HOUSTON – AZA’s trial victories for underpaid emergency doctor groups earned recognition among the Top Verdicts for 2021 by the National Law Journal and Texas Lawyer.
Rankings are based on court records scrutinized by VerdictSearch, an affiliate of National Law Journal. AZA made the Top 100 list nationally with one case and earned a place on the U.S. Southwest list with another.
Making the Top 100 Verdicts nationally and ranked No. 37 was the firm’s $62.65 million jury award in Las Vegas against United Healthcare, the largest insurer in the nation. With attorneys’ fees, the award for AZA’s client TeamHealth and its affiliates came to more than $75 million. AZA co-founder John Zavitsanos led the legal team.
The seven-week trial pitted Las Vegas area ER physician groups against a cluster of United Healthcare affiliates. The jury found that the insurers cheated the doctors out of more than $2.65 million in payments and also awarded $60 million in punitive damages. Texas Lawbook featured the Nevada case as the lead case in Top Commercial Litigation in 2021.
Aiding Mr. Zavitsanos on the legal team were firm co-founder Joe Ahmad, partner Jane Langdell Robinson; Of Counsel Kevin Leyendecker; and associates Michael Killingsworth, Louis Liao and Jason McManis.
A trial win in Houston for affiliates of TeamHealth made Texas Lawyer’s list of Top Verdicts & Settlements in the Southwest. Ranked No. 4 in the contracts litigation category, the case produced a $19.08 million verdict, with $17.5 million of that in punitive damages, for ACS Primary Care Physicians Southwest PA and Emergency Services of Texas. The plaintiffs prevailed over Molina Healthcare of Texas Inc.
The trial team was led by AZA partner Sammy Ford IV. Also on the team were Messrs. Zavitsanos, Killingsworth, Liao and Ms. Robinson.
The two top verdicts were among several AZA trial wins and settlements for TeamHealth ER doctor groups seeking to stop insurers across the country from systematic underpayment.
AZA is a Houston-based law firm that is home to true courtroom lawyers with a formidable track record in complex commercial litigation, including energy, healthcare, intellectual property, and business dispute cases. AZA is recognized by Chambers USA 2022 among the best in Texas commercial law and intellectual property; by U.S. News – Best Lawyers’ Best Law Firms as one of the country’s best commercial litigation firms for 10 years running; has been named Litigation Department of the Year by Texas Lawyer; and was previously dubbed by Law360 a Texas Powerhouse law firm.