of Governors and Commission on Judicial Selection and Retention. He also devotes his time and talents to La Salle College High School as an Alumni Trustee and to Brown University.
Outside of the world of law, Bob Szostak enjoys a balance of family time with his wife, sons, personal fitness, reading, movies, music, and various outdoor activities. He just completed his commitment as the head of the Penn Parents’ Football Network. Mr. Szostak approaches law and life with dedication, passion and integrity, a commitment to excellence, and a spirit of service and leadership to others. Mr. Szostak has the reputation as a consummate professional and a true “Philadelphia Lawyer”.
Education
BA, Brown University, 1976
JD, Widener University School of Law, 1982
Law Review: Delaware Journal of Corp Law, 1981 – 1982
Bar Admissions
Pennsylvania, 1982
New Jersey, 1983
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 1984
U.S. District Court District of New Jersey, 1985
U.S. Supreme Court, 2003
Past Case Results
- Major recovery for bicyclist in product defect/negligent assembly case
- $1 Million settlement for trucker injured by an underinsured automobile driver
- $775,000 settlement in a Berks County slip and fall case
- Significant recovery for a bicyclist injured in a Haz-Mat spill
- Substantial recovery in product defect case for child injured by youth furniture tip-over resulting in worldwide change in safety standards
- $4.375 Million Bucks County Verdict for 89 year old man against emergency room doctor and hospital plus major delay damages
- $5.7 Million settlement for brain injury caused during radiographic procedure
- $1.2 Million settlement for blindness caused by failure to diagnose
- $1.1 Million recovery for arm injury due to radiology negligence
- Multi-Million dollar settlement for anesthesiology malpractice and hospital corporate negligence and indifference
- $1.7 Million recovery for failure to diagnose meningitis
- Million dollar settlement for negligent orthopedic surgery
- Multi-Million dollar settlement won for closed head injuries caused by nursing negligence leading to medication overdose
- Million dollar settlement in motor vehicle death case caused by driver and highway construction company negligence
- Million dollar plus recovery for bad faith against insurance company
- $1.3 Million settlement for closed head injury case
- Million dollar settlement in product defect explosion case
- Multi-million dollar recovery in landmark libel case
- Significant settlement won in sledding accident death case limited by immunity statute
Mr. Szostak has also secured numerous other settlements for victims of vehicular and premises negligence, false imprisonment, product defect, commercial fraud, breach of contract, accounting and attorney malpractice, and construction negligence. He has handled numerous appellate matters in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Honors and Awards
- Pennsylvania’s “Super Lawyer”, 2008 – Present
- Martindale-Hubbell – AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating, 2002 – Present
Classes/Seminars
- Jury Instructions: How to Ace the Charge Conference – General Considerations PaTLA, 2003
- Medical Malpractice – 2004 State of the Law, PaTLA
- The Nuts and Bolts of Medical Malpractice Case – Filing Suit, PBI, No. 2004-3600
- Medical Professional Liability Workshop, PaTLA Annual Convention, July 2004, No. 326-2004
- The Nuts and Bolts of Medical Malpractice Case – Filing Suit, PBI, April 27, 2006 No. 2006-4247, 2006
- The Verdict – Cross Examination in the Medical Malpractice Case, Philadelphia Bar Association State Civil Litigation Section Bench-Bar, PBI, September, 2006
- Brave New World of Medical Malpractice Litigation – Taking the Case and Filing Suit, PBI, July 23, 2008
- Maximizing Your Client’s Recovery in Challenging Times – Proof of Damages in Wrongful Death and Survival Actions, PBI, June 23, 2009
- Anatomy of a Lawsuit: Legal Evaluation of a Medical Professional Liability Case, Abington Memorial Hospital, October 12, 2010
- The Philadelphia Judge Pro Tem Program: A Fresh Perspective On What It Takes To Appear Before a JPT, PBI, Philadelphia Bar Association Bench Bar Conference, October 14, 2010
- Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Medicare Liens and Medicaid Liens but Continue to be Afraid to Ask, Moderator, Philadelphia Bar Association State Civil Litigation Section, March 9, 2011
- Act 17 – DeFacto Abolition of Joint and Several Liability in Pennsylvania, Moderator, Philadelphia Bar Association State Civil Litigation Section, September 7, 2011
- Trying a Case in State Court (From Start to Finish), PBI, June, 2012
