Christian D. Searcy
President and CEO
CHRISTIAN D. SEARCY is president and CEO of Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley, P.A. and writes and lectures extensively about civil trial practice, personal injury and wrongful death. For 46 years he has litigated cases primarily involving catastrophic injury and death in venues throughout Florida as well as in other states. At age 29, he had the distinction of being the youngest lawyer in the United States to achieve a verdict of $1 million for a single personal injury lawsuit.
In 2006, Mr. Searcy was one of only two lawyers in the country to receive the War Horse Award from the Southern Trial Lawyers Association, honoring his outstanding skill as a trial advocate and his extraordinary contributions to the cause of justice. In 2005, the Florida Justice Association, formerly known as the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, honored Mr. Searcy with its Perry Nichols Award, the highest honor it bestows, in recognition of a lifetime of outstanding service to the cause of justice.
Mr. Searcy is vice president of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers Foundation and past president of the prestigious International Academy of Trial Lawyers, a worldwide organization limited by invitation to just 500 attorneys. He is named in The Best Lawyers in America, an independent study by Harvard trained attorneys; is included as one of the Florida Legal Elite in Florida Trend magazine; and is named as a top lawyer in South Florida Legal Guide. He is a Lawdragon Legend, listed in Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America more than ten times and a member of the Lawdragon 500 Hall of Fame.
Other Searcy memberships of distinction include The Inner Circle of Advocates, which limits its membership to the top 100 trial lawyers in the United States, by invitation only; the American College of Trial Lawyers, also by invitation only; and the International Society of Barristers, by invitation only to 500 of the top trial lawyers in the world. Mr. Searcy is a senior fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, a trial lawyer honorary society limited to less than one-half of one percent of North American lawyers.
Mr. Searcy is a past president of the Florida Justice Association, where he currently serves on the Constitutional Revision Committee, and is a member of the Florida Bar Association. He is Board Certified in Civil Litigation by the National Board of Legal Specialty Certification, formerly known as the National Board of Trial Advocacy, and is a member of the National Center for State Courts. A past president of The National Trial Lawyers, he is a diplomate of the American Association for Justice, formerly known as the American Trial Lawyers Association; an Advocate of the American Board of Trial Advocates; and a member of the board of trustees of the Florida Supreme Court Historical Society.
After earning a B.A. with distinction from the University of Virginia, Mr. Searcy received his Juris Doctor from Stetson University College of Law, graduating in the top ten percent of his class. He is an emeritus member of both the board of overseers of Stetson University College of Law and the board of directors of the College Foundation of the University of Virginia. He is a member of the University of Virginia Jefferson Scholars Regional Selection Committee for Palm Beach, the Alumni Association of the University of Virginia Board of Managers, and The Rotunda Society of the University of Virginia.
Mr. Searcy’s personal philosophy of advocacy for those in need has made its mark on South Florida, where he supports numerous non-profit organizations committed to helping persons with disabilities, improving education, and advancing community causes.
To learn more about Chris Searcy, see:
- When Justice Heals – Forbes
- Lawdragon Lawyer Limelight: Christian Searcy
- Best Lawyers in Florida 2016
- Best Lawyers in America (Florida)
- Attorney at Law Magazine
- Florida Trend Magazine
- The Trial Lawyer Magazine
- Of Counsel Article
- National Law Journal
- Florida Super Lawyers – The War Horse
- Leaders Magazine
Awards
- In 2006, Mr. Searcy was one of only two lawyers in the country to receive the “War Horse Award” from the Southern Trial Lawyers Association, honoring his outstanding skill as a trial advocate and his extraordinary contributions to the cause of justice.
- In 2005, the Florida Justice Association, formerly known as The Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers honored Mr. Searcy with its Perry Nichols Award, the highest honor it bestows, in recognition of a lifetime of outstanding service to the cause of justice.
- Past President of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers
- Past President of the Florida Trial Lawyers (n/k/a Florida Justice Association
- Past President of the Florida Supreme Court Historical Society
- Youngest Lawyer in the United States to obtain a verdict of $1,000,000 for a single personal injury (1978)
- Recipient of the Perry Nichols Award by the Florida Justice Association. This award is the highest honor the Florida Justice Association bestows in recognition of a lifetime of outstanding and distinguished service to the cause of justice.
