Mr. Allen is a principal in the law firm of Allen Law Group, LLC. The firm limits its practice to representation of plaintiffs in serious personal injury and wrongful death litigation, exclusively. Mr. Allen has appeared as counsel for the plaintiff in over 100 trials and published appellate court decisions. His cases have been listed among the country’s “Top 10 Verdicts” and recognized in such publications as USA TODAY, WALL STREET JOURNAL, VANITY FAIR, CRANE’S CHICAGO BUSINESS, CHICAGO SUN TIMES, LA TIMES, BOSTON GLOBE, CHICAGO TRIBUNE, AND THE NEW YORK TIMES.
He has been appointed Class Counsel in re:
January 18, 1993
South Shore Train Crash at Gary, Indiana
June 25, 1998
Nurseryland Bus Crash at Gary, Indiana
June 18, 1998
Truck/Train Collision at Portage, Indiana
July 4, 2009
Hidden Lake Bridge Collapse
2012
Indiana State Fair Disaster (VanDam v. State of Indiana)
Mr. Allen was also named to Plaintiffs’ Discovery Committee in the United Airlines DC-10 airplane crash (In re: Air Crash Disaster at Sioux City, Iowa). He has also been interviewed on CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC, WGN, FOX, Dateline, Inside Edition, and on Oprah.
Mr. Allen is a former Judge, pro tempore. He also is a 30-year member of the Carpenter’s Union and worked as a Piledriver and Millright (UBC), Teamster (IBT) and RR Trackman (BMWE).
Services/Community Activities/Awards
Mr. Allen has been a member of the Jeremiah Milbank Society, an elite group of philanthropists dedicated to supporting local Boys & Girls Clubs in America; the IU Arbutus Society, supporting the IU Foundation; the Kimberling Society supporting the Mauer School of Law; the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy; the IU School of Medicine: J.O. Ritchey Society. He is a lifetime member of the NAACP (Chairman’s Circle); and was named to the United Way’s Tocqueville Society, which recognizes local philanthropic leaders and volunteer champions in the United Sates and France. He was the recipient of the Fifth Annual Child Safety Advocate Award “for outstanding dedication in forwarding the issues of child safety,” awarded by the IU School of Medicine and the INDIANA SAFE KIDS COALITION. He is a proud supporter of Lambda Legal, Legal Services for the Poor, the Equal Justice Fund and Unite 2 Fight Paralysis. Honored by the Boy Scouts of America-Calumet Council for his community and legal contributions, Mr. Allen has supported that organization as well as the YMCA, the Methodist Hospital Foundation Inc., and the Provena-Saint Joseph Hospital Foundation.
Mr. Allen has been a longtime supporter of the United Way, sponsoring the Kinderprint program, providing ID kits and safety education to thousands of schoolchildren and the Reading Buddies program, providing 4,000 first and second graders with stuffed animal “buddies” to whom they read for 15 minutes each day. Mr. Allen is also a proud supporter of the Boys & Girls Clubs sponsoring the Kids’ Stop program which provides before and after-school child care for needy families at the local Boys & Girls Club. He also sponsors the Teacher’s of Excellence program, which selects and honors area elementary and high school teachers every week in area newspapers. Working through charities, local schools and Ken4Kids.org, Mr. Allen has also provided thousands of winter coats, bicycle helmets, backpacks filled with school supplies, Thanksgiving meals and Christmas gifts to needy children and families throughout Northwest Indiana for two decades. He has also donated extensively to Catholic Charities as well as the Caring Place for Women and Children and supported the Rainbow Shelter, the Stepping Stone Shelter for Women, St. Jude House, Hilltop Neighborhood House, the Mercy Home for Boys & Girls, Sojourner Truth House, and Chicago South Side Youth.
