Kevin P. Ahearn
Biography
Kevin is an important and integral part of PJCKN’s successful trial practice. Prior to joining PJCKN, he worked at a commercial litigation firm where he practiced in the field of intellectual property litigation and worked on the merger of Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham. Kevin brought his broad based commercial litigation experience to PJCKN in 2001. Since joining the firm, Kevin has built a diverse litigation practice including medical malpractice defense, construction defect litigation, commercial litigation, general casualty litigation, and personal injury litigation.
Kevin graduated in the Order of St. Ives from the University of Denver College of Law in 1999. In law school, Kevin was actively involved in moot court and was a member of the appellate advocacy team where he represented the University of Denver in two national appellate competitions. Kevin, with a background and interest in aviation, also served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Transportation Law Journal, the largest journal at the University of Denver and the largest multi-modal transportation journal in the country. Kevin obtained his Bachelor’s degree from Purdue University in 1994.
Outside of the office, Kevin enjoys spending time with his family and friends, and travels as much as he can. He enjoys many sports and outdoor activities, including running, skiing, golf, and basketball. Kevin is a member of the Denver, Colorado and American Bar Associations and is also a member of the Thompson G. Marsh Inn of Court. Reported decisions: CLPF-Parkridge One, L.P. v. Harwell Investments, Inc., 105 P.3d 658(Colo. 2005).
Verdicts
Court
Denver District Court
Client
Vascular Surgeon
Issues
In this wrongful death case, a 51 year old male underwent thoracic outlet syndrome surgery for relief of chronic pain in the left upper extremity. The patient died on the operating table during an attempt to drain an infected lymph collection in the neck and an infected pleural effusion.
The patient suffered a massive hemorrhage due to unexpected movement of the subclavian artery and subclavian vein from their positions in the first operation. Despite appropriate resuscitative efforts, the patient suffered anoxic brain injury and was eventually taken off of life support.
The two grown sons of the deceased claimed approximately 4 million dollars in lost business opportunities due to the death of their father. Mr. Pryor and Mr. Ahearn established that the surgeon's misidentification of the artery and vein, while an admitted mistake, was not substandard. After eight days of evidence, the jury returned a verdict for the surgeon after 20 minutes of deliberation.
