David S. Woodruff
Nationally Recognized Medical Malpractice Lawyer
Practice areas
David S. Woodruff is an experienced and award-winning Colorado attorney specializing in medical malpractice, product liability, and other complex cases involving catastrophic injury and death. Listed in “Best Lawyers in America,” Mr. Woodruff is nationally recognized as one of the nation’s leading plaintiff’s medical malpractice attorneys. He has twice been awarded the prestigious Colorado Trial Lawyers Association “Case of the Year” award (2012 and 2022). He has been repeatedly named a “Colorado Super Lawyer” and appears consistently in 5280 Magazine’s annual list of “Top Lawyers in Denver.” He has been repeatedly recognized by Law Week Colorado as the best lawyer in his field: Best Plaintiff’s Medical Malpractice Lawyer 2014, Best Personal Injury Lawyer 2019, and Best Plaintiff’s Medical Malpractice Lawyer 2022.
Mr. Woodruff has recovered over $230 million for his clients with record-setting settlements and jury verdicts involving medical malpractice, hospital errors, and defective and dangerous products. His trial practice today focuses largely on helping injured children and their families. He has handled some of the largest and most complex child and birth injury cases in the nation and has received national recognition for his ground-breaking work in representing babies who have been injured or killed during the labor/delivery process.
Some of his notable achievements include:
- $88.5 million hospital settlement for a group of patients injured by a hospital’s failed sterilization practices, the largest known hospital settlement in Colorado (2022)
- $4 million recovery after jury verdict for a man paralyzed due to a hospital emergency department misdiagnosis, the largest jury verdict in Pueblo County history (2019)
- $8.6 million recovery after a jury verdict for a child injured during birth in Colorado Springs (2017)
- $5 million defective product settlement for a young lady injured by an exploding “Whipped Cream Dispenser” kitchen product (2017)
- $22.5 million settlement for a brain-injured child, the largest known medical malpractice settlement in Colorado (2016)
- $15 million jury verdict in Colorado Springs, the largest medical malpractice verdict in Colorado history at the time, for a young man who suffered permanent spinal cord injury due to an emergency department misdiagnosis (2013)
- $4 million recovery after a jury verdict in a case involving a misdiagnosed stroke (2012)
- $70 million arbitration award in a birth injury case in California.
Mr. Woodruff has twice received the prestigious “Case of the Year” award from the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, for his $70 million birth injury award (2012) and his $88.5 million hospital settlement (2022).
Additionally, attorney David S. Woodruff has been instrumental in changing the law in Colorado. In 2016, he won the landmark Colorado Supreme Court case P.W. v. Childrens Hospital, changing the law to protect patients. In 2021 he won another instrumental case in the Colorado Supreme Court, Camp v. Porter Adventist Hospital, on behalf of nearly 200 patients injured by a hospital’s failure to sterilize surgical instruments. In 2022, he once again changed the law, winning the landmark Supreme Court case Rudnicki v. Bianco and changing the common law to expand the rights of children injured in Colorado. He also co-authored and testified in the Colorado legislature to help pass the Colorado Candor Act, a groundbreaking law that helps patients and physicians resolve cases without lawsuits.
Education & Legal Career
Mr. Woodruff is a former Assistant Attorney General of Texas. He was raised in a family of physicians, attended college at Southern Methodist University, and received his Master’s degree from the University of Southern California. He earned his law degree from the University of Texas School of Law, where he was a Presidential Scholar and mock trial champion. He spent many years defending doctors and hospitals in medical negligence claims but realized that he believed strongly in helping victims. For nearly two decades, Mr. Woodruff has devoted himself exclusively to representing injured individuals and families in catastrophic injury cases. As a father of four children himself, Mr. Woodruff believes deeply in fighting for children who have been injured.
Mr. Woodruff serves on the Board of Directors for the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, and is a long-time member of the American Association for Justice. He has also served on the Board of Governors for the Colorado Bar Association. In 2015 he was inducted into the exclusive American Board of Trial Advocates (“ABOTA”) for his excellence and devotion to the art of trial advocacy.
