Christopher J. Tellner is an experienced trial attorney, having tried insurance coverage, bad faith, professional liability and general liability cases to verdict. Mr. Tellner concentrates his practice in the fields of insurance coverage, professional liability, defense of general liability matters, and business litigation. He has an active trial and appellate practice in both federal and state courts.
In the area of insurance coverage, Mr. Tellner handles all aspects of first and third party insurance coverage and bad faith matters from rendering coverage opinions through litigation, concerning commercial general liability, property, D&O and E&O liability, employment practices liability, environmental/toxic tort, fidelity and life, health and disability.
In professional liability, Mr. Tellner’s practice includes complex attorney, accountant, insurance agents/brokers, realtor, title insurer, architects and engineers malpractice claims, health care professionals, organizations and facilities, including long-term care facilities, assisted living facilities, rehabilitation centers and doctors in various practices.
In general liability, Mr. Tellner defends against all property and casualty claims. Within business litigation, Mr. Tellner practices in the area of consumer financial services (including defending FDCPA and TCPA claims), general litigation, directors and officers liability, False Claims Act claims and employment practices defense.
Mr. Tellner is a former two-term Chair of the Mid Atlantic Chapter of the PLUS Organization. Prior to joining the firm, he was an attorney with a large Philadelphia firm where he concentrated in complex commercial insurance coverage and bad faith matters, successfully defending insurers in all aspects of litigation. Mr. Tellner is a certified arbitrator in Philadelphia and Montgomery Counties.
Awards
Recognition
•Rising Star, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware Super Lawyers (2014 -2016)
Publications
•Navigating the Hazard of Rising Violence in Health Care Facilities, Reuters, authors KDV attorneys Abbye Alexander, Christopher Tellner, Talya Van Embden, May 17, 2022
•Medical Professional Liability Lawsuit Venue-New Post-COVID Considerations, The Legal Intelligence, March 28, 2022
•Health Care Employers Face Rise in Whistleblower Claims During Pandemic, Reuters Legal, authors Abbye Alexander, Christopher Tellner, Talya Van Embden, 2-24-22
•Stay Vigilant About Malpractice Risks with Telemedicine, Health Risk Management, featuring Abbye Alexander, Christopher Tellner, 2-1-22
•Reasonableness: The Foundation of Federal Immunity for Medical Professional Review Committees, Reuters, article by Abbye E. Alexander, Christopher J. Tellner, Henry E. Norwood
•Could Ivermectin Battle Be a Harbinger of More Lawsuits Over Hospital’s COVID-19 Treatment Standards?, Law.com, quotes KDV’s Abbye Alexander, Chris Tellner, November 15, 2021
•Dawn of Digital Health Care: Risks & Strategies for Liability, Coverage, PropertyCasualty 360, article by Laura Ruettgers, Christopher Tellner, Abbye Alexander & Henry Norwood, November 10, 2021
•Insurer Avoids Covering Waterproofing Co.’s Faulty Work Suit, Law360, featuring Christopher Tellner and David Brown, November 4, 2021
•KDV Alert: Trends in Robotic Surgery Lawsuits
•The Causation Problem in Robotically Assisted Surgical Device Litigation, Reuters News, August 31, 2021
•EEOC Vaccine Guidance Includes Exceptions, Healthcare Risk Management, Aug. 1, 2021, featuring Christopher Tellner
•PREP Act Civil Liability Immunity: a public health emergency defense of rare applicability
•Understanding Emergency Use Authorization Issues with COVID-19 Vaccine, Healthcare Risk Management, ft. Christopher Tellner
•The Fight Over DOJ’s New Wire Act Opinion Continues, Law360
•Declaratory Judgment Actions in Faulty Workmanships Claim Submissions, Legal Intelligencer
•Pennsylvania Insurers Must Remain Steadfast in Handling Claims: Demonstrating Ill Will or Self-Interest No Longer Can be Required of Policyholders to Prove Bad Faith
•Affirmative Duty to Defend: How the Four Corners Approach Is Modified
•Insurer Can’t Fill In For Policyholder, 3rd Circ. Says, Law360
•KDV Alert: Insurers Can Utilize A Recent Decision To Strengthen Bad Faith Defenses
•KDV Alert: Recent Decision Provides Opportunity to Strengthen Bad Faith Defenses
•Insurer Seeks To Limit Liability For Hepatitis A Outbreak, Law360, ft. Christopher Tellner
•Big decisions: duties to defend and indemnify have been narrowed and broadened by recent New Jersey Supreme Court rulings, Best’s Review
•Christopher Tellner, of KDV’s Pennsylvania office, authored an article that has been published in Best’s Review: “Big Decisions: Duties to defend and indemnify have been narrowed and broadened by recent Supreme Court rulings”
News
•Reasonableness: The Foundation of Federal Immunity for Medical Professional Review Committees, Reuters, article by Abbye E. Alexander, Christopher J. Tellner, Henry E. Norwood
•Could Ivermectin Battle Be a Harbinger of More Lawsuits Over Hospital’s COVID-19 Treatment Standards?, Law.com, quotes KDV’s Abbye Alexander, Chris Tellner, November 15, 2021
•Dawn of Digital Health Care: Risks & Strategies for Liability, Coverage, PropertyCasualty 360, article by Laura Ruettgers, Christopher Tellner, Abbye Alexander & Henry Norwood, November 10, 2021
•Insurer Avoids Covering Waterproofing Co.’s Faulty Work Suit, Law360, featuring Christopher Tellner and David Brown, November 4, 2021
•The Causation Problem in Robotically Assisted Surgical Device Litigation, Reuters News, August 31, 2021
•PREP Act Civil Liability Immunity: a public health emergency defense of rare applicability
•Understanding Emergency Use Authorization Issues with COVID-19 Vaccine, Healthcare Risk Management, ft. Christopher Tellner
•Updates to Pennsylvania Legal Malpractice
•Pennsylvania Insurers Must Remain Steadfast in Handling Claims: Demonstrating Ill Will or Self-Interest No Longer Can be Required of Policyholders to Prove Bad Faith
•Insurer Can’t Fill In For Policyholder, 3rd Circ. Says, Law360
•Insurer Seeks To Limit Liability For Hepatitis A Outbreak, Law360, ft. Christopher Tellner
•Christopher Tellner, of KDV’s Pennsylvania office, authored an article that has been published in Best’s Review: “Big Decisions: Duties to defend and indemnify have been narrowed and broadened by recent Supreme Court rulings”
Speaking Engagements
•Resolving EPL Coverage Disputes: Common Issues and COVID-19 Claims - A CLE Strafford Webinar co-presented by Christopher Tellner