Since the day our firm was founded by attorney Mark Ladendorf, Ladendorf Fregiato & Bigler has been exceptionally fortunate to represent so many good people over the years who have turned to us for a voice when they are hurt by the most unfortunate circumstances. Without our clients, our work would be meaningless, and it is our clients who push us to want to work harder every day. The greatest reward we can receive is a satisfied client who leaves our representation knowing we did all we could to restore his or her life in the only way we know possible–by navigating the complex legal system to obtain fair compensation from the responsible party.
Sometimes our efforts are recognized by people in our community other than our direct clients. This past Thursday, November 7, 2013, was one of those days for Dan Ladendorf.
In his nearly fourteen years as a civil trial lawyer, Dan has always gone the extra mile to resolve claims for hundreds of personal injury victims who seek our counsel. In addition to his “day job,” Dan has served for the last six years as the Chair or Co-Chair of the Government Affairs Committee for the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association (ITLA). This Committee is charged with the extraordinary task of coordinating bipartisan efforts among ITLA membership to push for pro-civil justice legislation and oppose bills that would seek to diminish the fundamental rights of Hoosiers to trial by jury.
This past General Assembly legislative session was particularly significant for Dan and the ITLA, but more importantly, for our clients. As a result of tireless research, bill drafting, lobbying, alliance building, vote counting, and a few breaks along the way, Dan’s relentless pursuit of changes to the Indiana Hospital Lien Statute came to fruition. Effective July 1, 2013, hospitals no longer have a first-priority “super lien” for the full amount of their charged bill against a claim for bodily injuries resulting from a third party’s negligent conduct. (The details of the changes to the Hospital Lien Statute will be explored in subsequent posts.)
This past summer, Dan received multiple nominations from his peers for the high honor of the ITLA’s 2013 Trial Lawyer of the Year. Although there were several other distinguished attorneys nominated for this year’s award, Dan received a large majority of the ballots, and on November 7, 2013, he was presented with the award by none other than his older brother and 2013-2014 ITLA President Mark Ladendorf.
“We are members of the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association. It is the only statewide association dedicated to open access to the courts and preservation of your right to a jury trial. I am very humbled by this award, which might be best expressed in this: Even if we are occupied with important things, even if we attain honor or fall into misfortune, still let us remember how good it once was here, when we were all together, united by a good and a kind feeling which made us perhaps better than we are.’”
Congratulations, Dan, on this prestigious award and what it represents: A life of service to the improving our system of justice in Indiana.
For more photos from the Awards Ceremony and post-event reception at Loughmiller’s Pub in downtown Indianapolis, enjoy the following:
