David Randolph Smith
David Randolph Smith is a respected Nashville Tennessee personal injury lawyer.
Mr. Smith has been a trial attorney for 40 years and was a professor of law at Vanderbilt Law School. For the past twenty years, he has represented individuals in plaintiff's personal injury litigation. He is the founder of DRS Law, a top-rated personal injury law firm in Nashville, Tennessee. DRS Law has grown into a five-lawyer team that includes his three sons.
EXPERIENCE
Mr. Smith has been recognized by his peers as one of the Best Lawyers in America in Personal Injury Litigation and as one of the Best Lawyers in Tennessee. The Business Tennessee Best Lawyers List described Mr. Smith as "An all-star across the state."
He has tried over 100 cases in state and federal courts throughout the nation, in Tennessee, Texas, Missouri, Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kentucky, Indiana, Mississippi, Florida, Ohio, South Carolina, Virginia, Montana, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and Washington D.C.
In 2006 he obtained a record $7.2 million verdict in a wrongful death case in Warren County, Tennessee. He served as plaintiffs' counsel in the Tri-State Crematory class action litigation against Georgia Farm Bureau ($80 million judgment) and represented class members who received $36 million in settlements.
Mr. Smith has represented individuals in several landmark cases before the Tennessee Supreme Court that resulted in changes in the law that make our communities safer, including:
• Jordan v. Baptist Three Rivers: holding for the first time that a plaintiff could recover damages for the loss of her mother’s emotional support.
• Ashe v. Radiation Oncology Associates: adopting the legal standard proposed by Mr. Smith, which has protected the rights of patients across Tennessee to be informed participants in their health care decisions.
• Bennett v. Trevecca Nazarene University: holding that those injured by others’ negligence could recover where the responsible party had assumed a duty of care.
- Personal Injury
- Animal & Dog Bites, Brain Injury, Car Accidents, Construction Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents, Premises Liability, Truck Accidents, Wrongful Death
- Civil Rights
- Police Misconduct
- Medical Malpractice
- Birth Injury, Medical Misdiagnosis, Pharmacy Errors, Surgical Errors
- Nursing Home Abuse
- Products Liability
- Drugs & Medical Devices, Motor Vehicle Defects, Toxic Torts
- Appeals & Appellate
- Civil Appeals, Federal Appeals
- Insurance Claims
- Bad Faith Insurance, Business Insurance, Motor Vehicle Insurance
- Legal Malpractice
- Health Care Law
- Constitutional Law
- Free Consultation
- Contingent Fees
- Tennessee
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- Texas
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- English: Spoken, Written
- Founding Attorney
- DRS Law Personal Injury Lawyers
- - Current
- University of Texas - Austin
- J.D (1978)
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- Honors: with honors, Order of the Coif
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- Harvard University
- B.A | History & Literature
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- Honors: cum laude
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- Tennessee State Bar # 011905
- Member
- Current
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- Voir Dire and Jury Selection in Tennessee
- National Business Institute
- Jury Selection Strategy Seminar by David Randolph Smith: Grounds for Challenges for Cause The Keys to Effective Cause Challenges Peremptory Challenges - When and How to Use Those Precious Few Understanding Opposing Counsel's Striking Strategy Alternate Juror Selection Preservation of Error During Voir Dire
- Medical Malpractice Specialist
- Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization.
- Civil Trial Specialist
- Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization.
