Darrell L. Cochran
Top rated Civil Litigation attorney in Tacoma, Washington
Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala PLLC
Practice areas: Civil Litigation, Class Action & Mass Torts, Personal Injury; view more
Licensed in Washington since: 1993
Education: The University of Michigan Law School
Call today:
253-948-3199
Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala PLLC
909 A StSuite 700
Tacoma, WA 98402 Visit website
Darrell has won hundreds of cases and negotiated millions of dollars in settlements for his clients. He’s taken on and defeated some of the most powerful corporations, religious organizations, government agencies, school districts and many other entities for his clients. He’s brought the fight for justice all the way to the US Supreme Court, and won. He’s also served as co-counsel – often taking the lead at trial in the courtroom – for attorneys across the country who’ve retained him to deliver victory in a wide range of cases including catastrophic injury, product liability, sexual abuse, insurance bad faith and more.
Darrell is known for his fierce and tireless dedication to serving his clients. He stands by them not only throughout a case – sometimes taking years – but remains a close and trusted ally even after. His values and work ethic shine as he forges deep relationships with those he stands up for. Compassion and caring are at the core of his practice. And he’s assembled an expert team of legal professionals to support and nurture every client, while confidently shepherding them through the often-intimidating and challenging legal process.
Darrell has earned a national reputation as a highly-respected leader in the legal community. He’s appeared for argument in the US Supreme Court, and argued cases in the US Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, Washington State Supreme Court and all of its appellate divisions. He testifies and lobbies the Washington State Legislature regularly, advocating for legislation on behalf of victims rights and other key issues. And he served as an Adjunct Professor teaching product liability in the Seattle University School of Law.
Practice areas
Civil Litigation: Plaintiff, Class Action/Mass Torts: Plaintiff, Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff, Appellate, Personal Injury - Medical Malpractice: Plaintiff, Personal Injury - Products: PlaintiffFocus areas
Appeals, Birth Injury, Brain Injury, Class Actions, Construction Accident, Medical Malpractice, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Personal Injury - Plaintiff, Sexual Abuse - Plaintiff, Trucking Accidents, Wrongful Death
- 30% Civil Litigation: Plaintiff
- 20% Class Action/Mass Torts: Plaintiff
- 20% Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff
- 10% Appellate
- 10% Personal Injury - Medical Malpractice: Plaintiff
- 10% Personal Injury - Products: Plaintiff
First Admitted: 1993, Washington
Professional Webpage: https://pcva.law/attorneys/darrell-cochran/
Bar / Professional Activity
- King County Bar Association
- American Association for Justice
- American Board of Trial Advocates
- Litigation Counsel of America™, Senior Fellow
- Law360’s 2021 Personal Injury Editorial Advisory Board
- Damage Attorney’s Round Table
- Justice for All PAC Board
- Washington State Supreme Court Pattern Jury Instruction Committee
- U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit
- New York
- Oregon
- Washington
- Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association
- United States Supreme Court
- American Association for Justice
- American Bar Association
- International Society of Barristers, Member
- Washington State Association for Justice
Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)
- MCFARLAND V. DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, Pierce County Superior Court Cause No.: 96-02005934-5
- $21 million Confidential Medical Malpractice, mid trial settlement , 2025
- KIWANIS VOCATIONAL HOME - Multiple plaintiffs and multiple settlements totaling over $73,000,000 for victims of sexual abuse at the Kiwanis Vocational Home in Centralia, WA, 2022
- PLEMMONS V. PIERCE COUNTY, Pierce County Superior Court Cause No.: 04-2-07032-1
- WRIGHT V. BCTI, Pierce County Superior Court Cause No.: 05-2-05763-2
- THOMAS V. PUYALLUP SCHOOL DISTRICT, Cause No.: 01-2-08646-0
- NORTHERN OYSTER V. STATE OF WASHINGTON, ET AL., Pacific County Superior Court Cause No.: 03-2-80472-5
- JOYCE V. DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, Pierce County Superior Court Cause No.: 99-2-10179-6