- Inducted into the National Trial Lawyers Hall of Fame (2015)
- Repeatedly selected by Best Lawyers for inclusion as one of Florida’s Best Lawyers
- Repeatedly selected as a Super Lawyer for Civil Litigation
Prior Cases
- Stewart v. Lentner, et al, Contracts, $2,000,000 Final Judgment (Non-Jury), April 25, 2008
- Keil v. Keller, Personal Injury, $3,155,682 Verdict, February 5, 2008
- Confidential, Product Liability – Auto, $49,000,000 – Settled, August, 2008
- Confidential, Product Liability – Auto – Wrongful Death, $12,500,000 – Settled, November, 2008
- Halpern v. Floval, Semi-Tractor Trailer Fuel Tanker Truck, Wrongful Death of 57 Year Old Wife, $13,500,000 Arbitration Decision, December, 2008
- Confidential, Wrongful Death, $16,000,000 – Settled, December, 2008
- Confidential, Product Liability – Auto, $5,200,000 – Settled, January, 2009
- Confidential, Truck/Vehicle Accident involving partial paralysis, $17,750,000 – Settled, January 14, 2010
- Hannon v. Shands Teaching Hospital, $8,000,000 Verdict, February 26, 2010
- Confidential, Wrongful death/Premise Liability, $2,400,000 – Settled, June, 2011
- Confidential, Paraplegic – Product Liability – Auto, $12,900,000 – Settled, June 2011
- Confidential, Wrongful Death – Medical Malpractice, $6,500,000 – Settled, July 2011
- Confidential, Medical Malpractice, Brain injured baby, $36,000,000 – Settled, July 2011
- Confidential, Paraparesis – Auto, $3,500,000 – Settled, November 2011
- Confidential, Quadriparesis – Trucking, $8,000,000 – Settled, December 2011
- Confidential, Products Liability – Auto, $1,350,000 – Settled, December 2011
- Confidential, Product Liability, $2,550,000 – Settled, January 2012
- Modica v. Tree of Life, Semi-Tractor Trailer caused death of, 65 year-old husband and 63 year-old wife, Survived by their 38 year-old and 36 year-old sons, $17,500,000 – Settled, February 29, 2012 following 3 week trial in Jacksonville, FL
- Confidential, Medical Malpractice – Brian injured baby, $8,250,000 – Settled, March 2012
- Wilson v. Goodman, Auto/Wrongful Death of 23 year-old son of divorced parents – Punitive Damages, $46,000,000 – Settled, March 2012
- Confidential. Unoperated disc – auto. $800,000 – Settled. October 2012
- Confidential, Professional negligence – Brain Injury to Baby, $9,600,000 – Settled, December 5, 2012
- Confidential, Wrongful Death/Product Liability, $13,000,000 – Settled, January 23, 2013
- Confidential, Auto – Unoperated cervical discs, $1,500,000 – Settled, February 26, 2013
- Confidential, Medical Malpractice, $19,900,000 – Settled, Brain injury from negligent management of stroke, June 2013
- Confidential Wrongful death of 60 year-old father survived by 27 year-old son, Boating Accident, $3,925,000 – Settled, August 28, 2013
- Confidential, Motorcycle Accident resulting in burns to body, $15,500,000 – Settled, November 2013
- Confidential, Wrongful death Suicide by unwatched resident of rehabilitation facility, $2,400,000 – Verdict, January 14, 2014
- Confidential, Workplace accident – Orthopedic injuries, $4,750,000 – Settled, February 19, 2014
- Simms v. Kraft, $9,710,654 judgment based on, January 24, 2014 jury verdict
- Confidential, Medical Malpractice, $750,000, May 2014
- Confidential, Paraparesis from Slip and Fall, $13,311,890 – Settled, June 23, 2014
- Samra v. Progressive American Insurance Company, Auto Accident, $425,000 – Settled, August 5, 2014
- Confidential, Premise liability/Personal injury from explosion of recompression chamber $2,926,540.47 – Settled December 2014
- Confidential, Medical Malpractice – Above knee amputation $7,500,000 – Verdict/Appeal/Won February 2015
- Confidential, Medical Malpractice – Brain injury to baby at birth, $7,500,000 – Settled, February 20, 2015
- Confidential, Auto Accident/Product Liability – Tire separation resulting in death of wife and injuries to husband, $950,000 – Settled, March 2015
- Confidential, Medical Malpractice – Failure to give Heparin or Pradaza after electrocardioversion resulting in stroke/death $1,500,000 – Settled June 2015
- Confidential, Personal Injury/Auto Accident resulting in catastrophic orthopedic injuries $4,500,000 – Settled July 2015
- Confidential, Wrongful Death/Medical Malpractice – Aortic Value Replacement $2,500,000 – Settled August 2015
- Confidential, Medical Malpractice – Baby brain injury due to partial placental abruption $5,000,000 – Settled August 2015
