Career Highlights
- Obtained verdict in favor of a hospital and general surgeon in wrongful death case arising out of alleged failure to timely perform a laparoscopic cholecystectomy in which claimed damages exceeded $30 million.
- Obtained verdict in favor of an anesthesiologist in case arising out cardiac arrest during femoral nerve block resulting in stroke.
- Obtained verdict in favor of a radiologist in case arising out of alleged failure to properly interpret radiographic study.
- Obtained verdict in favor of hospital and nurse in a case arising out of alleged sciatic nerve injury following injection.
- Obtained verdict in favor of hospital and emergency medicine physician in a wrongful death case arise out of alleged failure to timely diagnose an aortic rupture.
- Obtained verdict in favor of hospital and family practice physicians in a wrongful death case arising out of alleged improper treatment of multiple infections resulting in death of 14-year-old.
- Obtained a verdict in favor of an cardiologists in wrongful death case arising out of off-label use of Amiodarone.
Significant Appellate Cases
- Doe v. Roe, ___ N.W.2d ___ (Iowa Ct. App. Feb. 11, 2015).
- Nelson v. Mercy Health Servs.-Iowa, 843 N.W.2d 478 (Iowa Ct. App. 2014).
- Brakeman v. Theta Lambda Chapter, 2002 WL 31640619 (Iowa Ct. App. 2002).
- Linn v. N. Iowa Anesthesia Assocs., P.C., No. 18-2213, 2020 WL 1307838 (Iowa Ct. App. March 18, 2020)
- Crow v. Jabbari, No. 19-1566, 2020 WL 4201688 (Iowa Ct. App. July 22, 2020)
- Stanton v. Knoxville Cmty. Hosp., Inc., No. 19-1277, 2020 WL 4498884 (Iowa Ct. App. Aug., 5, 2020)
- Reich v. Avoca Motel Corp., 82 F.3d 238 (8th Cir. 1996).
- Benavides v. J.C. Penney Life Ins. Co., 539 N.W.2d 352 (Iowa 1995).
Education
Creighton University School of Law, J.D
Drake University, MBA
Loras College, magna cum laude.
Admitted to Bar and Courts
Iowa
Nebraska
United States District Court District of Nebraska
United States District Court Northern District of Iowa
United States District Court Southern District of Iowa
United States Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
Memberships, Boards & Committees
Member of American Board of Trial Advocates with the Rank of Advocate. This required Mr. Harris to try a significant number of civil jury trials to verdict as lead counsel.
Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers, Fellow — Membership is limited to 250 attorneys who have displayed exceptional skills, the highest integrity and have dedicated their professional lives to trial practice. Membership is by invitation only, with recommendation from peers and judges and requires unanimous approval by the Board of Governors of the Academy. Rick has been recognized by Best Lawyers in the field of medical malpractice law for defendants.
Awards
Best Lawyers, Lawyer of the Year, Medical Malpractice Law -Defendants in Des Moines, 2023
Best Lawyers, Appellate Practice; Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants; 2023
Practice Emphasis
Litigation