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Prior to joining the team at Denver Trial Lawyers ®, Attorney Woodruff served as the Assistant Attorney General of Texas. He also spent a number of years with a multinational law firm and a mid-sized Colorado insurance defense firm, representing a variety of health care professionals and organizations in various healthcare-related claims.
Today, Attorney Woodruff’s practice is wholly devoted to representing the injured and their loved ones in catastrophic injury cases. He has handled a wide range of medical cases involving complex injuries.
Past Employment Positions
- Attorney General of Texas, Assistant Attorney General, 1997 – 1999
- Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison, LLP, Associate, Complex Litigation, 1999 – 2001
- Kennedy & Christophe, P.C., Denver, Colorado, 2001 – 2005
Memberships
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Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, 2005 – 2010, Board of Directors
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Colorado Bar Association, Board of Governors
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Denver Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division, Director
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American Association for Justice
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Board of Directors for the Colorado Trial Lawyers
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Coaches a 5-Year Old Girls’ Soccer Team, the “Lady Bugs”
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Sigma Chi
Recognized for Shaping the Law
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the record we stand on
Over a Billion Dollars Recovered for Our Clients
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$70 Million Birth Injury Involving Misuse of Drug to Induce Labor
$70 million arbitration award, the largest known medical malpractice arbitration award in U.S. history. David S Woodruff handled this birth injury case involving an HMO labor/delivery unit that misused Cytotec, a drug used to induce labor.
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$22.3 Million Largest Medical Malpractice Settlement in Colorado
$22.3 million medical malpractice settlement. In 2016 David Woodruff obtained the largest known medical malpractice settlement in Colorado.
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$15 Million Medical Malpractice Verdict for Victim of Paralysis
A jury handed down a $15 million verdict to a man who was paralyzed from the chest down just hours after a doctor at Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs discharged him. It’s the largest sum ever awarded in a medical malpractice suit in Colorado.
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$7.2 Million Birth Injury Verdict Involving a Misplaced Device
$7 million medical malpractice jury verdict. David Woodruff handled this birth injury case, which culminated in a 2-week jury trial in Colorado Springs. The case involved a physician who misplaced a “vacuum extraction device” while delivering the infant.
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$5 Million Settlement for Woman Injured by Defective Cream Whipper
$5 million defective product settlement. David Woodruff represented a young woman severely injured by a “cream whipper” that exploded in her face, fracturing her skull in 7 places, causing extensive brain injury and permanent damage to her vestibular system.
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$3.9 Million Largest Verdict in Fort Collins, for a Woman Paralyzed Due to Misdiagnosis
David Woodruff helped his client receive a $3.9 million verdict, the largest ever in Fort Collins, in a case where a woman was paralyzed on her right side due to a misdiagnosis in the Emergency Room in 2006.
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$3 Million Case Against Hospital That Failed to Recognize Spinal Injury
A Colorado man was awarded $3 million after hospital staff failed to recognize a spinal injury, causing him to become permanently paralyzed.
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$1.5 Million Wrongful Death Resulting from HMO Patient Neglect
Settlement following jury trial for family of a man who died from HMO patient neglect.
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$1.3 Million Settlement for Girl Who Suffered from Drug Overdose
Settlement to a girl who suffered Stevens-Johnson Syndrome due to lamotrigine overdose.
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$1.1 Million Product Liability Settlement Involving Defective Space Header
Settlement to girl severely burned by a defective space heater.
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$950 Thousand Settlement for a Man Who Suffered a Heart After Taking Adderall
Settlement to widow of man who suffered heart attack from taking Adderall.
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$900 Thousand Settlement for Widow of Husband Who Died in Surgery
Settlement to widow for husband’s death from wound hematoma following spine surgery.
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$700 Thousand Settlement for Client Who Suffered Drug Overdose
Settlement to man who suffered Stevens-Johnson Syndrome due to overdose of lamotrigine.
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$650 Thousand Delayed Diagnosis of Brain Tumor
Arbitration award against Kaiser Permanente for delayed diagnosis of brain tumor.
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$500 Thousand Settlement for Client Injured in a T-Bone Accident
Settlement to a man severely injured in a T-bone car accident.
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$450 Thousand Settlement for Family of Boy Killed by Synthetic Marijuana
Settlement to family of boy killed by synthetic marijuana sold by convenience store.
