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Kimberly A. Satterwhite

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As a founding shareholder, Kim primarily defends physicians, nurses, hospitals and other health care providers across a wide range of medical specialties. Clients often call on her for high-exposure cases involving catastrophic injuries or death, including particularly sympathetic cases involving children. Kim frequently defends obstetrical claims and has obtained defense verdicts in suits involving neurological birth injuries and shoulder dystocia.

Kim has tried jury trials throughout Virginia in both state and federal court, with the majority resulting in defense wins. Notably, she secured many of these verdicts in Portsmouth, Richmond, Hampton, and Norfolk.

Virginia Lawyers Weekly has repeatedly listed her victories among the “Largest Defense Verdicts” and “Million-Dollar Defense Verdicts.” In consecutive years, Kim served as lead counsel successfully defending an obstetrician (2015) and spinal surgeon (2016) in cases Virginia Lawyers Weekly identified as the largest medical malpractice defense verdicts in the state.

While Kim defends every case with the expectation it will go to trial, she has eliminated risk for many clients by successfully arguing dispositive motions. Her preparation and dedication have prompted many plaintiffs to voluntarily dismiss suit without any payment from the defendant. Kim has also successfully argued for referral to the Virginia Birth Related Neurological Injury Compensation Program, thus precluding any recovery from a delivering physician.

Kim uses technology effectively both in and out of the courtroom. Jurors have reported her presentations made complex medicine easy to understand. Kim is further experienced at upholding verdicts on appeal and has successfully argued before the Virginia Supreme Court.

Physician groups have invited Kim to speak about the litigation process and she regularly counsels clients on litigation avoidance techniques.

Distinctions

• Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers in America for Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants, Richmond (2022)
• AV® Preeminent Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
• Listed in Best Lawyers in America since 2011
  • Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants (2013 - present)
  • Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants (2021 - present)
  • Health Care Law (2021 - present)
  • Litigation - Health Care (2025)
• Recognized as "Go-To Lawyer" for Medical Malpractice by Virginia Lawyers' Weekly (2021) 
• Selected to Virginia Super Lawyers for Medical Malpractice Defense (2013 – present)
• Selected to Virginia Super Lawyers Rising Stars (2008-2009)
• Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America 
• Recognized in Virginia Business Magazine Legal Elite for Health Law (2013)
• Listed in America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators® (2018)

Representative Cases

• Defense verdict for spine surgeon: The patient developed permanent paralysis following placement of a spinal cord stimulator. The patient claimed she was not an appropriate candidate for the device due to an underlying coagulopathy and further alleged she was not appropriately advised of the risks of the procedure. Defense verdict was largest listed in Virginia Lawyers Weekly’s “Million-Dollar Med-Mal Defense Verdicts of 2016.” Plaintiff sought $50 million (Richmond).
• Defense verdict for obstetrician: Mother claimed C-section improperly performed resulting in disrupted placenta and 31-day NICU stay for infant (Norfolk).
• Defense verdict for obstetrician: Parents claimed delay in performing C-section resulted in permanent neurological injuries to infant. Plaintiffs sought $13 million for damages to both mother and infant. Defense verdict was largest listed in Virginia Lawyers Weekly’s “Million-Dollar Med-Mal Defense Verdicts of 2015.” The Virginia Supreme Court refused Plaintiff's Petition for Appeal (Hanover).
• Defense verdict for gynecologists: The patient claimed improper surgical technique during hysterectomy resulted in ureter injury and delayed diagnosis (Norfolk).
• Defense verdict for plastic surgeon: The patient claimed improper surgical technique during breast reconstruction resulted in the need for multiple revision surgeries (Norfolk).
• Defense verdict for obstetrician/gynecologist: The patient claimed misdiagnosis of cardiac condition resulted in unnecessary termination of pregnancy (Norfolk).
• Defense verdict for gynecologist: The patient claimed misdiagnosis and surgical treatment of ovarian cancer resulted in worsening of prognosis (Chesapeake).
• Defense verdict for radiologists: The patient claimed a calcaneal fracture was missed on x-rays, resulting in the development of arthritis and need for subsequent joint fusion surgery (Norfolk).
• Defense verdict for an emergency room physician: The family claimed failure to administer clot-busting medication for pulmonary embolism caused the death of a 64-year-old woman (Hampton).
• Defense verdict for a radiologist: A husband claimed an aneurysm was missed on brain MRI, resulting in his wife’s death (Richmond).
• Defense verdict for obstetricians: Parents claimed their 6-year-old son suffered permanent Erb’s Palsy due to management of shoulder dystocia (Chesapeake).
• Defense verdict for an interventional radiologist: Parents claimed the death of their 11-year-old resulted from a liver biopsy (Richmond).
• Defense verdict for an anesthesiologist: The patient claimed permanent nerve injury from placement of an epidural during labor and delivery (Portsmouth).
• Defense verdict for a pediatrician, family practitioner, and hospital: Parents claimed birth trauma to their newborn, resulting in future medical expenses of $25 million. A statutory cap on damages did not apply (Indiana).
• Defense verdict for a cardiologist: A wife claimed her husband’s cardiac arrest and subsequent death resulted from an inappropriate work-up (Virginia Beach).
• Defense verdict for an obstetrician: The patient claimed untimely delivery resulted in placental abruption and stillbirth of a term fetus (Richmond).
• Defense verdict for a social worker: A father claimed counseling of his daughter resulted in parental alienation (Virginia Beach).
• Defense verdict for a gynecologist: A 44–year-old patient claimed permanent complications following surgery to repair a rectocele (Chesapeake).
• Defense verdict for a psychiatrist: A wife claimed her husband’s suicide was the result of lack of monitoring (Richmond).
• Defense verdict for Ear, Nose & Throat Physician: The patient claimed permanent loss of smell and taste following sinus surgery for nasal polyps. (Chesapeake)
• Defense verdict for transplant hepatologist: The patient's husband claimed a rare complication from an allegedly unnecessary pre-transplant colonoscopy led to the patient’s death several weeks after successful liver transplant. (Richmond)