- ABA SHEIKH V. KING COUNTY, DSHS & Shell Oil, King County Superior Court Cause No.: 02-2-05199-5
- SEYLER V. BLAIR CONSTRUCTION, Pierce County Superior Court Cause No.: 01-2-08881-1
- MENDOZA V. BREWSTER SCHOOL DISTRICT, U.S.D.C. Eastern district of Washington Cb-05-327-rhw
- REKHTER, ET AL. V. DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, Thurston County Superior Court Cause No.: 07-2-00895-8
- COUCH V. STATE OF WASHINGTON, Pierce County Cause No.: 99-2-11902-4
Pro bono / Community Service
- Tacoma Symphony, Board Member, 2003-2007
- Family and Friends of Violent Crime Victims, Board Member, 2003-2006
Educational Background
- University of Washington, B.A., magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, 1990
- The University of Michigan Law School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1993
Scholarly Lectures / Writings
- Taught 2L students at Seattle University Product Liability law in the State of Washington. , Adjunct Professor - Seattle University School of Law, Product Liability course, Seattle University, Personal Injury Law Students At Seattle University, 2023
- Invited to speak on various general topics over the years., Speaker, NBI lectures (15+ lectures), Plaintiffs' Personal Injury, 1993
- Yearly DART retreat CLE presentations., Speaker/Presenter, DART - Over 15 general personal injury topics, Plaintiffs' Personal Injury, 2016
- Spoken dozens of times on various topics over 33 years of practice. Chairing, presenting and sponsoring CLE's, Speaker/Presenter, WSAJ personal injury topics (20+), Plaintiffs' Personal Injury
Honors
- Superlawyer, Washington Law & Politics Magazine, 2001-present
- The Recorder, Top 25 Verdicts & Settlements of the West, 2020, Top 25 Verdicts & Settlements of the West, The Recorder, 2020
- Top 100 US verdicts Rehkter v Washington DSHS $57 million, 2010, Top 100 US verdicts Rehkter v Washington DSHS $57 million, Top 100 US verdicts, 2010
- National Association for Legal Support Professionals – Pierce County – voted “Boss of the Year”, Boss of the Year, National Association for Legal Support Professionals – Pierce County
- Selected to Thomson Reuters Washington Super Lawyers, 2001–2026, Super Lawyers, Selected to Thomson Reuters Washington
- Washington State Association for Justice, Trial Lawyer of the Year, 2015, Trial Lawyer of the Year, Washington State Association for Justice, 2015
- Selected to Thomson Reuters Washington Super Lawyers, Top 100, 2015–2023, Top 100, Thomson Reuters Washington Super Lawyers
- The Best Lawyers in America®, Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs; Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, 2022–2023, Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs; Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, The Best Lawyers in America®
- National Law Journal, Litigation Trailblazer, 2020, Litigation Trailblazer, National Law Journal, 2020
- National Law Journal, Plaintiffs’ Attorney Trailblazer, 2022, Plaintiffs’ Attorney Trailblazer, National Law Journal, 2022
- The American Lawyer, West Trailblazer, 2022, West Trailblazer, The American Lawyer, 2022
- Washington State Association for Justice (formerly Washington State Trial Lawyer Association), Trial Lawyer of the Year 2015, Trial Lawyer of the Year, Washington State Association for Justice (formerly Washington State Trial Lawyer Association), 2015
- Washington State Association for Justice, President’s Award, 2022, President’s Award, Washington State Association for Justice, 2022
- Martindale-Hubbell – , AV Preeminent rating, Martindale-Hubbell
Industry Groups
- Plaintiff - General Litigation
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2001 - 2026
Top Lists
Top 100: Washington Super Lawyers: 2015 - 2026- Top 100: 2026 Washington Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2025 Washington Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2024 Washington Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2023 Washington Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2022 Washington Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2021 Washington Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2020 Washington Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2019 Washington Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2018 Washington Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2017 Washington Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2016 Washington Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2015 Washington Super Lawyers