People say when a tragic personal injury strikes a family one needs the toughest attorney one can find. Others say one needs an attorney whom the insurance companies fear and who has shown the smarts in Court to obtain excellent results for clients. Some suggest that what one really needs is an attorney from a large firm with resources to finance the battle against deep-pocketed defendants. An attorney exists who fits all these descriptions and he achieved the largest collectible verdict in Dane County history; his name is Eric Farnsworth.
Eric has represented hundreds of citizens in Wisconsin and Minnesota from every walk of life. He has battled the largest corporations, health care providers and defendants, and has an unblemished record of wins for his clients. His strength is not that his record includes the largest collectible jury verdict in Dane County history, it is that he fights for his clients as if they are all family. Known in the legal field as a lawyer’s lawyer, Eric’s case preparation, dogged pre-trial discovery and state of the art techniques, results in his clients receiving the compensation they deserve in settlements without the exposure and worry of a public trial. Woe to the insurer that doesn’t make a fair offer of settlement if they are up against Eric. If you hire Eric, you can feel secure that his long track record of success and reputation for toughness is on your side.
In 2013, Eric received the Robert L. Habush Trial Lawyer of the Year Award from the Wisconsin Association for Justice, an award that recognizes a trial lawyer who has made contributions to the trial bar by handling a case involving a significant change in the law or a precedent-setting suit, or by donating time on a committee or project that benefited injured consumers.
Eric has been designated a Wisconsin Super Lawyer by the national publication Law & Politics, and included on annual lists of Best Lawyers in America®. Closer to home, Madison Magazine has named him a “Top Lawyer” repeatedly. As stated by one of his many grateful clients, “Eric was unbelievably devoted to my case and my family. He didn’t just present a superb legal case; he had the humanity to care about me while I struggled through a life changing disability.” – Terry Staskal.
Another client, Mary Kielpinski, reached out to Eric recently to say, "You guided us through an extremely difficult time in our lives. I thank God you helped us - walking with us every step of the way. You are an accomplished, dedicated leader who completed the task to ensure we were compensated. Thank you for taking care of us to ensure a satisfactory settlement. You put your heart and soul into getting us an adequate settlement. I am very grateful for your dedication."
Clients
Eric represents individuals from all walks who seek just compensation for their suffering and losses caused by the negligence of others.
Notable Representations
Eric’s determination is reflected in his work:
- Major construction accident cases involving catastrophic injuries to workers that resulted in industry standard reforms and some of the largest verdicts in Dane County history. (Staskal v. Symons Corporation, 2005 WI App 216)
- Injured client case that successfully established nuisance liability theory as a viable claim against the property owner for unchecked, unkempt natural conditions. (Physicians Plus Ins. Corp. v. Midwest Mutual Ins. Co., 2001 WI App 148)
- Bone marrow transplantation case involving loss in transit of a child’s marrow, which resulted in reform of shipping procedures by national cancer centers. (Kuehn v. Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, 119 F. 3rd 1296, 7th Cir. 1997)
Articles and Presentations
Eric is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Wisconsin Law School, where he imparts his experiences and teaches his trade to young law students.