Suing Uncle Sam Under the Federal Tort Claims Act: Critical Insights and Practical Strategies

Gain an understanding on how to file a suit in federal court against the government and which legal documents you will have to provide in the process.

This topic will cover the steps an attorney should take when investigating the initial intake, and the applicable law for the claim itself as well as claim form filing requirements and statute of limitations issues that are specific to Federal Tort Claims Act litigation. This material will discuss the nature of trying a bench trial in federal court against the United States government as a defendant, Daubert issues to look out for, and collection issues to recover your judgment.

Agenda

	At the Beginning
	Pre-Suit Investigation of Facts Research of Applicable Law Statute of Limitations Independent Contractor Issues

	Filing Your Statutory Claim Form (Standard Form 95)
	Website Information Form Requirements Sum Certain Every Potential Claimant Must File a Separate Form

	Filing Suit in Federal Court
	No Right to Trial by Jury Under FTCA (You Get a Bench Trial) Immediate Deadlines and Rapid Dockets Expert Testimony (Daubert) Expect to Use Technology to Streamline the Case Write Your Proposed Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law as You Go

	How to Collect Your Judgment

Deborah J. Gander

Colson Hicks Eidson

Partner at Colson Hicks Eidson since 2002
Has dedicated her career to helping victims receive justice
Board certified civil trial lawyer with more than $100 million in verdicts and settlements for her clients
Represents clients who have suffered catastrophic injuries or who have lost family members; also represents clients who face financial ruin because of insurance company bad faith
Has 20 verdicts exceeding $1 million
Includes an award that was the largest ever in a Federal Tort Claims Act Case: $61 million for medical negligence at a Naval hospital, and was the first time in history the U.S. government was held liable for the acts of a doctor it alleged was an independent contractor
Achieved the highest rating in the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, and includes her in the Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers
Received the “Most Effective Lawyer” award for civil litigation in 2006 from the Daily Business Review
Has had two of her verdicts receive the Daily Business Review’s “Verdicts Hall of Fame Award”
Has been repeatedly named one of the “10 Best Attorneys in Florida” by the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys
Is an elected member, executive board member, and president-elect of the Miami-Dade chapter of American Board of Trial Advocates
Co-chaired the Civil Litigation Committee of the Dade County Bar Association
Continues to lecture for organizations including the American Bar Association and American Association for Justice
Graduate, magna cum laude, University of Miami School of Law; served as an adjunct professor there for several years
Can be contacted at 305-476-7400 or Deborah@colson.com