Benjamin R. Zimmermann, Principal

Ben concentrates in plaintiff trial practice, with an emphasis in the areas of product liability, medical malpractice, construction site accidents, and premises liability. He has served on the amicus committee of the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys, and has lectured at both MCLE and ALI-ABA concerning plaintiff trial practice.

Ben joined Sugarman as an associate in 2000 and became a principal of the firm in 2007.

Selected Cases

Quincy Mutual Fire Ins. Co. v. Quisset Properties, Inc., 69 Mass. App. Ct. 147 (2007),  Sugarman attorneys represented a state trooper who was catastrophically injured when struck by a car registered to Quisset Properties and insured by Quincy Mutual. Quincy Mutual denied coverage for the state trooper’s injury claims on the basis that its insured (Quisset) failed to provided Quincy Mutual with necessary information about its business and, as a result, was in breach of the insurance contract. Sugarman attorneys intervened on behalf of Quisset and successfully argued on appeal that the insurance policy applied. As a result, they were able to obtain a sizable settlement, paid by two insurers including Quincy Mutual, for the state trooper.

Morgan v. Lab. Corp. of Am., 65 Mass. App. Ct. 816 (2006),  Jury verdict against medical laboratory for negligently reporting test results leading to a patient’s permanent nerve damage. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court rejected the medical laboratory’s appeal and affirmed the jury’s verdict won by Sugarman.

Injury to flight attendant,  Jury award to a flight attendant who suffered a debilitating back injury after the plane she was in was struck by a mail cart while parked on the tarmac.

Hooper v. Davis-Standard Corp, et al, 482 F. Supp 2d 157 (2007) ,  After Sugarman Lawyers successfully resolved a product liability action in favor of a machine worker (recovering a substantial settlement from the machine manufacturer), the worker’s employer tried to bring an action against the same manufacturer for its business loss. The machine manufacturer successfully defeated the claims of the employer.

Failure to diagnose fetal distress,  Settlement from obstetrician for brain-injured child for failure to perform C-section sooner.

Defective shopping center access road,  Settlement for family of pedestrian killed after being hit by a car because of failure to install barrier or guardrail in a shopping center access road.

Defective aerial lift design,  Settlement for the child's family when young boy suffered severe brain damage that left him paralyzed, unable to speak or care for himself when an aerial lift truck he was riding in tipped over because of a defect in its design.

Christopher v. Father’s Huddle Cafe, Inc. et al., 57 Mass. App. Ct. 217 (2003),  Verdict, including punitive damages, against the bar and its management company for failure to provide adequate security, resulting in the off-premises death of a patron. The verdict was upheld on appeal.

Related News

Seven Partners from SUGARMAN Selected as Best Lawyers and SUGARMAN is featured in the Boston’s Best Lawyers Publication

Marianne C. LeBlanc and Benjamin R. Zimmermann – Faculty Members at MCLE Personal Injury Law Conference 2010

Nine Sugarman Lawyers Named as Top Attorneys in Massachusetts and New England: Selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers & Rising Stars 2009

Nine Sugarman Lawyers Named as Top Attorneys

Benjamin Zimmermann Becomes Principal of Leading Personal Injury Law Firm