Egan brings a uniquely sophisticated perspective to the team at Elk + Elk. Licensed to practice in both Washington and Ohio, and he is a principal attorney who manages a robust caseload across both venues. As a lead advocate for the Seattle-Tacoma office, Egan provides a bridge between two distinct legal landscapes, offering his clients a depth of knowledge that spans the Pacific Northwest and the Midwest. His practice is centered on representing individuals and families whose lives have been devastated by medical negligence and catastrophic trucking or automobile accidents.
Leveraging Defense Experience for Plaintiff Success
With decades of collective firm experience at Elk + Elk serving as a foundation for his work, Egan has built a career defined by an insider’s understanding of the legal system. This understanding was forged in the early years of his career when he worked at a respected medical malpractice and insurance defense firm. During this time, he gained invaluable insight into the methods insurance companies and healthcare corporations use to evaluate and defend injury claims. This experience allows him to anticipate the opposition’s strategies and build cases that are specifically engineered to withstand the tactics of well-funded defense teams.
A Behind-the-Bench View of the Courtroom
In addition to his defense background, Egan served as a Judicial Staff Attorney for the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas. In this role, he assisted Judge Harry Hanna, Judge Leo Spellacy, and former Ohio Supreme Court Justice Francis E. Sweeney. Working directly with the judiciary provided Egan with a behind-the-bench view of how legal arguments are perceived by the court. He learned firsthand what makes an argument persuasive to a judge and how the procedural nuances of a case can influence its final outcome. This rare combination of defense experience and judicial service gives Egan’s clients a significant advantage in the courtroom, as he understands the law from the perspective of the advocate, the adversary, and the court itself.
Multi-State Recognition for Legal Excellence
Egan’s commitment to excellence has been recognized by his peers in both of his practicing states. He was honored as a Washington Super Lawyers Rising Star from 2016 through 2019 and was named to the Washington Super Lawyers list in 2020, 2022, and 2023. Prior to his work in Washington, he was recognized as an Ohio Super Lawyers Rising Star from 2010 to 2015. This distinction is given to no more than 2.5 percent of the attorneys in a state, marking Egan as a standout practitioner in two different regions of the country. These accolades reflect a career of consistent, high-level performance and a reputation for integrity among fellow trial lawyers.
Deconstructing Complex Medical Negligence
In the complex arena of medical negligence, Egan’s meticulous approach is vital. Medical malpractice cases require a deep dive into clinical records, hospital protocols, and expert testimony. Egan’s ability to deconstruct these cases ensures that negligent healthcare providers are held accountable for their actions. He approaches these cases with a fierce determination to secure justice for patients who have been harmed by sub-standard medical care.
Versatility in Trucking and Automobile Litigation
When handling trucking and automobile negligence claims, Egan applies his understanding of both federal and state regulations to ensure no stone is left unturned. Whether it is a high-speed collision on a Washington highway or a complex commercial truck accident in Ohio, he understands the physics and the liability issues that define these life-altering events. He believes that every client deserves a champion who is not only a skilled litigator but also a compassionate advisor who can guide them through the physical and financial recovery process.
Egan’s dual-state practice is a testament to his versatility and his tireless work ethic. He balances the demands of two distinct legal systems while maintaining the high standards of Elk + Elk. For Egan, the practice of law is not just a profession but a calling to serve those who have been wronged. He is dedicated to ensuring that insurance companies and large corporations fulfill their obligations to the injured, and he remains a steadfast advocate for the rights of the individual in every case he accepts.
Publications
Washington State Association for Justice: Trial News
Representative Washington Settlements and Verdicts
Throughout his career, Egan has obtained significant verdicts and settlements in cases involving medical malpractice, wrongful death, catastrophic injuries, and motor vehicle collisions. The following are representative examples of results achieved on behalf of clients.
$5,000,000 – Medical Negligence – Washington (Confidential)
$2,500,000 – Medical Negligence – Washington
Jane Doe v. Hospital for alleged delay in diagnosis of cancer.
$1,900,000 – Dangerous Roadway/Intersection — Kent, Washington
The City of Kent agreed to pay $1,900,000.00 to settle claims that our client’s fatal motorcycle accident was in part due to an inherently and unreasonably dangerous intersection. We alleged that the City was aware of the dangers posed by the intersection, as well as the simple remedies for them, but took half-measures that did not make the intersection safe. We settled separately with the at-fault driver for the limits of his insurance.
$1,700,000 Trial Verdict Result – Medical Malpractice – Pierce County, Washington
Recovery after favorable verdict after 3-week trial in Tacoma, Washington. A 69-year-old Washington woman suffered a permanent spinal cord injury, leaving her a functional paraplegic while a patient at Multicare Good Samaritan Hospital. A medication error caused a spinal epidural hematoma (blood clot in her back), and the nurses and staff failed to recognize the signs and symptoms of its progression, which in turn caused a delay in diagnosis and treatment.
$750,000 — Medical Negligence / Wrongful Death — Vancouver, Washington
Settlement on behalf of family arising from the death of a 57-year-old woman due to allegedly negligent medical management in the intensive care unit.
$700,000 — Medical Negligence / Wrongful Death — Seattle, Washington
Pre-suit resolution for wrongful death of a 69-year-old, allegedly arising from negligent care by her primary physician.
$327,225 – Motor Vehicle Accident – Washington
Recovery for a responsible driver who suffered serious injuries and severe vehicle damage when another driver pulled directly into his path.
