Law Office of Jeffrey Downey
Summary
Main Office
1225 I Street, NW
Suite 600
Washington DC,
DC 20005
(202) 712-9120
Languages
English
Years of Experience
23 years of litigation and related experience
Practice Areas
Geographies
Office Locations
Main Office
1225 I Street, NW
Suite 600
Washington DC, DC 20005
Virginia
4655 Neely Ann Court
Alexandria, VA 22310
Hire a lawyer who used to work for big insurance companies but now works for you.
An experienced trial attorney with a proven track record of exceptional verdicts in personal injury, malpractice, elder neglect and complex litigation cases.
As an experienced trial attorney Mr. Downey has litigated numerous types of cases in both Federal and state courts in Maryland, the District of Columbia, Virginia, West Virginia and New York. He spent the first seven years of his legal career doing defense work for the Federal Government and a Virginia insurance defense firm. He defended a wide variety of cases including personal injury cases, criminal matters, employment matters, medical malpractice cases, declaratory judgment actions, commercial cases and civil rights claims.
After working for the large national law firm of Robins Kaplan Miller and Ciresi, Mr. Downey opened up his own firm in 1997. Now you can hire a big firm lawyer who used to work for insurance companies, but now works for you.
Practice Areas
- Nursing Home/Assisted Living Negligence
- Medical Malpractice
- Personal Injury/Serious Truck/Auto Accidents
- Health Care Fraud/Whistle-Blower Cases
- Commercial Litigation
Selected Results
$58,482,347 Judgment, $5,265,144 Judgment
Jeffrey J. Downey was lead trial counsel in In re Lorazepam & Clorazepate antitrust litigation, civil No. 99-276 where he, along with a team of lawyers from his prior firm, Robins Kaplan Miller and Ciresi, L.L.P., represented Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachussets and Minnesota. These Plaintiffs had alleged that Defendants, including one of the Country’s largest generic drug manufacturers Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc., had conspired to prevent generic competition for two popular anti-anxiety medications, Lorazepam, the generic equivalent of Ativan and Clorazepate, the generic equivalent of Tranxene. Defendants effectively cut off the supply of raw materials to Mylan’s competitors then increased the drugs prices, in some markets, by over 2000%. Many uninsured consumers, including elderly patients on fixed incomes, found that they were no longer able to afford these popular drugs that they had become reliant upon. At trial, Mylan’s senior Vice President was quoted by one Mylan former employees who had relayed various complaints that customers raised after the enormous price increases. "F… the customers" said the V.P., "they don’t set pricing."
The Jury awarded all of plaintiff’s projected economic damages and found that Defendants Mylan, Gyma Labs and Cambrex corporation had violated state antitrust laws. The verdict was eventually trebled under Massachussets state law, resulting in a final judgment of $58,482,347.00 on behalf of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, and a $5,265,114 verdict on behalf of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota. Defendants have promised to appeal the case.
$5 Million Dollar Verdict
... involved a case in which an elderly man claimed he was sexually molested by his male nurse aid at a nursing home. The defense argued that his complaints to his psychiatrist of sexual abuse were a manifestation of his dementia, and that the abuse never occurred. The alleged abuser had a history of inappropriate conduct at the nursing home, and we presented evidence that the plaintiff's roommate was also the victim of abuse. After a week long trial the Jury awarded a $5 million verdict including 4.5 million in punitive damages. The case established important precedents in Virginia case law. See the published decision, Huffman vs. Beverly California Corporation, et al, 42 Va. Cir. 205, 1997 Va. Cir Lexis 113 (J. McGrath, Rockingham County 1997).
To see more Selected Results, please review the Case History section below.
Articles Written
Signs of Elder Neglect and Abuse
Created On: 10/20/2010
Elders in both nursing homes and assisted living facilities are vulnerable to neglect and abuse. The potential for neglect is even greater for demented elders who cannot advocate on their own behalf...
Premises Liability Cases: Slip and Fall or Other Dangerous Conditions Giving Rise to Injury
Created On: 10/18/2010
The legal term premises liability refers generally to legal liability that can result in situations where one is injured on another’s property due to the property owner’s failure to keep the...
How Do Insurance Companies Handle Auto Accident Claims
Created On: 10/14/2010
If you are injured in an automobile accident, you may decide to pursue a claim against the responsible party. Hopefully, that person will be insured, in which case, your claim will be defended by an insurance company. Before...
Example Letter to Contest a Ticket Request Evidence in DC
Created On: 10/10/2010
John Doe, Defendant in the above-captioned proceeding and moves this Bureau for the production of exculpatory and other evidence prior to any hearing and in support thereof states as follows...
