Jeffrey P. Goodman
Attorney Profile
Top Rated Personal Injury Attorney in Philadelphia, PA
Selected to Rising Stars: 2016 - 2021
Jeff is a trial lawyer who focuses on complex and high-profile cases around the globe. Currently, Jeff leads the charge on behalf of the victims of the Grenfell Tower Fire in London in litigation pending in the United States and is on the front lines of the fight for victims of high-profile boating disasters in California and Missouri. Jeff is also taking on meatpacking plants throughout the United States for their failures to provide adequate safety protections during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to representing victims of these tragedies, Jeff is a national presence in the insurance disputes that have arisen during COVID-19 which have impacted business owners throughout the country. Jeff is based out of SM&B’s Philadelphia office; however, his unique cross-border litigation experience leads Jeff to routinely represent clients throughout the United States and internationally.
As an advocate, Jeff is aggressive, fearless and relentless. Jeff is known for his creativity in the courtroom. Outside of trial, Jeff is renowned for his unique ability to navigate the strategic complexities of mass litigation that involves often hundreds of victims.
Since joining SM&B in 2010, Jeff has focused his practice on the most challenging cases. Before his 35th birthday, Jeff had already helped recover more than $1 Billion on behalf of injured plaintiffs and is one of the youngest attorneys in US history to reach this milestone.
Jeff handles cases against insurance companies, product manufacturers, rail operators, the maritime industry, trucking companies, construction companies, educational institutions and other businesses that harm victims. Jeff is regularly called upon for his ability to prove complicated issues of economic loss to ensure maximum recovery for his clients. Throughout his career, Jeff has played a lead role in litigating high profile national disasters including:
- $265,000,000 settlement was reached in the May 2015 Amtrak Train No. 188 derailment in which 8 people died and over 200 were injured. The case settled for record
- $227,000,000 settlement reached after winning trial on liability for 19 plaintiffs—including the loved ones of the seven that died in the June 5, 2013 Salvation Army Family
- $150,000,000 settlement in connection with a major transportation disaster. Case details are not yet available for publication.
- $48,000,000 confidential settlement in connection with a factory explosion.
- $17,000,000 settlement was reached during the middle of trial on behalf of two Hungarian students drowned and twelve others were injured when the Duck Boat on which they were riding was run over by a barge, which
- $16,300,000 settlement on behalf of an ironworker whose right leg was amputated and left foot crushed when a 3,000-pound granite base stone toppled over onto him during the renovation
In addition to these mass disasters, Jeff has fought for compensation to help individual victims who have suffered catastrophic injuries and the families of those who have lost loved ones. His work on these cases has led to over 100 settlements or verdicts in excess of $1 Million.
Jeff is regularly called on for his knowledge and experience beyond the Philadelphia area and has obtained multi-million-dollar settlements and verdicts for clients in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Florida, West Virginia and the Virgin Islands. Jeff has been routinely recognized by his appears for his outstanding trial achievements, including being names as a Rising Star by SuperLawyers, a Lawyer on the Fast Track by the American Legal Media, and the Top 40 Under 40 by the National Trial Lawyers.
In 2016, Jeff became the youngest partner in the SM&B’s history. In addition to being a partner at the firm, Jeff is also the Director of the firm’s Summer Associate and Law Clerk program where he helps supervise and mentor the next generation of great trial lawyers.
- 50%Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff
- 30%Class Action/Mass Torts: Plaintiff
- 20%Personal Injury - Products: Plaintiff
Personal Injury - Plaintiff, Wrongful Death, Personal Injury - Defense
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2022
- Rising Stars: 2016 - 2021
Additional Sources of Information About Jeffrey P. Goodman
Visit my FindLaw® profile
White Papers
- Construction Accidents, Pennsylvania Association for Justice Larry Bendesky and Jeffrey P. Goodman, 2014. Hart v. Simon Engineering, Case File for Students with the Temple LLM in Trial Advocacy, 2009-2014; Authors: Larry Bendesky and Jeffrey P. Goodman Elevators and Escalators, PaTLA Premises Liability law and Forms, 2012, revised 2014 Authors, Larry Bendesky and Jeffrey P. Goodman
- New Waves of Litigation Arising from COVID 19 (2020) - Published Material in Connection with July 15, 2020 presentation
About Jeffrey P. Goodman
First Admitted: 2010, Pennsylvania
Professional Webpage: http://www.smbb.com/attorneys/jeffrey-p-goodman
Honors/Awards
- SuperLawyers Rising Star 2016-2020, Recipient, SuperLawyers
- Top 40 Under 40, Recipient, National Trial Lawyers, 2020
- Chaired the largest lawyer conference in the country specifically designed to be put on by the Nation's best young lawyers for young lawyers. Las Vegas, September 2019 , Chair, GenExcellence, 2019
- 2016 Lawyer on the Fast Track, Recipient, ALM, 2016
Educational Background
- The George Washington University, Honors: GW's National Mock Trial Team, Honors: Three times was named the Region's Most Outstanding Advocate
Other Outstanding Achievements
- Law School - Trial Team - Individual National Champion (Top Gun), 2010
Scholarly Lectures/Writings
- Presented on the topic of "New Waves of Litigation Arising from COVID-19" to a remote conference of over 500 attendees, Speaker, Personal Injury Potpouri, 2020
- Chaired the nation's largest conference specifically put on by the Nation's best young lawyers for young lawyers. Las Vegas September 2019, Speaker , Chair, GenExcellence, 2019
- Speaking in Las Vegas at the Nation's largest lawyer conference specifically dedicated to damages. , Speaker , Damages: Go Big or Go Home, 360Adcovacy, 2019
- Speaking in Las Vegas at the Nation's largest lawyer conference specifically dedicated to damages. , Speaker , Damages: Go Big or Go Home, 360Adcovacy, Law, 2016
Bar/Professional Activity
- Member PTLA, 2020
- Member PAJ, 2020
- Member AIEG, 2020
Pro bono/Community Service
- Representing victims of the Surfside building collapse in Miami on a pro bono basis., 2021
Representative Clients
- Serving in Leadership on behalf of the families whose loved ones died in the June 2021 condominium collapse in Miami., 2021
- Representing dozens of large businesses in connection with COVID related Business Interruption Claims, 2020
- Representing the families of 9 of 34 victims who died in Dive Boat fire in California, 2020
- Representing numerous families whose loved ones died from meatpacking plant related COVID outbreaks. , 2020
- Representing the families of 10 of the wrongful death cases and 11 survivors in conneciton with the sinking of a Duck Boat in Missouri. , 2019
- Representing the families of 69 of the 72 decedetns and 177 survivors of the Grenfell Tower Fire in London. Litigation is pending in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. , 2019
Verdicts/Settlements
- $7 Million Settlement in workplace accident Wrongful Death case, 2020
- $227 Million Settlement in Market Street Building Collapse Litigation, 2017
- $265 Million Settlement in Amtrak Train 188 Derailment Litigation, 2017
- $3 Million Jury verdict in West Virginia, 2017
- $15 Million Confidential Settlement in Medical Malpractice Case, 2019
- $6 Million settlement in construction accident case, 2019
- $5 Million Settlement in airbag non-deployment case, 2019
- $5 Million settlement in train accident case, 2018
- $10 Million Settlement in leg amputation case, 2018
- $6 Million Settlement in structural collapse case, 2018
- $17.25 Million Settlement in Gas Explosion Case, 2018
Industry Groups
- Business Owners against those who have wronged them
- Injured Plaintiffs
- Victims of Mass Disasters
Last Updated: 5/15/2022