CONTACT
Email: jpinnick@schultzpoguelaw.com

Assistant: Karla Diaz
Direct Dial: 317-333-8421
Email: kdiaz@schultzpoguelaw.com

Principal Partner

PRACTICE AREAS

• Medical Malpractice

• Health Care

• Medical Licensing Board

• Litigation

EDUCATION

• Indiana University School of Law (J.D., 1990)

• Hanover College (B.A.S. Economics, Presidential Scholar, Academic and Athletic All-American, and Member of the Mortar Board Honor Society, 1987)

For more than 27 years, Mr. Pinnick has been focusing his expertise in the defense of physicians, dentists, osteopaths and podiatrists across the State of Indiana. Mr. Pinnick has taken more than 40 medical malpractice trials to jury verdict as a first chair.  In addition, he has presented briefs to and argued cases at the Indiana Court of Appeals and Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago.  Mr. Pinnick is licensed to practice in Indiana and before the Northern and Southern Federal District Courts as well as the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago and is a member of the Defense Research Institute and the Defense Trial Counsel of Indiana. Mr. Pinnick regularly gives presentations to healthcare providers on medical/legal related issues, and he regularly serves as a speaker to attorneys in continuing legal education seminars.

Recent/Selected Cases to Jury Trial Verdict, Summary Judgments, Appellate Court Cases, Significant Dismissals

Recent Jury Trial Verdicts

Ashley v. Family Physician (Jackson County/Bartholomew County).  Defended family practitioner in alleged Doxycycline induced pseudotumor cerebri leading to blindness.  Favorable panel opinion.  Five day jury trial resulted in defense verdict.

Rader v. Emergency Medicine Physician (Marion County).  Defended emergency medicine physician in alleged failure to diagnose aortic aneurysm leading to death.  Favorable panel opinion.  Seven day jury trial resulting in defense verdict. 

Woosley v. Winn (Johnson County).  Defended general dentist in alleged negligent placement of veneers.  One day bench trial resulted in defense judgment. 

Orme v. ColoRectal Surgeon (Morgan Superior Court).  Defended colorectal surgeon who performed colonoscopy.  Claimed patient died allegedly from respiratory depression (despite fact that oxygen saturations were 99% and nurse noted plaintiff breathing and responding).  Plaintiff actually had unknown congenital anomaly (acute angle of origin of aorta to left descending leading to silent MI).  Favorable panel opinion.  After 5 day jury trial and 7 hours of jury deliberation, jury reached impasse and hung jury declared.

Conrad v. Bariatric Surgeon (Hamilton County Superior Court).  Defended bariatric surgeon in Roux-en-Y surgery.  Patient died 6 days post-op.  Claimed failure to diagnose bowel ischemia/gangrene and discharge too soon.  Defense verdict after five (5) day jury trial.

Hoop/Nicely v. Anesthesiologist (Hendricks County Superior Court).  Defended anesthesiologist.  Patient died following routine rotator cuff repair.  Claimed failure to adequately monitor during surgery, allowance of severe hypotension, and death from malignant hyperthermia.  Despite 3-0 loss at Medical Review Panel, received Defense Verdict after five (5) day jury trial.

Pettry v. Emergency Department Physician and ED Group (Tippecanoe Superior Court).  Defended emergency department physician and group.  Claims failure to diagnose MI and/or acute coronary syndrome leading to death.  Despite panel opinion against these health care providers, defense verdict after five (5) day jury trial.

Matthews v. OB/GyN (Marion Superior Court).  Defended OB in shoulder dystocia/brachial plexus permanent injury case.  Claimed failure to take patient to C-section leading to severe shoulder dystocia and permanent brachial plexus injury.  3-0 panel opinion against OB.  After 11 day jury trial, jury deliberated for in excess of 5 hours and returned plaintiffs’ verdict.

Deloria v. Internist and Emergency Department Physician (Tippecanoe Superior Court).  Defended Internal Medicine Specialist and ED physician in alleged failure to diagnose Pulmonary Embolus leading to death.  Favorable panel opinion.  After 5 day jury trial, defense verdict.

Taylor v. Neurosurgeon (Marion Superior Court).  Defended Neurosurgeon in alleged failure to diagnose frontal skull base meningioma leading to blindness.  Favorable panel opinion.  After 4 ½ day jury trial, received Defense Verdict.

Flores v. Occupational Medicine Specialist (Lake Superior Court).  Defended occupational medicine specialist in alleged failure to diagnose cervical spine fracture.  Favorable panel opinion.  Received Directed Verdict after close of all evidence.