- Five-County Court Perspectives, PBI, Philadelphia Bar Association Bench Bar Conference, October, 2012
- Anatomy of a Lawsuit: There Are No Frivolous Lawsuits, Montgomery Bar Association and Montgomery County Medical Society, Einstein Hospital Montgomery, November, 2012
- Medical Malpractice Update: 2012/2013 Case Law Update – The Year in Review, PBI, March, 2013
Past Employment Positions
- Superior Court of Pennsylvania, Hon. Stephen J. McEwen, Jr., Law Clerk, 1982 – 1984
- Stephen M. Feldman, P.C., 1984 – 1985
- M. Mark Mendel, Ltd., 1985 – 2004
- Kornblau & Kornblau, P.C., 2004 – 2008
- Rubin, Glickman, Steinberg and Gifford, 2008 – 2013
Published Works
- New Med-Mal Law: Analysis of the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error (Mcare) Act – Act No. 2002-13, Barrister (Cover Article), PaTLA, July 2002
- Pa. Supreme Court Promulgates Federal Rule 11 Equivalent, PaTLA News, July, Vol. XVI, No. 5, 2002
- Expert Witness Qualifications Under the Certificate of Merit Rules, Section 512 of the Mcare Act and the Same Subspecialty Defense, Barrister, PaTLA, May, Vol. XVII, No. 2, 2003
- Jury Instructions: How to Ace the Charge Conference – General Considerations, PaTLA, Dec. 12, 2003
- Medical Malpractice – 2004 State of the Law, PaTLA, January 15, 2004
- The Nuts and Bolts of the Medical Malpractice Case – Filing Suit, PBI, No. 2004-3600
- Medical Professional Liability Workshop, PaTLA Annual Convention, No. 326-2004, July, 2004
- The Nuts and Bolts of the Medical Malpractice Case – Filing Suit, PBI, April 27, No. 2006-4247
- The Verdict – Cross Examination in the Medical Malpractice Case, Philadelphia Bar Association State Civil Litigation Section Bench-Bar, PBI, September, 2006
- Brave New World of Medical Malpractice Litigation – Taking the Case and Filing Suit, PBI, July 23, 2008
- Current Issues in Medical Malpractice, PBI, November, 2008
- Maximizing Your Client’s Recovery in Challenging Times – Proof of Damages in Wrongful Death and Survival Actions, PBI, June, 2009
- Anatomy of a Lawsuit: Legal Evaluation of a Medical Professional Liability Case, Montgomery County Bar Association, October, 2010
- Trying a Case in State Court (From Start to Finish), PBI, June, 2012
- Five-County Civil Court Perspectives from Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Supervising Judges and Court Administrators: Introduction, Case Management from Filing to Trial, Discovery Practice, Frivolous Litigation Rules, Uniform Local Rules, JPT/ADR/Settlement Master Programs, Best/Worst Practices in Court, Future of the Courts, Closing Remarks (Relationships, Civility and Justice), PBI, Philadelphia Bar Association Bench Bar Conference, November, 2012
- Anatomy of a Lawsuit: There Are No Frivolous Lawsuits, Montgomery Bar Association and Montgomery County Medical Society, Einstein Hospital Montgomery, November, 2012
- Medical Malpractice Update: 2012/2013 Case Law Update – The Year in Review, PBI, March, 2013
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Pennsylvania Association for Justice, Member, 2011 – Present
- Pennsylvania Bar Association, Member, 1983 – 2004; 2008 – Present
- American Association for Justice, 1983 – 2004
- Pennsylvania Association for Justice formerly Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association, 1985 – 2004; 2008 – Present
- Philadelphia Bar Association, Member, 1985 – Present
- Philadelphia Bar Association, State Civil Litigation Section, Executive Committee, 2004 – 2013; Chairman 2010-2013; Member 2013 – Present
- Philadelphia Bar Association Commission on Judicial Selection and Retention, 2010-2012
- Philadelphia Bar Association, Chairman, Rules and Procedure Committee, 2004 – 2007
- Philadelphia Bar Association, Chairman, Medical/Legal Committee, 2002 – 2004
- Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association, 1990 -2004; 2007; 2010 – Present
- Montgomery Bar Association, Member – Trial Lawyers Section, Bench Bar Committee, Rules of Civil Court Committee and Medical Legal Committee, 2008 – Present
- AJJ NJ, 2000 – 2004
- Brown Alumni Schools Committee, 1976 – Present
- La Salle College High School Alumni Association, Board Member, 1996 – 2006
- La Salle College High School Alumni Association, Vice President, 2000 – 2004
- La Salle College High School Alumni Association, President, 2004 -2005
- La Salle College High School, Committee to Benefit the Children of St. Christopher’s Hospital, 2000 – Present
- La Salle College High School, Alumni Trustee, 2005 – Present
Fraternities/Sororities
- Delta Tau Delta
- The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Ph