John A. Collins, III
Attorney Profile
Top Rated Personal Injury Attorney in New London, CT
- Free Consultation
Attorney John A. Collins, III, is a director and shareholder with Suisman Shapiro Attorneys-at-Law in New London, Connecticut. A nationally ranked trial lawyer with 40 years of legal experience, Mr. Collins provides unmatched counsel and support to clients across his region who have legal needs involving any of the following:
· Personal injury
· Auto accidents
· Medical malpractice
· Wrongful death
As an attorney, Mr. Collins has achieved remarkable success advocating on behalf of individuals and families suffering needlessly through no fault of their own. From his efforts, he has secured substantial amounts of compensation for his plaintiff clients, including many six-figure verdicts and settlements along with a number of awards in excess of a million dollars. Among those include a settlement of $10 million for a girl who suffered serious burns in a school fire as well as a $1 million award for a sexual abuse victim.
In honor of his outstanding professionalism and service, Mr. Collins has earned an AV-Preeminent peer review rating* from Martindale-Hubbell along with consistent recognition from The Best Lawyers in America. He has also received perennial designation as being among the top 5% of lawyers in his region, and he has received numerous testimonials and referrals from his satisfied clients. Mr. Collins has served as a Judge of the Mohegan Tribal Court and the Mohegan Gaming Disputes Court since 2018.
A 1978 graduate of the College of the Holy Cross, Mr. Collins obtained his Juris Doctor in 1981 from Case Western Reserve University Law School. The Connecticut Bar Association admitted him to practice that same year, and he is also admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court District of Connecticut.
A leader in his field, Mr. Collins has published articles and conducted lectures and continuing legal education seminars on a variety of topics related to construction site injuries, international law and other subjects. He is an active member of the American and Connecticut Bar Associations, the New London County Bar Association, the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association and many other local, state and national legal organizations.
Mr. Collins is also a fellow with the prestigious Connecticut Bar Foundation, and he supports his local community through his involvement with various civic and charitable organizations in his area.
*AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Rating™ fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.
Best Lawyers® and The Best Lawyers in America© are registered trademarks of BL Rankings, LLC d/b/a Best Lawyers and Co., LLC. The names, logo, and database are protected under the trademark, copyright, and fair use laws of the United States of America. Any use of name, including in electronic form, must be made only by permission and under the guidelines of BL Rankings, LLC d/b/a Best Lawyers and Co., LLC.
- 80%Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff
- 10%Insurance Coverage
- 10%Personal Injury - Medical Malpractice: Plaintiff
- 0%Personal Injury - Products: Plaintiff
Animal Bites, Assault, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Personal Injury - Plaintiff, Slip and Fall, Wrongful Death, Dram Shop Laws, Construction Accident, Brain Injury, Sexual Abuse - Plaintiff, Trucking Accidents, Premises Liability - Plaintiff, Insurance, Dental Malpractice, Medical Malpractice, Motor Vehicle Defects
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2006 - 2007, 2009 - 2022
Additional Sources of Information About John A. Collins, III
Visit my FindLaw® profile
White Papers
- PURSUING NEGLIGENCE ACTIONS ARISING FROM CONSTRUCTION SITE INJURIES: (2004) - Paper presented at a seminar in February 2004 addressing legal issues involving contractor and subcontractor liability for construction site injuries. The paper addresses the historical underpinnings of such liability up to 2004. Copies are available upon request: [email protected]
About John A. Collins, III
First Admitted: 1981, Connecticut
Professional Webpage: https://www.suismanshapiro.com/attorney/john-a-collins-iii/
Verdicts/Settlements
- Russ v. Allstate Insurance, CV-96-0539136, CV-95-0536638, Verdict: $203,498 (1997) ---soft tissue injuries from 2 separate minor motor vehicle accidents
- Dumont v. UBC, CV-97-0542600S, Verdict of $300,000 reduced by comparative negligence to $150,000, 2000
- Hayes v. Johnson, CV-01-0560480S, Verdict: $259,173, 2003
- Disclaimer: Of course, past results are no indication as to the value or results likely to be obtained in any present and future claims.
- Shelby v. Munro Muffler, CV-97-0543736S, Verdict: $475,000, 2000
- Russ v. Allstate No. CV-96-0539136, No. CV-95-0536638, Verdict: $203,498, 1997
- Parsons v. Town of Salem, defendant's verdict, 2000
- John Doe1 v. David Zaharie CV-99-0552498S, Judgment: $1 million, 1999
- Mattos v. Morris CV-970544744S, Verdict: $71,657, 1999
- Martic v. Tunstall, CV 05 4001869S, Verdict: $129,070, 2005
- Jacobs v. Milunus KNL-CV08-5008030S Arbitration Award, $1,053,356, 2010
- Crespo v. Wood KNL-CV-07-5003413S Verdict, interest & Costs: $379,290, 2008
Pro bono/Community Service
- Board of Directors, Old Lyme Day Care, Inc., 1987 - 1997
- Board of Directors, Lymes' Youth Service Bureau, 1994 - 2000
- Board of Directors, New London Main Street, 1999 - 2005
- President, New London Main Street, 2003 - 2005
- Board of Directors, Old Lyme Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library, 2005 - 2011
- Lyme-Old Lyme Lions Club, 2009
- Acting Chair, Old Lyme Ethics Formation Committee, 2006 - 2008
- Old Lyme Water Resource Committee, 2011
- President, Old Lyme Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library, 2008 - 2010
- Chairman, Lymes' Youth Service Bureau, 1999 - 2000
Bar/Professional Activity
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Member
- Member, Association of Trial Lawyers of America
- New London County Bar Association, 1981 - Present
- Connecticut Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Member
- American Association for Justice, 1981 - Present
- Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association, 1981 - Present
- Connecticut Bar Association, 1981 - Present
- American Bar Association, 1981 - Present
- Connecticut, 1981
- U.S. District Court District of Connecticut, 1981
- Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association: Budget Committee, 2009
Educational Background
- College of the Holy Cross, BA (Political Science), 1978
Scholarly Lectures/Writings
- Author, Self Determination in International Law, Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law, 1981
- Case Western Reserve University School of Law, member and Notes Editor of the Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law
- Member and Notes Editor, Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law
- Pursuing Negligence Actions Arising From Construction Site Injuries: 2004, Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association, 2004, Seminar Faculty Presenter, CTLA
Videos
- Attorney Jack Collins, 2017
Other Outstanding Achievements
- Martindale Hubbell AV rating 5/5 2013-2021, 2021
- Avvo rating 10/10 2011-2021, 2021
Honors/Awards
- 2012-2023, Best Lawyers in America, Personal Injury-Plaintiffs, Best Lawyers in America, Personal Injury-Plaintiffs, 2023
- 2020 Professional Excellence Awards, Lifetime Achievement Award, Connecticut Law Tribune, 2020
- Super Lawyers, 2006 - 2008, 2009 - 2022, Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers, 2022
- Chelsea Groton Bank--corporator, 2016- 2020, Chelsea Groton Bank
- Selection as a Fellow requires demonstrated superior legal ability and devotion to the welfare of the community, state and nation, as well as to the advancement of the legal foundation. Source: Connecticut Bar Foundation, Life Fellow, Connecticut Bar Foundation, 2005
- Selected by peers for inclusion in the 2012-2021 editions of The Best Lawyers in America® in the practice area of Personal Injury Litigation, The Best Lawyers in America®, 2021
- Local Litigation Star 2011-2015, Benchmark Plaintiff, 2015
Last Updated: 8/31/2022