Seyferth Blumenthal & Harris LLC helped a community foundation win a settlement in excess of $200 million.
After more than seven years of litigation, HCA — the nation’s most profitable hospital chain — was ordered to make the payment after an appeal process concluded in 2017 with partners Paul Seyferth and Mike Blumenthal and attorneys Kevin Karpin and Deena Jenab working on the case for SBH. The successful conclusion earned Seyferth and Blumenthal recognition as “Legal Champions” at the Missouri Lawyers Awards.
The Legal Champion awards are given to plaintiffs’ or defense lawyers based on the importance of the principle or policy at stake.
The case received national attention after the foundation accused HCA of failing to follow the terms of an agreement to make improvements after acquiring hospitals in the Kansas City area. Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City, a nonprofit foundation formed with the proceeds from the sale of the dozen hospitals, filed the suit in 2009, leading to the lengthy litigation process.
Judge John Torrence of Jackson County Circuit Court ruled against HCA early in 2016, initially determining the group still owed $162 million of the $300 million it agreed to provide in updates in the first three years after acquiring the hospitals. A forensic accountant later determined the liability to be even higher, exceeding more than $200 million and believed to be one of the largest verdicts in Missouri court history.
HCA lost its appeal.
Seyferth focuses his practice on high-stakes and high-profile employment, healthcare and business litigation. He also represents several national law firms and other lawyers in malpractice and employment claims. Seyferth earned his law degree from the University of Michigan.
Blumenthal devotes his practice to representing management in workplace legal issues and representing businesses in high-stakes litigation. He is known as an aggressive and passionate trial lawyer and is often called upon by other lawyers to mediate and arbitrate their lawsuits. Blumenthal earned his law degree from the University of Kansas.