Elawvate

Justice and Accountability for Victims of Mass Shootings with Jamal Alsaffar

Episode Summary

When trial lawyer Jamal Alsaffar of Austin Texas heard about the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, he had the eerie feeling of history repeating itself. Many of the facts were strikingly similar to what had occurred in the Sutherland Springs church mass shooting case in Texas that Jamal tried to a Federal judge, resulting in a $230 million judgment for the families. In the process, Jamal also forced the U.S. Government to disclose documents and information that demonstrated a long-standing pattern of failing to report dangerous, violent, and mentally unstable members of the armed forces to the FBI databank, thereby permitting tens of thousands of deranged or dangerous individuals to purchase and continue to possess firearms. As a result of Jamal’s case, he not only secured compensation for his clients, but he forced the Air Force to enact policy changes that resulted in tens of thousands of dangerous individuals being reported. Join Ben and Rahul for their in-depth discussion with Jamal, including his journey to becoming a trial lawyer that started with him becoming a standout in high school and college mock trial competitions to becoming one of the leading lawyers in the United States in bringing claims against the Federal Government and representing victims of mass shootings.

Episode Notes

When trial lawyer Jamal Alsaffar of Austin Texas heard about the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, he had the eerie feeling of history repeating itself.  Many of the facts were strikingly similar to what had occurred in the Sutherland Springs church mass shooting case in Texas that Jamal tried to a Federal judge, resulting in a $230 million judgment for the families.  In the process, Jamal also forced the U.S. Government to disclose documents and information that demonstrated a long-standing pattern of failing to report dangerous, violent, and mentally unstable members of the armed forces to the FBI databank, thereby permitting tens of thousands of deranged or dangerous individuals to purchase and continue to possess firearms.  As a result of Jamal’s case, he not only secured compensation for his clients, but he forced the Air Force to enact policy changes that resulted in tens of thousands of dangerous individuals being reported.  Join Ben and Rahul for their in-depth discussion with Jamal, including his journey to becoming a trial lawyer that started with him becoming a standout in high school and college mock trial competitions to becoming one of the leading lawyers in the United States in bringing claims against the Federal Government and representing victims of mass shootings.

About Jamal Alsaffar

Mr. Alsaffar was born and raised in Dallas, Texas and is a nationally experienced trial attorney. Mr. Alsaffar has spent his entire career as a trial lawyer representing individuals and families. He has successfully represented clients in state, federal, and appellate courts across the country in complex personal injury and medical malpractice cases. In addition to a Texas statewide practice, Mr. Alsaffar has a national Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) practice representing veterans and military families around the country including Texas, Oklahoma, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington D.C., New York, New Hampshire, Illinois, Missouri, Nevada, Arizona, California, Oregon, and Washington.

In 2013, Mr. Alsaffar was selected as one of the 20 “Leading Lawyers” under the age of forty in the state of Texas by Texas Lawyer magazine. His legal peers have voted him as a “Super Lawyer” from 2014-2022 and prior to that as a Texas “Rising Star” from 2006-2014. Mr. Alsaffar has also served as the National Chair of the Federal Torts and Military Advocacy Section for the American Association of Justice, the nation’s premier trial lawyer organization. Mr. Alsaffar served as an adjunct professor of trial advocacy at the University of Texas School of Law, and also served as a volunteer coach for the University of Texas undergraduate trial advocacy team for over ten years. Mr. Alsaffar is a proud father of three children and is a volunteer select soccer coach for the Lake Travis Youth Association and serves on the board of LTYA.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Mr. Alsaffar is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the American Association for Justice, Texas Trial Lawyers’ Association, Federal Bar Association, the Capital Area Trial Lawyers’ Association, and the Austin Bar Association. He has served as Co-Chair of the Birth Trauma/Medical Negligence Litigation Group of the American Association for Justice, and has twice served as the Chair of the Federal Tort Liability and Military Advocacy section of the American Association for Justice. He is on the Federal Torts Executive Committee for the American Association for Justice. Mr. Alsaffar is also a fellow of the Texas State Bar Foundation.

BAR ADMISSIONS

• United States Supreme Court
• Supreme Court of Texas
• United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
• United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
• United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
• United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• United States District Court, Western District of Texas
• United States District Court, Eastern District of Texas
• United States District Court, Southern District of Texas
• United States District Court, Northern District of Texas
• United States District Court, Middle District of Tennessee
• United States District Court, Southern District of Illinois
• United States District Court, Northern District of Florida
• PRACTICE AREAS
• Federal Tort Claims
• Medical Malpractice
• Personal Injury
• Civil Trials and Appeals

EDUCATION

• University of Texas at Austin, B.A., 1996
• Baylor University Law School, J.D., 2000

NOTABLE CASE RESULTS

• Joe Holcombe, et al.; Plaintiffs -vs- United States of America, Defendant, $230,000,000.00 Trial Judgment for failure to report mass shooter to FBI database. This is most commonly known as the Sutherland Springs Mass Shooting case.
• Farley v. United States, $21,568,710.62 Trial Judgment against Manchester, New Hampshire Veteran Affairs Hospital, Concord, New Hampshire, for failure to properly treat a stroke resulting in permanent paralysis. $15,884,511.98 received by clients after fees and expenses.
• Brown v. United States, $13,690,648 Trial Judgment against United States Navy, Naval Branch Health Clinic, Millington, TN, for failure to prescribe prenatal vitamins containing folic acid, resulting in a baby developing spina bifida and lifelong disabilities. $9,183,752 received by clients after fees and expenses.
• Elliott v. United States, $8,000,000 Settlement against United States Army, Darnall Army Community Hospital, Texas, for negligent labor and delivery care resulting in hypoxic permanent brain injury to a child. $5,850,783.79 received by clients after fees and expenses.
• Roberts v. United States, $7,860,000 Settlement against United States Army, Bassett Army Community Hospital, Fairbanks, Alaska, for negligent labor and delivery care resulting in permanent hypoxic brain injury to a child. $5,688,631.37 received by clients after fees and expenses.
• Timmons v. United States, $6,500,000 Settlement against United States Air Force, Fort Walton Beach, Florida, for negligent labor and delivery care resulting in a permanent brain injury to a child. $4,607,211.28 received by clients after fees and expenses.
• Humble v. United States, $5,800,000 Settlement against United States Army for negligent care during labor and delivery and a delay in performing a C-section at Darnall Army Community Hospital, resulting in a permanent brain injury to a child. $4,106,711.68 received by clients after fees and expenses.
• Lee v. United States, $5,117,473.50 Trial Judgment against United States Air Force, Randolph Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas, for failure to treat a child’s infection resulting in a double kidney transplant. $3,475,648.35 received by clients after fees and expenses.
• Holweger v. United States, $2,300,000 Settlement against United States Navy for negligent care during labor and delivery and failing to timely perform a C-section at Portsmouth Naval Medical Center in Virginia. $1,623,930 received by clients after fees and expenses.
• Cloer v. United States, $2,150,000 Settlement against United States Army, Blanchfield Army Community Hospital, Tennessee, for failing to diagnose and treat colon cancer resulting in death. $1,492,813 received by clients after fees and expenses.
• Hogans v. United States, $1,650,000 Trial Judgment against United States Army, Joint Base Lewis-McCord in Washington and Winn Army Community Hospital in Georgia, for failing to diagnose a tumor leading to stroke and brain injury. $1,067,624 received by clients after fees and expenses.

HONORS AND AWARDS

• Super Lawyers, (2014 - 2023)
• Super Lawyers, Rising Stars (2007 - 2014)