Clidinst v. Orthopedic Surgeon (Marion Superior Court).  Defended orthopedic surgeon in alleged negligenct cast application leading to neuropathy of the foot.  Favorable panel opinion.  After five day jury trial, received Defense Verdict.

Mitchell v. M.D., (Grant Superior Court).  Defended Urologist in alleged medical malpractice case involving performance of bladder suspension procedure.  Despite 3-0 loss at Medical Review Panel, received Defense Verdict after four (4) day jury trial.

Cook v. M.D., (Hamilton Superior Court).  Defended Plastic Surgeon in alleged medical malpractice case involving breast augmentation and mastopexy.  Despite 3-0 loss at Medical Review Panel, with the aid of four independent experts (infectious disease surgical expert, Rhumatologist, and two plastic surgeons) received Defense Verdict after four (4) day jury trial.

Burns v. M.D., (Marion Superior Court).  Defended Plastic Surgeon in alleged medical malpractice case involving removal of breast implants and breast reconstructive surgery.  With favorable panel doctors and independent experts (infectious disease and plastic surgeon), received defense verdict after seven (7) day jury trial.

Neeley v. M.D., (Marion Superior Court).  Defended public health physician in alleged medical malpractice case involving needle stick with fear of AIDS/HIV and Hepatitis.  Compromise Verdict entered by the jury after three (3) day jury trial.

Harris v. M.D., (Marion Superior Court).  Defended plastic surgeon in alleged medical malpractice case involving abdominoplasty and liposuction.  Despite seemingly unfavorable Medical Review Panel, received Judgment on the Evidence at the close of plaintiff’s case in chief.

Didot v. M.D., (Marion Superior Court).  Defended Obstetrician/Gynelocologist in alleged medical malpractice case involving the stillbirth of one the plaintiff’s twins.  Plaintiffs claimed a cesarean section should have been performed sooner and if it had been the twin would have been born healthy.  Despite a loss at the Medical Review Panel, with assistance from National Maternal Fetal Medicine expert, received a Defense Verdict after four (4) day jury trial.

Haussin v. M.D., (Tippecanoe Circuit Court).  Defended Emergency Department Physician in alleged medical malpractice case involving alleged failure to diagnose Acute Coronary Syndrome and/or a Myocardial Infarction.  With favorable panel opinion and two independent experts (Cardiologist and Emergency Department physician), received Defense Verdict after seven (7) day jury trial.

Summary Judgments

Hunger v. M.D., (Marion Superior Court).  Alleged medical malpractice in failing to diagnose colon cancer.  Summary Judgment entered in Dr. Donahue’s favor.

Wyatt v. M.D., (Marion Superior Court).  Alleged psychiatric malpractice regarding involuntary admission.  Summary Judgment entered in Dr. Tandy’s favor.

Butler v. M.D., (Tippecanoe Superior Court).  Alleged medical malpractice in neurosurgery case.  Summary Judgment entered in Dr. Chua’s favor.

Appellate Court Cases

Burkett v. DDS, (Johnson Superior Court and Indiana Court of Appeals).  Case involved alleged dental malpractice.  Summary Judgment entered in favor of Dr. Pulos.  Argued case before the Indiana Court of Appeals, with the Appellate Court affirming summary judgment for Dr. Pulos.

Cobb v. M.D., (Johnson Superior Court and Indiana Court of Appeals).  Case involved alleged orthopedic malpractice in performance of foot surgery.  Summary Judgment entered in favor of Dr. McIntosh.  Argued case before the Indiana Court of Appeals, with the Appellate Court affirming summary judgment in favor of Dr. McIntosh.

Dismissals

Walden v. M.D., (Tippecanoe Superior Court).  Defended two Cardiologist through favorable Medical Review Panel and to the eve jury trial.  Plaintiff dismissed doctors less than a week prior to jury trial.

Slaughterbeck v. M.D., (Tippecanoe Superior Court).  Defended family practitioner in case involving alleged failure to diagnose prostate cancer.  Despite favorable medical review panel, the plaintiff proceeded in state court.  Court dismissed claim of the plaintiff one week prior to start of jury trial.

Pownell v. M.D., et al., (Tippecanoe Superior Court).  Defended to Pain Management Doctors in alleged spinal nerve damage.  Despite unfavorable medical review panel, obtained a Court Dismissal of claim prior to jury trial.

Koivuniemi v. M.D., (IDOI-Medical Review Panel).  Alleged Hand Surgery malpractice.  Obtained Dismissal shortly after case filed.