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About Aaron
I accept a small number of seriously hurt clients, who need representation and guidance after a life changing injury. After studying insurance claims practices for many years, writing books and lecturing on the topic, and working on class action cases involving the way insurance companies actually handle insurance claims, I bring a great deal of experience to a case on how to appropriately handle your case. This combined with my training as a doctor, and interest in brain, spinal cord, and nervous system injuries gives me the expertise to handle the most serious injury cases.
I also use my background in fraudulent insurance company practices, most notably software systems used to improperly delay, deny, or underpay insurance claims in my role as a lawyer handling class action, insurance claims practice ("bad faith"), and False Claims Act cases. I am considered one of the leading lawyers in the country on fraudulent underpayment schemes by insurers, and have worked on cases both as a lawyer and a litigation consultant in which policyholders have obtained over $550 million in fraudulently underpaid claims from insurers who defrauded their own policyholders.
In my legal career, I am most proud to be one of Trial Guides authors along with David Ball, Rick Friedman, Don Keenan and other leading lawyers and litigation experts. Its a group that is not only the best in their professional lives, but work to improve the the safety of people before they are ever injured.
Practice areas
- Brain injury: 90%
As a doctor/lawyer DeShaw is one of the top brain injury lawyers in the country. He is a major sponsor of the Brain Injury Association of Oregon. DeShaw is an invited lecturer at brain injury conferences, for both doctors and lawyers. His lecture on brain injuries is part of his Traumatic Injuries DVD set released by leading legal publisher Trial Guides. He is the lawyer of choice for many physician and brain injury society referrals.
21 years, 125 cases
- Personal injury: 8%
DeShaw is one of the top personal injury lawyers in the northwest, and one of the few doctor/lawyers in the country to practice personal injury law. Dr. DeShaw handles primarily brain injury and other catastrophic injury cases. He is among the elite group of lawyers in the country published by Trial Guides along with Rick Friedman, Paul Luvera, Don Keenan, Jim Perdue, and others.
21 years, 280 cases
- Class action: 1%
DeShaw as co-counsel on major class action cases. Most notable was Hensley v. CSC, a case against over 580 insurance companies in a conspiracy to underpay claims to policyholders. The result was payments to policyholders of over $1 billion.
16 years, 2 cases
- Federal crime: 1%
DeShaw's firm deals with a wide range of taxpayer fraud cases, including False Claims Act cases (where companies have improperly defrauded taxpayers by fraudulently charging the federal government), or for institutional non-payment of taxes by large corporations. These cases often revolve around DeShaw's in depth knowledge of the insurance industry, but also involves fraudulently marketed pharmaceutical products for non-approved uses.
14 years, 5 cases
Languages spoken
English
Photos and videos
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Resume
| State | Status | Acquired | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| WA | Active | 2006 | 11/13/2021 |
| OR | Active | 2000 | 11/15/2021 |
| Legal answers | 0 |
| Legal guides | 0 |
| Award name | Grantor | Date granted |
|---|---|---|
| Super Lawyer | Oregon Super Lawyers | 2021 |
| Super Lawyer | Oregon Super Lawyers | 2020 |
| Super Lawyer | Oregon Super Lawyers | 2019 |
| Super Lawyer | Oregon Super Lawyers | 2013 |
| Super Lawyer | Oregon Super Lawyers | 2012 |
| Graduate | Barton Litigation Boot Camp | 2006 |
|---|
| Title | Company name | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Aaron DeShaw, Esq., P.C. | 2000 - Present | |
| Of Counsel | Friedman Rubin | 2008 - 2016 |
| Association name | Position name | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Trial Guides Spinal Injury Litigation Group | Chairman | 2021 - Present |
| Trial Guides Personal Injury Litigation Group | Chairman | 2021 - Present |
| Trial Guides Brain Injury Litigation Group | Chairman | 2021 - Present |
| Consumer Attorneys of California | Member | 2020 - Present |