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$450 Thousand Settlement for Boy Beaten by Religious Sect
Settlement for 15-year old boy beaten by Colorado religious sect.
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$425 Thousand Product Liability Case Involving Faulty Ankle Monitoring Bracelet
Settlement to family of woman murdered by inmate due to faulty ankle monitoring bracelet.
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$400 Thousand Case Involving Misdiagnosed Heart Attack
Settlement to man severely injured by misdiagnosed heart attack.
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$300 Thousand Settlement for Client Injured in Rear-End Car Accident
Settlement following jury verdict to man injured in rear-end car accident.
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$300 Thousand Premises Liability Case Involving Fatal Slip & Fall at Hospital
Settlement to family of elderly man who died from fall at hospital.
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$240 Thousand Settlement for Client Who Contracted Infection from Pedicure Spa
Settlement to customer who had three toes amputated after contracting infection from pedicure spa.
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$200 Thousand Settlement in Wrongful Death Nursing Home Case
Settlement to children of woman killed by blunt trauma in nursing home.
Where Verdicts Meet Voices
Hear What Clients Have to Say About Attorney David S. Woodruff
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"Thank you, David Woodruff, for all your hard work."They helped my family bring justice to our son.- Star S.
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"Mr. Woodruff never gave up."My case ended up getting so messed up and complicated because of my former attorneys that no firm would even consider taking my case to try and salvage it. But, thanks to Mr. Woodruff for never giving up and helping us, even though his plate was so full of other clients. He never pushed us off to the side nor quit helping us. Now, this part is very important! Mr. Woodruff was never hired as my attorney, but yet, he insisted on making sure that my family and I were always taken care of and never forgotten about! Plus, he never asked us for one cent for all the time and work he had put into my case! Mr. Woodruff put more time into my case than the attorneys that I hired! In my opinion, Mr. Woodruff could have easily sent me a bill somewhere in the neighborhood of $20,000 and up! Mr. Woodruff and his firm are the only attorneys that I know who truly care about the people and not just about making money! Eventually, Mr. Woodruff and Mr. Sloane helped my family recover enough money to help us be able to start our lives over. So, if you're looking for a firm of attorneys that are ethical, actually care about you, and will do everything within their power to get you what you deserve, then you must contact Denver Trial Lawyers! My family cannot stress enough just how great this firm is! They truly saved our lives, so do yourself a huge favor and call Denver Trial Lawyers so they can save yours! Thank you, Mr. Woodruff and Mr. Sloane, from the bottom of our hearts, you will never be forgotten for all you have done for us! You are truly my family's angels!- Jon F.
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"David Woodruff and his team worked long and hard for my settlement."They were able to get more than I expected. I would highly recommend them.- Heather N.
the difference is in our approach
trial-tested, client-focused, and committed to your success
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A Passion for JusticeOur goal is to level the playing field between our clients and the large companies and corporations they are up against.
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Serving Our CommunityGiving back to our community is extremely important to us. We support a number of charitable programs.
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No Cost Unless We WinWe represent clients on a contingency fee basis. We only get paid if we win your case.
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We Won't Settle for Less
We are trial lawyers through and through, and we will take your case as far as it can go. Our attorneys have tried 100+ cases with extraordinary results.
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A Voice for ChangeAttorneys at our firm have been at the helm of cases that have gone on to influence legislation, change laws, and impact society for the better.
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Over a Billion in RecoveriesWe have represented thousands of individuals against insurance companies and corporations, recovering more than a billion dollars in the process.
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A Passion for JusticeOur goal is to level the playing field between our clients and the large companies and corporations they are up against.
-
Serving Our CommunityGiving back to our community is extremely important to us. We support a number of charitable programs.
-
No Cost Unless We WinWe represent clients on a contingency fee basis. We only get paid if we win your case.
-
We Won't Settle for Less
We are trial lawyers through and through, and we will take your case as far as it can go. Our attorneys have tried 100+ cases with extraordinary results.
-
A Voice for ChangeAttorneys at our firm have been at the helm of cases that have gone on to influence legislation, change laws, and impact society for the better.
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Over a Billion in RecoveriesWe have represented thousands of individuals against insurance companies and corporations, recovering more than a billion dollars in the process.
