Donald A. Ottaunick
Memberdottaunick@coleschotz.com New Jersey OfficeCourt Plaza North, 25 Main Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601
T: 201-525-6229 / C: 201-805-7896 / F: 201-678-6229
Legal Practice Assistant: Deborah Melamed
T: 201-489-3000 ext. 5013
dmelamed@coleschotz.com
OVERVIEW
Donald A. Ottaunick is a member of the firm’s Litigation Department and is certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey Board on Attorney Certification as a Civil Trial Attorney.
Don is experienced in a wide variety of litigation matters and has tried more than 100 cases in the State and Federal courts of New Jersey and New York. In addition to handling commercial litigation matters, Don handles complex medical malpractice and catastrophic injury cases on behalf of plaintiffs. He also represents businesses in significant liability matters where those companies are either self-insured or when they have been denied coverage by their insurance carriers. Don also handles the related coverage disputes against the insurance carriers.
Don acts as personal counsel to physicians and health care practices who have been named as defendants in medical malpractices cases where the damages claimed are in excess of their insurance limits and works to protect their personal assets from settlement or judgment. He also represents life sciences companies in mass tort, products liability and other matters on a national level.
A former Essex County assistant prosecutor, Don also represents health care professionals in the defense of insurance fraud claims brought by the Centers for Medicare Services, the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, the New Jersey Insurance Fraud Prosecutor and private insurance companies. He also handles a wide range of insurance coverage matters for health care professionals, large and small businesses and individuals, including property and casualty, healthcare, ERISA matters and disability claims.
Don has extensive experience in the area of professional negligence, successfully litigating legal and accounting malpractice matters on behalf of plaintiffs and defendants. Don also represents and counsels professionals in coverage disputes with their insurance carriers.
A Member of the firm since 1995, Don has achieved a high level of success in his litigation practice, including:
- Representing a large health science company in a national mass tort litigation involving more than 700 cases alleging injuries related to a popular dietary supplement;
- Obtaining multiple seven-figure verdicts and settlements in complex medical malpractice and catastrophic injury claims, including a $6.5 million verdict in a Monmouth County medical malpractice case involving an extensive bowel perforation following a caesarian section delivery and, most recently negotiating a $5.5 million dollar settlement in a substantial medical malpractice matter in Essex County involving significant bowel related injuries and a $2.5 million dollar settlement in a wrongful death case in Bergen County;
- Representing a publicly traded health science company in the defense of hundreds of employee injury and illness claims following a plant closing;
- Representing a trucking company in bankruptcy in the defense of approximately 100 personal injury claims filed across the United States
Don is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and often lectures on topics of professionalism in the law, trial techniques and health insurance fraud. Don has been awarded an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell for the quality of his legal work. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. See Award Methodology.
Donald earned his B.A. from Rutgers College-Rutgers University and his J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law where is a member of its Alumni Board of Directors.
Services
Education
St. John's University School of Law, J.D., 1983Rutgers University, B.A., 1980Bar & Court Admissions
New Jersey, 1984New York, 1983U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey, 1988NEWS
News
23 Cole Schotz Attorneys Named 2020 New Jersey Super Lawyers
March 13, 2020
Thirty-Four Cole Schotz Attorneys Named 2018 Super Lawyers
March 19, 2018
EVENTS
Recent Events
Last Chance CLEathon: Civil Trial Practice NJAJ Educational Foundation, Inc.
Attorney Speaking: Donald A. OttaunickDecember 20, 2012PUBLICATIONS
Publications
Pennsylvania Senate Attempts to Help Business Interruption Policyholders
Corporate Law May 6, 2020
Donald A. OttaunickReadying for the Return: Employers Should Review Insurance Policies for These Protections
Employment Law May 4, 2020
Donald A. OttaunickFederal Class Action Suits Filed Against Six Insurance Companies Over Business Income Coverage
Corporate Law April 20, 2020
Donald A. OttaunickPennsylvania Supreme Court Deals Potential Blow to Insurance Carriers' Basis For Denial of Business Income Claims
Corporate Law April 17, 2020
Donald A. OttaunickBusiness Interruption Insurance: Fed's Propose Legislation
Corporate Law April 15, 2020
Donald A. OttaunickBusiness Income Insurance Update: Not All Policies Have A Virus Exclusion
Corporate Law April 9, 2020
Donald A. OttaunickBusiness Interruption Insurance: The Ongoing Case for Coverage
Corporate Law March 31, 2020
Donald A. OttaunickBusiness Interruption Insurance Update: State Legislatures Taking Steps to Protect Businesses Impacted by COVID-19 Losses
Corporate Law March 27, 2020
Donald A. OttaunickAutomobile Insurance: A Possible Unaffordable Commodity in the Wake of Economic Downturn
New Jersey Law Journal March 16, 2009
Donald A. OttaunickNew Jersey's Ambulatory Surgical Centers Continue to Face Uncertainty
Cole Schotz Docket Fall 2008
Christopher P. Massaro and Donald A. Ottaunick