| Consumer Attorney Association of Los Angeles | Member | 2020 - Present |
| Oregon Trial Lawyers Association | Guardian Member | 2000 - Present |
|---|---|---|
| Brain Injury Alliance of Oregon | Board Member | 2013 - 2021 |
| American Association for Justice - Brain Injury Litigation Group | Member | 2010 - 2021 |
| AAJ Motor Vehicles Division | Member | 2009 - 2011 |
| American Association of Justice | Member | 2007 - 2021 |
| AAJ - Insurance Law Division | Member | 2007 - 2011 |
| Brain Injury Association of Oregon | Member | 2004 - 2021 |
| Association of Trial Lawyers of America | Member | 2000 - 2007 |
| Trial Guides | Spinal Injury Cases, Session Six: Litigation (Continuing Legal Education Video) | 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Trial Guides | Working with Chiropractors in Personal Injury Cases (Continuing Legal Education Video) | 2021 |
| Trial Guides | Writing Demand Letters for Paralegals (Paralegal Continuing Education Video) | 2020 |
| Trial Guides | Overview of Traumatic Brain Injuries (Continuing Legal Education Video) | 2020 |
| Trial Guides | Discrediting the Fake Bad Scale (Continuing Legal Education Video) | 2020 |
| Trial Guides | Writing Demand Letters for Traumatic Brain Injuries (Continuing Legal Education video) | 2019 |
| Trial Guides | Demand Letters (Continuing Legal Education Video) | 2018 |
| Trial Guides | Mastering Personal Injury Cases (Physician Continuing Education Video) | 2016 |
| Trial Guides | Mastering Motor Vehicle Cases (Continuing Legal Education video) | 2015 |
| Trial Guides | Overcoming "Minor Impact" Defenses in Auto Cases (Continuing Legal Education video) | 2013 |
| Trial Guides | Colossus: Understanding Auto Insurance Claims (Physician Continuing Education Video) | 2011 |
| Trial Guides | Traumatic Injuries (Continuing Legal Education Video) | 2009 |
| Trial Guides | Procedure & Billing Denials (Physician Text) | 2005 |
| Trial Trends | Colossus: What Every Trial Lawyer Needs to Know. | 2005 |
| Forum | Negotiating a Non-Demonstrable Case | 2005 |
| Louisiana Advocates | Colossus: What Every Trial Lawyer Needs to Know | 2005 |
| Trial Briefs (NCAJ) | Colossus: What Every Trial Lawyer Needs to Know | 2005 |
| The Gavel (OCTLA) | Colossus: What Every Trial Lawyer Needs to Know | 2005 |
| The Verdict (Wisconsin Academy of Trial Lawyers) | Colossus: What Every Trial Lawyer Needs to Know | 2005 |
| American Trial Lawyers Association (ATLA) | Soft Tissue Cases in Colossus | 2005 |
| Advocate | Colossus: What Every Trial Lawyer Needs to Know | 2005 |
| The Idaho Trial Lawyers Association Journal | Colossus: What Every Trial Lawyer Needs to Know | 2005 |
| Chiropractic Economics | Getting Paid in PI Cases | 2005 |
| Colorado Trial Lawyer Association publication (CTLA) | Negotiating a Non-Demonstrable Case | 2005 |
| The Prairie Barrister | Negotiating a Non-Demonstrable Case | 2005 |
| Journal of the Chiropractic Association of Oregon | Getting Paid in PI Cases | 2005 |
| Journal of the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers | Colossus: What Every Trial Lawyer Needs to Know | 2005 |
| Trial Guides | Colossus: What Every Trial Lawyer Needs to Know | 2004 |
| Trial Guides | Colossus: What Every Physician Needs to Know | 2004 |
| Trial Guides | Colossus: Legal Forms CD | 2004 |
| Trial Guides | Colossus: Physician Forms CD | 2004 |
| Journal of the Chiropractic Association of Oregon | Colossus | 2003 |
| School name | Degree | Graduated |
|---|---|---|
| Willamette University College of Law | JD - Juris Doctor | 1999 |
| Western States Chiropractic College | D.C. - Doctorate of Chiropractic | 1993 |
| Pepperdine University School of Law | N/A | N/A |
| Willamette University | N/A | N/A |
| Conference name | Title | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Brain Injury Association of California Med Legal Conference | Insurance Demand Letters in Traumatic Brain Injury Cases | 2021 |
| Brain Injury Association of California Med Legal Conference | Insurance Bad Faith | 2021 |
| Brain Injury Association of California Med Legal Conference | Insurance Demand Letters | 2021 |
| Brain Injury Association of California Webinar Series | Fake Bad Scale and the MMPI in Brain Injury Litigation | 2020 |
| Brain Injury Association of California Webinar Series | Insurance Demand Letters | 2020 |
| North American Brain Injury Society (NABIS) Annual Conference | Discrediting the Fake Bad Scale | 2017 |