Presentations / Publications
Mr. Allen’s lectures and legal publications include:
•Expert Witnesses in Civil Litigation (2021)
•Interrogation with DDC in Semi-Truck Cases (2017)
•Creative Presentation of Evidence in Traumatic Brain Injury Cases (2017)
•Things You didn’t Learn in Law School (2016)
•Representing Your Client in Federal Court: Testimony Tactics (2016)
•Winning Brain Injury Cases (2014)
•Getting the Most Out of Expert Witnesses (2014)
•Trial, Damages and Obtaining the Excess Verdict (2014)
•“Big Screen Strategies”, Trial, Vol. 49, No. 1 (January 2013)
•Presenting Damages & Life Care Planning Experts in Construction Accident Cases (2012)
•Theories of Liability in Semi-Truck Crashes (co-author) (2012)
•“Spoliation of Evidence” (co-author) Truck Accident Litigation, 3rd Ed., ABA (2012)
•Powerful Demonstrative Evidence (2012)
•Trial Technique in Action: What Role Playing Can Reveal, Trial, Vol. 47, No. 12 (December 2011)
•Trial Techniques in Trucking Cases (2011)
•Trial Presentation in Trucking Cases (2010)
•Building Your Civil Trial Skills (2009)
•Getting the Most Out of Your Evidence (2008)
•Five Keys to Successful Cross-Examination (2008)
•Insurance Bad Faith, Discovery and Assertions of Privilege (2007)
•Voir Dire: A Primer (2007)
•“Chapter 32: The Trial-Developing and Utilizing the Theme” (co-author) Truck Accident Litigation, 2nd Ed., ABA (2006)
•“Chapter 7: Spoliation of Evidence” (co-author) Truck Accident Litigation, 2nd Ed., ABA (2006)
•The (Revised) Ten Commandments of Cross Examination (2005)
•Superior Deposition Strategies (2003)
•Personal Injury Settlements (2002)
•Advanced Personal Injury Practice (2002)
•You’re On Trial (2001)
•Civil Discovery: Arguing the Tough Issues (2000)
•Achieving Success in the Practice of Personal Injury and Wrongful Death law (1998)
•Bad Faith Litigation In Indiana (1997)
•The ‘New’ Indiana Constitution (1996)
•Tort Reform, Auto Cases and Premises Liability (1995)
•Insurance Bad Faith Law (1994)
•Crashworthiness and Products Liability (1992)
•Trying Auto Injury Cases (1991)
Articles / Journals / Seminars
Mr. Allen is a frequent speaker at Continuing Legal Education seminars attended by attorneys, judges and insurance claims professionals, and his presentations and publications include:
1991
Trying Auto Injury Cases
1992
Crashworthiness and Products Liability
1994
Insurance Bad Faith Law
1995
Tort Reform, Auto Cases and Premises Liability
1996
The ‘New’ Indiana Constitution
1997
Bad Faith Litigation In Indiana
1998
Achieving Success in the Practice of Personal Injury and Wrongful Death law
2000
Civil Discovery: Arguing the Tough Issues
2001
You’re On Trial!
2002
Advanced Personal Injury Practice
2002
Personal Injury Settlements
2003
Superior Deposition Strategies
2005
The (Revised) Ten Commandments of Cross Examination “Chapter 7: Spoliation of Evidence” (co-author)
2006
“Chapter 32: The Trial-Developing and Utilizing the Theme” (co-author)Truck Accident Litigation, 2nd Ed.
2007
Voir Dire: A Primer
2008
Five Keys to Successful Cross-Examination
2008
Getting the Most Out of Your Evidence
2009
Building Your Civil Trial Skills (2009)
2010
Presenting Damages & Expert Testimony at Trial
2010
Trial Presentation in Trucking Cases
2010
How to Select the Right Jury For Your Case
2010
Masters in the Courtoom (2010)
2010
The Indiana Trial Lawyers Assocation (2010)
2010
Winning Jury Verdicts
Winter 2011
Trial Techniques in Trucking Cases, Trial Journal, Vol. 13, No.1
December 2011
Trial in Action: What Role Playing Can Reveal, Trial, Vol. 47, No. 12 and “Spoliation of Evidence” (co-author)
2012
Truck Accident Litigation, 3rdEd. “Spoliation of Evidence” (co-author) Truck Accident Litigation, 3rd Ed.
2012
Theories of liability and trial strategies in trucking cases (2012)
2012
Presenting Damages & Life Care Planning Experts in Construction Accident Cases
January 2013
“Big Screen Strategies,” Trial, Vol. 49, No. 1
2014
Trial, Damages and Obtaining the Excess Verdict
April 2014
“Thinking Outside the Toolbox: Finding Third-Party Liability in Work Accident Cases” (co-author), Trial, Vol. 50, No. 4 He is a Sustaining Member of the American Association for Justice, Indiana Trial Lawyers Association and Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, and holds membership in the Indiana State Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association, the Chicago Bar Association Lake County (Indiana) Bar Association, Porter County (Indiana) Bar Association, the American Bar Association and is a Fellow of the Indiana Bar Foundation.
