Palmer, Leatherman, White & Dalton, LLP

(Main Office)

Palmer, Leatherman, White & Dalton, LLP, has been providing quality legal representation to thousands of injured individuals and their families across the State of Kansas since 1980. Our firm has obtained recoveries in personal injury and wrongful death litigation in the areas of medical malpractice, product liability, automobile collisions, motorcycle collisions, semi-truck collisions, premises liability, hospital negligence, electrical injuries, and handgun litigation. Our firm is dedicated to the representation of individuals and the families of those who have been injured or killed because of the wrongdoing of others.

In July 2003, Mr. Palmer, Mr. Leatherman and Mr. White were named finalists for the 2003 Trial Lawyers of the Year Award by the Trial Lawyers for Public Justice Foundation for their roles in defending the due process rights of the plaintiffs in Reinschmiedt v. City of Wichita. This nationally prestigious award is presented to the attorney, or team of attorneys, who made the most significant contribution to the public interest by trying or settling a precedent-setting case.

Statement of Practice

Personal Injury; Automobile Accidents; Trucking Accidents; Motorcycle Accidents; Pedestrian Accidents; Bicycle Accidents; Slip and Fall; Dog Bites; Head and Spinal Injuries; Electrical Injury; Severe Burns; Whiplash; Wrongful Death; Premises Liability; Medical Malpractice; Firearms Litigation; Products Liability; Class Actions; Negligence; First and Third Party Insurance; Insurance Bad Faith; Torts; Litigation; Constitutional Law; Civil Practice.

Address

2348 SW Topeka Boulevard
Topeka, KS 66611, (Shawnee Co.)

Phone

Phone: 785-783-0366
Fax: 785-233-3703
URL: http://www.lawyers.com/plwlaw

Email

Website

http://www.jpalmerlaw.com

MEMBERS OF FIRM

Jerry R. Palmer (Partner) admitted to bar, 1966, Kansas; U.S. District Court, District of Kansas; U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit; U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. Court of Claims. Education: University of Kansas (B.A., 1962); University of Texas and University of Kansas (J.D., 1966). Recipient: Arthur C. Hodgson Award, Kansas Trial Lawyers Association, 2000; Consumer Advocate Award, Kansas Trial Lawyers Association, 1998; Theodore I. Koskoff Award of NBTA 1998. Adjunct Assistant Professor, Trial Law, Law and Medicine, Washburn School of Law, 1975-1985. Life Member, 1986— and Board of Director, 1996—, Trial Lawyers for Public Justice. President, 1987, Kansas Chapter, American Board of Trial Advocates, 1983 to 2009. First Certified Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, 1980 recertified (1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005). Certified by the American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys in Medical Professional Liability, 1999. Approved Mediator Kansas Supreme Court - Core and Civil. Approved Mediator by the United States District Court for the District of Kansas. Certificate, Special Competence in Medical Liability, American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys, 1999-2009. Member: Topeka, Kansas and American Bar Associations; Topeka Lawyers Club (President, 1989); Kansas Trial Lawyers Association (President, 1977-1978); The Association of Trial Lawyers of America (Life Member, 1989; Board of Governors, 1982-1985; Chairman, Home Office & Budget Committee, 1987-1989; Chairman, Constitutional Challenge Committee, 1987-1991). Certified as a Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (President, 1991-1993); American Inns of Court, Master of the Bench; Elected Member, Kansas Supreme Court Nominating Commission, 1989-1995; American Law Institute (Sustaining Member, 1987—). Fellow: American College of Trial Lawyers; International Academy of Trial Lawyers; International Academy of Mediators; American College of Civil Trial Mediators. (Certified Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy). Practice Areas: Personal Injury; Automobile Accidents; Trucking Accidents; Motorcycle Accidents; Pedestrian Accidents; Bicycle Accidents; Slip and Fall; Dog Bites; Head and Spinal Injuries; Electrical Injury; Severe Burns; Whiplash; Wrongful Death; Premises Liability; Medical Malpractice; Firearms Litigation; Products Liability; Class Actions; Negligence; First and Third Party Insurance; Insurance Bad Faith; Torts; Litigation; Constitutional Law; Civil Practice.Email: Jerry R. Palmer

LJ Leatherman (Partner) born Valley Center, Kansas, August 13, 1965; admitted to bar, 1992, Kansas and U.S. District Court, District of Kansas. Education: Adams State College (B.A., 1988); Washburn University of Topeka (J.D., 1992). Editor, KTLA Journal. Recipient, Thomas E. Sullivan Award, KTLA, December 2001. Author: "Discovering an Adjusters File, JKTL," Nov. 1993; "Making The Most of Venue After the 1987 Reforms and Kenyon v. KCP&L" 18 KTLAJ #6 P.21 1995. Member: Kansas and American Bar Associations; The Association of Trial Lawyers of America; Kansas Trial Lawyers Association (Board of Governors, 1994—); Trial Lawyers for Public Justice; Topeka Independent Living Center (Board of Directors and Chair, 1996-2006). Reported Cases: Long v. Turk, 265 Kan. 855, 962 P.2d. 1093 (1998); Wilson v. Williams, 261 Kan. 703, 933 P.2d 757 (1997); Tyler v. City of Manhattan, 857 F.Supp. 800 (1994). Practice Areas: Personal Injury; Automobile Accidents; Trucking Accidents; Motorcycle Accidents; Pedestrian Accidents; Bicycle Accidents; Slip and Fall; Dog Bites; Head and Spinal Injuries; Electrical Injury; Severe Burns; Whiplash; Wrongful Death; Premises Liability; Medical Malpractice; Firearms Litigation; Products Liability; Class Actions; Negligence; First and Third Party Insurance; Insurance Bad Faith; Torts; Litigation; Constitutional Law; Civil Practice.Email: LJ Leatherman