|---|---|---|
| Blockbuster Auto Seminar | Colossus | 2011 |
| Torts Made Perfect | Colossus in settlement negotiations | 2010 |
| Neck Injury and Treatment Seminar | Trying Cervical Injury Cases | 2010 |
| Innovator Seminar - Cayman Islands | Handling Alar & Transverse Ligament Injury Litigation Cases | 2010 |
| Annual Conference | Traumatic Injuries | 2010 |
| Annual Conference | Colossus | 2010 |
| 2010 AAJ Annual Conference - Vancouver BC | Alar & Transverse Ligament Injuries After Trauma | 2010 |
| Traumatic Injuries | Traumatic Injuries | 2009 |
| Personal Injury Advanced Topics | Traumatic Injuries | 2009 |
| WSTLA - Settlement Summit CLE | Colossus Settlement Methods | 2008 |
| Brain Injury Association of Oregon | Handling and Trying Brain Injury Cases | 2008 |
| SRISD Module 4 - Orlando | Insurance Claims Practices | 2007 |
| SRISD Module 4 - New York | Insurance Claims Practices | 2007 |
| SRISD Module 4 - Las Vegas | Insurance Claims Practices | 2007 |
| SRISD Module 4 - Chicago | Insurance Claims Practices | 2007 |
| Insurance Claims Practices | Insurance Claims Practices | 2007 |
| American Association for Justice Convention | Insurance Claims Practices in Personal Injury Cases | 2007 |
| SRISD Module 3 | How Insurance Companies Really Handle Claims | 2006 |
| Montana Bad Faith Seminar | Colossus | 2006 |
| Insurance Claims Practices | Insurance Claims Practices | 2006 |
| SRISD Scientific Conference | Colossus | 2005 |
| LTLA Auto Torts CLE 2005 | Colossus | 2005 |
| Colossus: What Every Trial Lawyer Needs to Know | Colossus | 2005 |
| Bad Faith Seminar - Invite Only | Insurance Claims Practices | 2005 |
| Montana State Trial Lawyers Association Conference | Colossus | 2004 |
| CRASH | Insurance Claims Practices in Personal Injury Cases | 2004 |
| ATLA Jazzfest conference | Colossus | 2004 |
| Willamette University Negotiation Seminar | Negotiating with Insurers Using Colossus | 2003 |
| Case name | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Cozzocrea v. Ready | $1,050,000.00 Mediation Settlement |
| Fitzgerald v. Shelby | $1,600,000.00 Jury Verdict |
| Confidential | $3,500,000.00 settlement |
| Edlin v. Doe et. al. | $1,125,000.00 Jury Verdict |
| Hensley v. CSC | Over $1 Billion in payments to class members |
Doctor Aaron DeShaw is a Rock Star. (Sorry, told myself I would try not to gush)
5.0 stars
Posted by Delani
January 3, 2010
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Attorney endorsements
(3)
Michael Waddington, Personal injury Attorney on May 27, 2014
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
I endorse Aaron. He is a highly skilled attorney that is well respected in the legal community.
H. Duncan, Brain injury Attorney on Aug 14, 2013
Relationship: Other
I endorse this lawyer. Aaron's experience as both a doctor of chiropractic and a lawyer help him to obtain the best possible results for his clients. He takes what he has learned to teach other lawyers, too, which makes things better for everyone.
Michael Waddington, Personal injury Attorney on May 27, 2014
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
I endorse Aaron. He is a highly skilled attorney that is well respected in the legal community.
H. Duncan, Brain injury Attorney on Aug 14, 2013
Relationship: Other
I endorse this lawyer. Aaron's experience as both a doctor of chiropractic and a lawyer help him to obtain the best possible results for his clients. He takes what he has learned to teach other lawyers, too, which makes things better for everyone.
Benjamin Falk, Personal injury Attorney on Feb 3, 2011
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
Aaron DeShaw is an incredibly bright and talented attorney who zealously advocates for his clients and achieves incredible results. He possesses a deep understanding of how the insurance industry operates. He teaches other lawyers in the community important and valuable information to maximize our effectiveness in handling cases. I highly recommend him to handle matters of serious personal injury.
Cost
- Free Consultation Some lawyers offer a free consultation to help determine whether their services are right for your legal needs30 minutes
- Contingency A contingency fee is the percent of the final award a lawyer will receive as compensation. For some of these cases, lawyers will only be paid if there is a successful outcome.33%-40%