April 2014
“Thinking Outside the Toolbox: Finding Third-Party Liability in Work Accident Cases” (co-author), Trial, Vol. 50, No. 4
2014
Trial, Damages and Obtaining the Excess Verdict
January 2013
“Big Screen Strategies,” Trial, Vol. 49, No. 1
2012
Presenting Damages & Life Care Planning Experts in Construction Accident Cases
2012
Theories of Liability in Semi-Truck Crashes (co-author)
2012
“Spoliation of Evidence” (co-author) Truck Accident Litigation, 3rd Ed.
Reported Appellate Decisions
• 2011
• Estate of Vandam v. Daniels, 278 F.R.D. 415
• 2010
• A.S. v. LaPorte Reg’l Health Sys., 921 N.E.2d 853
• 2009
• Storey v. Leonas, 904 N.E.2d 229
• 2006
• Funston v. Sch. Town of Munster, 849 N.E.2d 595
• 2009
• Franciose v. Jones, 910 N.E.2d 862
• 2008
• Van Swol v. ISG Burns Harbor, LLC, 491 F. Supp. 2d 80
• 2007
• Florio v. Tilley and Calark International, Inc., 875 N.E.2d 253
• 2007
• Bond v. Walsh & Kelly, Inc., 869 N.E.2d 1264
• 2006
• R & D Transp., Inc. v. A.H., 855 N.E.2d 996
• 2006
• Recio v. GR-MHA Corp., 366 Ill. App. 3d 48 851 N.E.2d 106
• 2006
• Allstate Ins. Co. v. Fields, 842 N.E.2d 804
• 2006
• Reliable Dev. Corp. v. Berrier, 851 N.E.2d 983
• 2006
• Walker v. Emplrs Ins. of Wausau, 846 N.E.2d 1098
• 2005
• Fifth Third Bank v. CSX Corp., 415 F.3d 741
• 2005
• Parks v. Guidant Corp., 402 F. Supp. 2d 964
• 7th Cir. 2005
• Anderson v Griffin, 397 F.3d 515
• 2005
• Madden v. INDOT, 832 N.E.2d 1122
• 2005
• In re Estate of Hammar, 832 N.E.2d 1065
• 2005
• Mesman v. Crane Pro Services, 409 F.3D 846
• 2005
• Monroe Guaranty Ins. Co. v. Berrier, 827 N.E.2d 158
• 2004
• Funston v. School Town of Munster, 822 N.E.2d 985
• 2005
• Transfer granted 831 N.E.2d 748
• 2004
• Csicsko v. Hill, 808 N.E.2d 80
• 2004
• Woodley v. Fields, 819 N.E.2d 123
• 2005
• Transfer granted, 831 N.E.2d 750
• 2004
• Messer v. Cerestar USA, Inc., 803 N.E.2d 1240
• 2004
• Fifth Third Bank v. CSX Corp., 306 F.Supp.2d 841
• 2004
• Strack and Van Til, Inc. v. Carter, 803 N.E.2d 666
• 2003
• Evans v. Buffington Harbor River Boats, LLC, 799 N.E.2d 1103
• 2002
• Wright v. American States Ins. Co., 765 N.E.2d 690
• Ind.App. 2001
• Indian Trucking v. Harber, 752 N.E.2d 168
• 2001
• Kleen v. Homak Mfg. Co., Inc., 749 N.E.2d 26
• 1999
• Schmidt v. American Trailer Court, Inc., 721 N.E.2d 1251
• 1999
• Pluard ex rel. Pluard v. Patients Compensation Fund, 705 N.E.2d 1035
• 1998
• Barclay v. Universal Underwriters Group, 703 N.E.2d 169
• 1998
• Grand Trunk Western R. Co. v. Kapitan, 698 N.E.2d 363
• 1997
• Thiele v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 973 F.Supp. 1091
• 1996
• In re Train Collision at Gary, Ind. on Jan. 18, 1993, 670 N.E.2d 902
• 1995
• In re Train Collision at Gary, Ind. on Jan. 18, 1993, 654 N.E.2d 1137
• 1994
• Osmulski v. Becze, 638 N.E.2d 828
• 1994
• Precision Erecting, Inc. v. Wokurka, 638 N.E.2d 472
• 1992
• Voight v. Subaru-Isuzu Automotive, Inc., 141 F.R.D. 99
• 1983
• Allen v. Scherer, 452 N.E.2d 1031, 13 Ed. Law Rep. 128