- Confidential, Wrongful Death/Medical Malpractice – Complications from Tonsillectomy/Adenoidectomy $1,000,000 – Settled December 2015
- Confidential, Medical Malpractice – Complications from laparoscopic subtotal colectomy $12,000,000 – Settled January 2016
- Confidential, Wrongful Death/Medical Malpractice – Hypertensive ischemic heart disease $4,500,000 – Settled February 2016
- Confidential, Professional Negligence/Pharmaceutical Negligence $12,750,000 – Settled March 2016
- Confidential, Products Liability/Propane grill explosion resulting in second degree burns $1,917,000 – Settled July 2017
- Confidential, Wrongful Death/Products Liability/Auto $4,695,000 – Settled July 2017
- Confidential, Medical Malpractice – Baby brain damage – Failure to intubate infant $10,000,000 – Settled August 2017
- Confidential, Tractor trailer crash causing wrongful death of 25 year-old daughter $10,050,000 – Settled September 2017
- Confidential, Personal injury/Herniated disc/Auto Accident $3,250,000 – Settled during trial October 2017
- Confidential, Premise Liability – Boardwalk/Bicycle Accident – Burst fracture at T12 – Paraparetic from waist down. $9,400,000 – Settled October 2017
- Confidential, Medical Malpractice – Failure to diagnose bilateral breast cancer $1,075,000 – Settled April 2018
- Confidential, Medical Malpractice/Wrongful death of infant $8,900,000 – Settled April 2018
- Lynn McCullough and William McCullough v. Rain Forest Adventures (Holdings) Ltd.; Elite Shore Excursions Foundation; Rain Forest Sky Rides, Ltd.;Rain Forest Tram, Ltd.; Canopy Enterprises, Inc.; Ent-Consulting, Inc.; Emjo Investments Limited; Harald Joachim Von Der Goltz; John Dalton; Andrew Pierce; Ap Electrical Services, LLC; and Xyz Corporation, Premise Liability – Zipline accident resulting in paralysis Mandatory Binding Arbitration Award of $87,993,228; Judgment entered by U.S. District Court for Southern District of Florida, (Judge Gayles) for $66,500,000 – Settled May 2018; and August 2018
- Confidential, LP gas explosion – Burns to Plaintiff $9,236,942 – Settled June 2018
- Confidential, LP gas explosion – Burns to Plaintiff $9,908,986 – Settled June 2018
- Confidential, LP gas explosion – Burns to Plaintiff $2,145,636 – Settled June 2018
- Confidential, LP gas explosion – Burns to Plaintiff $10,279,385 – Settled June 2018
- Poindexter v. Roney, et al, Wrongful Death/Auto – Settled Partial Settlement (Roney)- $1,275,000.00 Partial Settlement (Bruns) – $500,000.00 Jury Verdict – $3,806,466.59 Total – $5,581,466.59, Settled July 2018 February 2019 April 2019
- Confidential, Medical Malpractice – Failure to diagnose breast cancer $1,075,000 – Settled August 2018
- Confidential, Medical Malpractice – Wrongful death of infant $12,000,000 – Settled September 2018
- Confidential, Medical Malpractice – Sepsis $1,300,000 – Settled September 2018
- Confidential, Medical Malpractice – Wrongful death of infant $12,000,000 – Settled December 2018
- Confidential, Medical Malpractice – Amputation of the leg by disarticulation at the knee $6,000,000 – Settled January 2019
- Confidential, Medical Malpractice resulting in above knee amputation $8,000,000 – Settled January 2019
- Confidential, Medical Malpractice – Failure to diagnose and treat craniopharyngioma resulting in child blindness $13,000,000 – Settled January 2019
- Confidential, Medical Malpractice – Failure to diagnose bowel obstruction resulting in wrongful death $2,500,000 – Settled January 2019
- Confidential, Premise Liability – Rape $500,000 – Settled February 2019
- Confidential, Medical Malpractice – Failure to diagnose lymphoblastic leukemia resulting in cardiac arrest and death in a 7 year-old $760,000 – Settled February 2019
- Confidential, Auto Accident – Wrongful death $2,000,000 – Settled March 2019
- Confidential, Medical Malpractice Failure to properly manage a bowel impaction in a 10 year-old $1,350,000 – Settled March 2019
- Confidential, Medical Malpractice – Aspiration -Cardiac arrest $1,250,000 – Settled March 2019
- Confidential, Airplane crash – Wrongful death $6,867,000 – Settled April 2019
- Confidential, Medical Malpractice resulting in brain injury $28,068,497 – Settled April 2019
- Confidential, Motorcycle v. Freightliner accident resulting in internal organ injuries $4,500,000 – Settled April 2019
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