MEDICAL MALPRACTICE DEFENSE DIVISION
In today’s complex healthcare landscape, medical professionals and institutions face increasing scrutiny and a growing number of malpractice and negligence claims. From physicians and hospitals to nursing homes and long-term care providers, the stakes are high—both financially and in terms of preserving reputation and patient confidence.
Abrams Fensterman, LLP has a fully staffed division devoted exclusively to representing medical professionals and healthcare facilities in the defense of medical malpractice and negligence cases. Our attorneys are highly experienced health law litigators, skilled at quickly identifying, understanding, and addressing not only the legal issues but also the medical issues that arise in complex malpractice litigation. The Medical Malpractice Defense Division handles cases involving all specialties of medicine, nursing, and therapeutic sciences. The partners in the division hold a combined medical malpractice experience of over 50 years and always work to achieve the best and earliest outcomes for our clients.
Our leadership team is committed to excellence, integrity, and results. David Verschell and Jennifer Higgins are trial partners and serve as co-chairs of the division. Together with Partner Melissa Goldberg, an accomplished medical malpractice litigator and appellate attorney with more than 20 years in the medical malpractice industry, they provide healthcare providers and insurers with a powerful combination of trial experience, strategic insight, and healthcare defense experience.
David Verschell is a seasoned trial attorney and litigator. He has been the senior trial attorney and has had a leading role in the division for more than 20 years. In addition to successfully defending health care professionals on malpractice claims from answer through trial, he effectively defends facilities and their employees on general liability and negligence claims. Mr. Verschell also defends and fights for individual providers, practices, and facilities in post-payment audits and billing disputes, successfully preventing unfair claw-backs and claims of fraud. He has been a guest lecturer at Fordham Law School and has served as a legal advisor on the subject to the New York County Medical Society.
Jennifer Higgins is an accomplished trial lawyer and litigator, beginning her career in 2001 as a prosecutor with the Queens County District Attorney’s Office. For over 18 years, she has successfully defended medical professionals and facilities against malpractice claims. Ms. Higgins handles the daily management of her files from case inception to resolution and has successfully taken numerous cases to jury verdicts. In addition, Ms. Higgins handles general liability and negligence cases and combines her prosecutorial knowledge in successfully defending medical professionals against claims of intentional tort and sexual assault.
Partner Melissa Goldberg is a skilled litigator and appellate attorney who defends hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, physicians, physician groups, and other healthcare providers in complex medical malpractice and general liability matters. With more than 20 years in the medical malpractice industry, including over 15 years representing healthcare providers and institutions, Melissa is known for securing dismissals, summary judgment victories, and appellate wins in high-exposure litigation. Recognized for her strategic insight, meticulous preparation, and strong advocacy, she handles all phases of litigation—from early case assessment and motion practice through trial and appeal—while serving as a trusted advisor to healthcare providers, risk managers, and insurers throughout New York.
Our team has achieved favorable results by prevailing on dispositive motions for summary judgment, negotiating favorable mediations, and achieving defense verdicts at trial. We are also cognizant of the potential implications that malpractice claims can have on medical licensure, and we routinely collaborate with our OPMC/OPD Division in defending any such actions.
CONTACT OUR LAW FIRM
The Medical Malpractice Defense Division operates out of the Lake Success office and handles cases in the Metropolitan New York City area, Nassau and Suffolk Counties, as well as the upstate New York region. For further information or to schedule an initial consultation, please contact us at contact us on Long Island at 516-328- 2300.
