Susan’s area of expertise is hospital and medical malpractice defense litigation. In representing hospitals and healthcare professionals, Susan handles issues involving proper credentialing of physicians (Elam claims), medical staff bylaws, record keeping and charting, standards of care and compliance with regulations.

In Moore v. USC University Hospital, a case brought in federal court, Susan obtained a complete dismissal of the medical malpractice claim against her client, a prominent local university hospital, via a motion for summary judgment. In this case, the plaintiff claimed that she became paralyzed as a result of spinal surgery performed at the hospital and sought millions of dollars in damages and future care costs. The court ruled that, as a matter of law, the care provided by the hospital did not cause plaintiff’s claimed injuries. The patient’s lawyer filed several post-judgment motions seeking to overturn the verdict, all of which were unsuccessful.

In addition to her 11 years working as an attorney, Susan’s background includes a decade of paralegal experience and honing her trial advocacy skills by attending the prestigious ABOTA Trial School. This experience enables Susan to bring a focused, meticulous approach to her work. “I pride myself on being detail oriented and learning as many facts as I can about each case. I present my clients with a thorough evaluation, including any unfavorable facts, in order to formulate the best possible defense strategy. Each case presents unique medical issues to be explored, although understanding the medicine is only half the battle. A case can turn on the strength or weakness of a witness, on the medical history of the patient, or on the documentation, or lack thereof, in the medical records.”





Education

Southwestern University, J.D.
Qualifying Brief for Moot Court Competition (1997)
Semi-Final Team, Burton D. Wechsler First Amendment Moot Court Competition (1997)

University of California, Santa Barbara, B.A.





Professional Activities

Admitted:
State Bar of California

Admitted to Practice:
U.S. District Court

Member:
Los Angeles County Bar Association, Health Care Section





Continuing Education

American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) Trial School