Attorney Mark Davis was interviewed by a CBS News team for exclusive episodes of “Justice in America” on two of his most notable cases: the wrongful death case on behalf of 5-year-old Talia Williams, whose abusive father beat her to death, and the medical malpractice case against a doctor who left his patients with irreversible disabilities.
Advocating for Children on Military Bases
Talia Williams’ case shocked not just the state of Hawaii, but the nation as a whole. At just 5 years old, Talia died due to “battered child syndrome” after seven long months of almost-daily beatings. The people behind those beatings were her own father, a military service member stationed in Oahu, and her stepmother. To make it worse, others in the military base could hear Talia scream and cry as her father abused her, tortured her, and eventually murdered her. She was even treated in a military medical facility and told the physician what her father had done, but she was ignored.
When the news broke of Talia’s story, Attorney Davis sprung into action to represent Talia’s mother, Tarshia Hampton, and Talia’s estate. He successfully negotiated a $2 million settlement with the U.S. government for Talia’s mother and estate.
But Attorney Davis would not stop there. He and Hawaii’s congressional delegation worked to pass “Talia’s Law,” a piece of legislation that would require mandatory reporters on all U.S. military bases to immediately report abuse or suspicions of abuse to the state child welfare agency. U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard introduced the bill in 2015; a little over a year later, former President Barack Obama signed it into law.
To learn more about the legal challenges and strategies Attorney Davis faced in Talia’s case, watch the full episode of “Justice in America” here:
Protecting Patients’ Rights
As for the medical negligence case against a Hilo orthopedic surgeon, Attorney Davis heard of the disgraced doctor’s surgical malpractice from whistleblower and nurse Janelle Feldmeyer.
Feldmeyer had been in the operating room when the doctor decided to implant a screwdriver shaft into a patient’s back instead of a titanium bar. She had tried to talk him out of it, arguing that the patient, Rev. Arturo Iturralde, and his family should be told before the substitution. Sadly, however, she was ignored her and went ahead with the procedure.
The screwdriver soon broke, leaving Iturralde in need of three corrective surgeries. In the end, he became incontinent and paraplegic. He suffered a wrongful death only several months after Ricketson had operated on him.
Attorney Davis successfully represented Iturralde’s bereaved family, achieving a $5.6 million verdict for the devastation the doctor had caused.
Hear more about this case on “Justice in America”:
More About Attorney Mark Davis
Attorney Mark Davis is a nationally respected trial lawyer and a partner at Davis Levin Livingston, where he takes on a range of complex personal injury cases. His genuine passion for justice is evident in the very cases he takes on; he has become known for winning cases rejected by other firms. He wields almost 50 years of experience and, during this time, has secured numerous record-breaking verdicts and settlements.
Contact our Hawaii trial law firm online to schedule a free consultation.