$300,000 – Motor Vehicle Crash – Washington
Our client suffered a torn labrum in his shoulder when he was rear-ended, requiring arthroscopic shoulder surgery to repair it.
$275,000 – Car-Pedestrian Crash In Crosswalk – Washington
A Washington woman suffered a broken leg when she was hit by a car while crossing the street in a marked crosswalk. The driver of the car claimed she was blinded by the sun, but her insurance company and the injured woman’s underinsured motorists carrier ultimately paid the full limits of insurance available.
$175,000 — Motor Vehicle Collision — Tacoma, Washington
Our 30-year-old client suffered soft-tissue neck and back injuries arising from a rear-end collision.
$160,000 – Motor Vehicle / Train Crash – Washington
A man suffered bruising to his leg and subsequent complications of compartment syndrome after the van in which he was riding turned in front of the LINK light rail, causing the train to strike the van.
$150,000 – Motor Vehicle Crash – Washington
A Washington woman suffered a herniated disc in her neck when she struck a vehicle that had negligently turned left in front of her when she had the right of way.
Representative Results Outside Washington
$6,300,000 Verdict
Clawson v. Rothstein – Patient suffered hypoxic brain injury in post-operative recovery room due to failure to timely recognize respiratory distress and intubate the patient. The verdict was reduced pursuant to tort reform damage caps.
$875,000 – Worksite Injury – West Virginia
Recovery after an Ohio man suffered a subdural hematoma (bleeding in the brain) after he was struck in the head with a falling piece of equipment while working on a drilling site in West Virginia, leaving him with a permanent traumatic brain injury and neuropsychological deficits.
$750,000 Result
Deceased client who succumbed to complications following a vascular injury during elective, minimally invasive surgery to address gastro-esophageal reflux (GERD). During the procedure, the surgeon unknowingly cut her portal vein, hepatic artery, and common bile duct. After the injury was recognized she received a liver transplant, but was unable to recover and died of complications secondary to massive blood loss.
$530,000 Result
Estate of a patient who succumbed to complications due to hypocalcemia, resulting from the inadvertent and unrecognized removal of her parathyroid glands.
$480,000 – Trucking Crash – Ohio
An Ohio man suffered a traumatic brain injury after his tractor-trailer, which had stopped in severe winter weather, was struck at a high rate of speed by another tractor-trailer. His brain injury left him unable to continue his decades-long career of over-the-road trucking.
$425,000 – Medical Malpractice – Ohio
An Ohio woman passed away at the hospital after spinal surgery when she became septic, and the signs and symptoms of her sepsis (severe systemic infection) were not promptly recognized and treated by the nurses and doctors at the hospital.
$425,000 Result
Client suffered pelvic, hip, wrist and clavicle fractures after a car illegally turned left in front of his motorcycle.
$400,000 Result
Client suffered a brain injury during endoscopic sinus surgery to address chronic sinusitis.
$362,500 – Motor Vehicle Crash – Ohio
An Ohio woman t-boned another driver who had failed to yield the right of way at a stop sign on a very foggy morning. She suffered a tibial plateau fracture (a broken leg near the knee) which led to arthritis and ultimately a total knee replacement.
$300,000 Result
Paraplegic client suffered a fractured leg and severe healing complications after he fell out of his wheelchair while being transported in an ambulette due to driver’s failure to appropriately secure him. Co-Counsel: Chris Wallace.
$237,500 – Medical Negligence – Michigan
A Michigan woman passed away in the hospital when a medication error led to bleeding complications after a liver biopsy.
$225,000 – Product Liability – Ohio
An Ohio woman suffered severe lacerations and tendon injuries when a canister used to prepare whipped cream exploded in her hand.
$225,000 – Motor Vehicle Crash – Ohio
A New York man was thrown from his car and died when another vehicle entered his lane of travel, causing both vehicles to overturn and collide.
$190,000 Result
The client suffered a fractured ankle in a left-of-center motor vehicle collision.
$190,000 Result
Estate of a client who suffered a hip fracture at a nursing home and subsequently passed away.
$169,000 Verdict
Client suffered a lumbar disc herniation in a minor property-damage, rear-end automobile collision.
$150,000 Result
Estate of a patient who suffered from a progression of a decubitus, “pressure ulcer” while in a nursing facility, and subsequently passed away.
$149,500 – Motor Vehicle Crash – Ohio
A woman suffered a triangular fibrocartilage tear in her wrist and a minor traumatic brain injury after a vehicle lost control in icy weather and rear-ended her car.
$120,000 Result
Client suffered a compound fracture from an undocumented fall incident. Complications from the fracture necessitated amputation.
$100,000 Result
Client suffered aggravation of pre-existing cervical spine problems following minor property-damage rear-end automobile collision.
$100,000 Result
Client suffered severe spinal and closed head injuries in a failure-to-yield automobile accident.
$100,000 Result
Client suffered internal injuries (pelvic fracture, thoracic vertebra fracture, lacerated liver, lacerated spleen) when the intoxicated driver of the car he was occupying failed to control.
$100,000 Result
Client suffered a fractured wrist after she fell from a “courtesy” golf cart at the county fair when the driver accelerated unexpectedly.
**All lawsuits are different and Elk + Elk makes no representation or promises that it can obtain the same results in other cases. These results do not guarantee, warrant, or predict the outcome of any future legal matter. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation.