Case History
$5 Million Dollar Verdict
Practice Area: Nursing Home
Description: An elderly man claimed he was sexually molested by his male nurse aid at a nursing home. The defense argued that his complaints to his psychiatrist of sexual abuse were a manifestation of his dementia, and that the abuse never occurred. The alleged abuser had a history of inappropriate conduct at the nursing home, and we presented evidence that the plaintiff's roommate was also the victim of abuse.
Outcome: After a week long trial the Jury awarded a $5 million verdict including 4.5 million in punitive damages. The case established important precedents in Virginia case law. See the published decision, Huffman vs. Beverly California Corporation, et al, 42 Va. Cir. 205, 1997 Va. Cir Lexis 113 (J. McGrath, Rockingham County 1997).
$1.8 Million Dollar Verdict
Practice Area: Nursing Home
Description: In Smith v. Rock Creek Manor, a nursing home resident was the victim of neglect and retaliation causing fractures and other injuries.
Outcome: An award of $1,805,590 was entered on behalf of the nursing home resident. Judge Gregory Mize applied D.C. Code § 44-1003 et seq. which required that a damage award against a long term care facility be trebled where harm to the resident results from either retaliation or the violation of any rule or regulation promulgated by the mayor.
$1.5 Million Dollar Verdict
Practice Area: Nursing Home
Description: A resident of an assisted living facility suffered a hip fracture. Plaintiff presented evidence that although the resident was at high risk for falls, there was not adequate fall prevention put in place, in violation of applicable standards of care. There was also evidence that after the fall the plaintiff was placed back to bed, without alerting either her doctor or the family. The insurance carrier initially denied the claim, taking the position that her hip fracture was the result of a spontaneous break unrelated to trauma. The jury did not agree, and rendered one of the largest verdicts on record against an assisted living facility in Virginia.
Outcome: The jury did not agree with the insurance company, and rendered one of the largest verdicts on record against an assisted living facility in Virginia ($1.5 Million).
$850,000 Verdict
Practice Area: Nursing Home
Description: In Musgrove v Medical Facilities of America Inc., a resident suffered from multiple pressure sores, an amputated leg, malnutrition and dehydration which caused his death. Defendant took the position that his adverse outcomes were the result of his preexisting condition and that his pressure sores were clinically unavoidable. The defense called one of the Plaintiff's treating doctors, who described him as a "concentration camp victim" before he entered the nursing home. However, the family was able to avoid the development of pressure sores at home, and the Plaintiff was not dehydrated when he entered the nursing home.
Outcome: The jury award was comprised of $350,000 dollars for pain and suffering damages, and $500,000 dollars for wrongful death damages suffered by the surviving children. Medical Facilities of America Inc. is one of the largest nursing home chains in Virginia. They refused to mediate the case prior to trial and offered only $35,000 to settle the matter prior to trial.
$700,000 Verdict
Practice Area: Nursing Home
Description: Scott v. Pendleton Nursing Home - This nursing home case was venued in rural Pendleton County West Virginia. Plaintiff had alleged multiple acts of neglect including the failure to prevent pressure sores, infection, and a hip fracture.
Outcome: The verdict included $500,000 in punitive damages against the operator of the nursing home, the Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society.
$58,482,347 Judgment, $5,265,144 Judgment
Practice Area: Medical Malpractice
Description: Jeffrey J. Downey was lead trial counsel in In re Lorazepam & Clorazepate antitrust litigation, civil No. 99-276 where he, along with a team of lawyers from his prior firm, Robins Kaplan Miller and Ciresi, L.L.P., represented Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachussets and Minnesota. These Plaintiffs had alleged that Defendants, including one of the Country’s largest generic drug manufacturers Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc., had conspired to prevent generic competition for two popular anti-anxiety medications, Lorazepam, the generic equivalent of Ativan and Clorazepate, the generic equivalent of Tranxene. Defendants effectively cut off the supply of raw materials to Mylan’s competitors then increased the drugs prices, in some markets, by over 2000%. Many uninsured consumers, including elderly patients on fixed incomes, found that they were no longer able to afford these popular drugs that they had become reliant upon. At trial, Mylan’s senior Vice President was quoted by one Mylan former employees who had relayed various complaints that customers raised after the enormous price increases. “F… the customers” said the V.P., they don’t set pricing.
Outcome: The Jury awarded all of plaintiff’s projected economic damages and found that Defendants Mylan, Gyma Labs and Cambrex corporation had violated state antitrust laws. The verdict was eventually trebled under Massachussets state law, resulting in a final judgment of $58,482,347.00 on behalf of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, and a $5,265,114 verdict on behalf of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota. Defendants have promised to appeal the case.
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Lawyers
Jeffrey Downey |
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Location : Washington DC, DC
Practice Areas: Auto Accident, Nursing Home