Barbara Zurek

Barbara focuses her practice on defending healthcare providers who are faced with claims of medical malpractice – including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, therapists, dentists, chiropractors, podiatrists, social workers, physician assistants and physical therapists, and entities such as hospitals and nursing homes.

Barbara and her colleagues serve as defense counsel for the leading underwriter of medical malpractice insurance in Minnesota. They are also approved local defense counsel for the leading medical malpractice insurers of chiropractors and dentists.  She has tried more than 50 such cases – in trial and on appeal. 

I pride myself on being efficient, thoughtful, supportive and available – and on achieving the best possible outcomes for my clients and their employers.

She often speaks to healthcare organizations and providers on the issues surrounding professional liability and is an instructor for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy.

In addition to her medical malpractice work, Barbara represents healthcare providers in their dealings with professional licensing boards. Since she is a registered nurse in addition to being a lawyer, she is intimately acquainted with these venues and issues.

Representative Trials and Verdicts (past five years)

1. St. Croix County, WI
   Court File 07-CV-472
   Claim(s) alleged: Allegations of improper adjustments to ankle, claiming damage to ankle structures.
   Defense verdict, August 2009
2. Hennepin County, MN
   Court File 27-CV-08-7546
   Claim(s) alleged: Allegations of improper post colonoscopy monitoring and safety.
   Defense verdict, July 2009
3. Dakota County, MN
   Court File 19HA-CV-08-746
   Claim(s) alleged: Patient's death due to negligent care by hospital and physician following Laser Vein Ablation Procedure for varicose veins.
   Defense verdict, July, 2009
4. Washington County, MN
   Court File CX-07-1762
   Claim(s) alleged: Failure to recognize bowel perforation.
   Defense verdict, March 2009
5. Hennepin County, MN
   Court File CV-07-2521
   Claim(s) alleged: Failure to diagnose myocardial ischemia.
   Defense verdict, August 2008
6. Cottonwood County, MN
   Court File 17-CV-07-263
   Claim(s) alleged: Negligent chiropractic care causing a neck fracture.
   Defense verdict, June 2008
7. Hennepin County, MN
   Court File CV-06-2747
   Claim(s) alleged: Failure to properly evaluate and diagnose radiologic studies done to evaluate for thoracic outlet syndrome and Paget-Schroetter’s Syndrome.
   Defense verdict, October 2007
8. Crow Wing County, MN
   Court File C8-06-000460
   Claim(s) alleged: Defamation, breach of patient confidentiality, breach of contract, HIPAA violations intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, punitive damages as a result of publication of patient photographs for advertising purposes.
   Defense verdict, July 2007
9. Beadle County, SD
   Court File CIV 03-58
   Claim(s) alleged: Delayed diagnosis and associated complications therewith of bowel perforation post-laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
   Defense verdict, July 2007
10. Hennepin County, MN
    Court File MP 05-016785
    Claim(s) alleged: Malpractice in cosmetic surgery related to a variety of aesthetic reconstructive procedures, including brachioplasty surgery.
    Defense verdict, February 2007
11. Hennepin County, MN
    Court File WD #04-009322
    Claim(s) alleged: Psychiatric malpractice case involving successful suicide in hospital’s acute locked psychiatric unit.
    Defense verdict, December 2006
12. Crow Wing County, MN
    Court File C3-04-703
    Claim(s) alleged: Common bile duct injury and stenosis in the course of performing laparoscopic cholecystectomy resulting in the need for reconstructive surgery.
    Defense verdict, November 2006
13. Hennepin County, MN
    Court File MP 05-003938
    Claim(s) alleged: Spinal cord injury during the course of neurosurgical spine surgery on the thoracic spine.
    Defense verdict, July 2006
14. Anoka County, MN
    Court File C3-04-1121
    Claim(s) alleged: Failure to recognize bowel perforation and gastric leak post-Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery.
    Defense verdict, May 2006
15. Crow Wing County, MN
    Court File C9-03-3160
    Claim(s) alleged: Improper surgical decision-making and skill in the performance of abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery resulting in patient death.
    Defense verdict, February 2006
16. Dakota County, MN
    Court File C0-04-009562
    Claim(s) alleged: Chiropractic malpractice, purportedly exacerbating a lumbar herniated disc.
    Defense verdict, January 2006
17. Hennepin County, MN
    Court File MP 04-007720
    Claim(s) alleged: Stevens-Johnson Syndrome secondary to anti-viral medication administered for HIV disease resulting in severe corneal damage.
    Defense verdict, July 2005
18. Anoka County, MN
    Court File C1-03-989
    Claim(s) alleged: Intra-operative and post-operative vascular surgery malpractice allegedly resulting in neurologic injury and spastic dyplegia post-abdominal aortic bi-femoral bypass.
    Defense verdict, June 2005
19. Hennepin County, MN
    Court File MP-03-15601
    Claim(s) alleged: Failure to properly recognize additional injuries in traumatic arm amputation case, with residual nerve injury claimed.
    Defense verdict, November 2004
20. Hennepin County, MN
    Court File C8-03-863
    Claim(s) alleged: Carotid and vertebral artery dissection secondary to cervical spine adjustment, resulting in patient death.
    Defense verdict, September 2004
21. Hennepin County, MN
    Court File MP 01-19512
    Claim(s) alleged: Failure to diagnose and delay in diagnosis of diabetes insipidus.
    Defense verdict, July 2003
22. Dakota County, MN
    Court File 19-C1-02-7802
    Claim(s) alleged: Failure to recognize patient’s presenting symptoms as those of vascular insufficiency, ultimately culminating in the patient having bilateral leg amputations
    Defense verdict, May 2003
23. Freeborn County, MN
    Court File C4-01-661
    Claim(s) alleged: Improper obstetrical care, labor, and delivery management, uterine rupture and hypoxic ischemic brain injury.
    Defense verdict, April 2003