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Practice Focus
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Complex Medical Malpractice |
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Health Law |
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Toxic Torts |
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Asbestos |
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Silica |
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Education
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J.D., University of Texas School of Law, Austin, Texas, 1996
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B.A., magna cum laude, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, 1993
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Professional Associations
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Admitted to Practice
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Texas, 1996 |
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California, 2007 |
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United States District Courts for the Northern and Eastern Districts of California |
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United States District Courts for the Eastern, Northern and Western Districts of Texas |
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Honors
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Phi Beta Kappa |
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Publications
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Co-Author, TEXAS TORTS HANDBOOK, Government Liability, Chap. 2 (1998 & Supp. 1999) |
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Sabrina R. Karels
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In Brief
Ms. Karels is a trial lawyer with extensive experience in complex litigation matters, including product liability, premises liability, toxic torts and medical malpractice. She joined the firm in 2007, after practicing in Texas for over 11 years. Prior to joining our firm, she was a shareholder with a well-respected civil litigation firm in Dallas, Texas, where she litigated complex medical malpractice and personal injury cases. During that time, she tried several cases to verdict, both as lead and second chair counsel. Ms. Karels specializes in defending catastrophic injury cases, including the defense of multi-million dollar life care plans and economic reports. She also has significant experience in the defense of complex medical and scientific causation issues. She has published a number of legal and health care-related articles and frequently serves as teaching faculty in continuing education seminars and client-focused presentations. Ms. Karels’ current practice emphasizes complex toxic tort matters involving claims of exposure to asbestos, silica, and/or benzene, product liability litigation, medical malpractice cases, and health law.
Representative Matters
Commercial Litigation
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Ms. Karels currently handles a number of large commercial matters, involving contract disputes, ERISA, and international food product sales and regulations, from both a defense and plaintiff's perspective.
Complex Medical Malpractice
Ms. Karels has represented numerous hospitals, health care institutions, doctors, nurses and other health care providers in complex medical negligence lawsuits. She has defended suits brought by plaintiffs involving claims of quadriplegia, birth defects, cerebral palsy, cancers, brain injury, sepsis, wrongful death, and other complex damages claims. In 2005, she successfully defended a north Texas hospital and radiology technologist at trial in a complex medical case. She was also second chair in a defense verdict involving the alleged wrongful death of a young mother of two due to toxic shock syndrome and acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Catastrophic Injury
Ms. Karels has defended numerous cases involving catastrophic injury, specializing in managing large economic damage exposure and astronomical life care plans, with damages alleged in excess of $50 million. She has vast experience in working with life care planners and economists to evaluate and defend medical cost projections, future health care needs and lost earnings claims.
Health Law
Ms. Karels has counseled and represented hospitals, physicians and nurses with respect to investigations before the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners, the Texas Board of Nurse Examiners and investigations conducted by various state and federal regulatory agencies. She has vast knowledge of health care laws, statutes and regulatory provisions.
Toxic Tort
Ms. Karels represents D Aircraft Products, Inc. in product liability claims based upon alleged exposures to toluene and benzene.
Asbestos
Ms. Karels currently represents several clients in asbestos product liability and premises liability actions throughout California.
Silica
Ms. Karels currently represents Chevron U.S.A. Inc., Unocal Corporation and Hewlett-Packard Company in the defense of silica-related product and premises personal injury claims filed in California state court.
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