Gary D. White, Jr. (Partner) born Topeka, Kansas, December 14, 1965; admitted to bar, 1991, Kansas, U.S. District Court, District of Kansas. Education: Washburn University of Topeka (B.B.A., cum laude, 1988; J.D., with honors, 1991). Recipient: Thomas E. Sullivan Memorial Award, KTLA, December, 1999. Author: "Unlimited Medical Authorizations and Ex Parte Communications With Physicians In Kansas," J.K.T.L.A., Vol. XVII, No. 3 p. 19 (1/94); Practitioner's Guide To Subrogation Liens and Reimbursement Rights," J.K.T.L.A., Vol. XVIII, No. 4, p. 5 (3/95); "Automobile Collisions: Evaluating and Preparing Defendants Claims For Unreasonably Dangerous and Defective Roads," J.K.T.L.A., Vol. XIX, No. 2, p. 12 (11/95); "Automobile Collisions: Defendants Are Liable For Punitive Damages When They Are Driving Under The Influence Of Alcohol At The Time Of The Collision," J.K.T.L.A., Vol. XX, No. 2, p.12 (11/96); "Slip-and-Fall Accidents: A Strategy For Combating The Failure To Keep A Proper Lockout, And Open & Obvious Defenses," J.K.T.L.A., Vol. XXI, No. 2, p. 16 (11/97); "Pursuing A Punitive Damage Claim In A Hit-and-Run Automobile Collision," J.K.T.L.A., Vol. XXII, No. 3, p. 16 (1/99); "Pursuing Cases Where The Injured Person Was Predisposed Or Susceptible To A Particular Injury: The Use Of "Thin Skull" or "Eggshell Skull" Jury Instructions," J.K.T.L.A., Vol. XXIV, No. 1, p.14, Sept. 2000; "Pursuing A Claim For Past Medical Expenses On Behalf Of A Minor Child Following Wilson v. Knight," J.K.T.L.A., Vol. XXIII, No. 3, p.15, January, 2000. Member: Topeka and American Bar Associations; The Kansas Association of Justice; Kansas Trial Lawyers Association (Member, Board of Governors, 1993—; V.P. Education, 1998-1999); Trial Lawyers for Public Justice. Practice Areas: Personal Injury; Automobile Accidents; Trucking Accidents; Motorcycle Accidents; Pedestrian Accidents; Bicycle Accidents; Slip and Fall; Dog Bites; Head and Spinal Injuries; Electrical Injury; Severe Burns; Whiplash; Wrongful Death; Premises Liability; Medical Malpractice; Firearms Litigation; Products Liability; Class Actions; Negligence; First and Third Party Insurance; Insurance Bad Faith; Torts; Litigation; Constitutional Law; Civil Practice.Email: Gary D. White, Jr.

Meaghan M. Dalton (Partner) born Topeka, Kansas, April 6, 1980; admitted to bar, 2005, Kansas. Education: University of Kansas (B.A., 2001); Washburn University of Topeka School of Law (J.D., with honors, 2005). Golden Key. Recipient: Slavic Languages and Literature Honors for Elementary, Intermediary and Advanced Russian. President, Washburn Student Bar Association, 2003-2004. Washburn University School of Law Dean's List, 2002-2003. Member: Topeka, Kansas and American Bar Associations; Kansas Association of Justice (President, Womens Section, 2008—). Practice Areas: Personal Injury; Automobile Accidents; Trucking Accidents; Motorcycle Accidents; Pedestrian Accidents; Bicycle Accidents; Slip and Fall; Dog Bites; Head and Spinal Injuries; Electrical Injury; Severe Burns; Whiplash; Wrongful Death; Premises Liability; Medical Malpractice; Firearms Litigation; Products Liability; Class Actions; Negligence; First and Third Party Insurance; Insurance Bad Faith; Torts; Litigation; Constitutional Law; Civil Practice.Email: Meaghan M. Dalton

ASSOCIATE

Dustin L. Van Dyk (Associate) born Aurora, Colorado, September 29, 1980; admitted to bar, 2008, Kansas and U.S. District Court, District of Kansas. Education: University of Colorado (B.A., Economics, 2003); Washburn University of Topeka (J.D., Advocacy Certificate, with distinction, with honors, 2007). Advocacy Certificate (with distinction), Washburn University of Topeka, 2007. Author: "Providing Insurer Bad Faith in Automobile Permissive Use Cases," Journal of the Kansas Association for Justice, p.14, January 2008. Member: Topeka and Kansas Bar Association; Kansas Association for Justice; American Association for Justice. Practice Areas: Personal Injury; Automobile Accidents; Trucking Accidents; Motorcycle Accidents; Pedestrian Accidents; Bicycle Accidents; Slip and Fall; Dog Bites; Head and Spinal Injuries; Electrical Injury; Severe Burns; Whiplash; Wrongful Death; Premises Liability; Medical Malpractice; Firearms Litigation; Products Liability; Class Actions; Negligence; First and Third Party Insurance; Insurance Bad Faith; Torts; Litigation; Constitutional Law; Civil Practice.Email: Dustin L. Van Dyk