Elizabeth Cornacchio

Elizabeth Cornacchio joined the firm in 1984 and became a partner in 1989. She represents individuals, institutions and corporate clients in professional liability, general negligence and commercial matters, and professional license challenges.

Ms. Cornacchio serves as trial counsel for defendants in both federal and state court from the earliest stages of litigation to final resolution, whether via negotiated settlement or verdict. She has been trying cases since 1987 and has tried to verdict many of the firm's high exposure cases involving complex medical issues, with a success rate in excess of 80 percent. In addition, she has also been successful in limiting damages on cases where the exposure outstripped the actual verdict or negotiated settlement.

Ms. Cornacchio has tried multiple brain damaged baby and maternal death cases, stemming from obstetrical care, and is well known to the New York and Connecticut bars. In the area of commercial litigation and general liability, she has defended premises liability claims on behalf of national vendors.

She is the partner in charge of the services rendered by the firm to a major national retailer and is also the administrative partner supervising the range of services provided by the firm to a major national university and health center located in New York, and is a member of the firm's Executive Committee.

Ms. Cornacchio is a member of the Federation of Defense and Corporation Counsel, the American Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association, and the Connecticut Defense Lawyers Association. She belongs to the Connecticut Society of Hospital Risk Managers and has lectured in many settings for bar groups.

She is most active in the Defense Research Institute (DRI) serving as a birth trauma liaison on the Medical Liability and Healthcare Committee presenting at multiple national meetings and chairing the annual 3-day Medical Liability and Healthcare Committee National Conference in 2009. She has been among the ranks of Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers since 2007.

Ms. Cornacchio has lectured and written articles on defending medical malpractice claims for multiple bar sponsored Continuing Legal Education events, and has specialized in presentations relating to defense of damages and cross-examination of economic experts.

Among her diverse leisure activities, Betty is pursuing the study of Italian.

Verdicts

Defense Verdict in New York County

HPM&B received a defense verdict in New York County Supreme Court on February 19, 2013 on behalf of a major metropolitan hospital and a pediatric hematologist.

Defense Verdict in New York County

Elizabeth Cornacchio received a defense verdict in New York County in a medical malpractice case against a major metropolitan hospital and doctor.

Defense Verdict in Bronx County Supreme Court

Elizabeth Cornacchio recently obtained a defense verdict in a birth injury case tried in Bronx County Supreme Court against a hospital.

Defense Verdict in Westchester County

Elizabeth Cornacchio obtained a defense verdict in Westchester County on September 24, 2008 on behalf of an obstetrician/gynecologist who performed a laparoscopic procedure to evaluate plaintiff's complaints of pelvic pain. During the procedure bleeding was encountered which required conversion to a mini-laparotomy. Subsequently the patient has a small bowel evisceration requiring a second procedure to free the herniated bowel, and she underwent a third procedure to remove a previously unknown wound seroma capsule, which was thought to be the result of a hemorrhage after prior surgery. ...Defense Verdict In Bronx County

On June 26, 2008, Elizabeth Cornacchio obtained a defense verdict in the Bronx County Supreme Court on behalf of a urologist treating a patient with severe benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). Plaintiff, then 55 years old, had had urinary problems for four years and voided approximately every two hours during the daytime and four times during the night. When he had the urge to urinate, he could not control himself and reported a sharp pain and pressure during urination located in the bladder. ...Defense Verdict in Kings County

On December 4, 2007, Elizabeth Cornacchio obtained a defense verdict for a neurosurgeon charged with the negligent performance of a transcranial procedure to remove a prolactin secreting tumor of the pituitary gland in a 46-year-old man. Plaintiff alleged that failure to perform the surgery transphenoidally was a departure from the standard of care, and that he was inadequately informed of the risks of the transcranial approach. Post-operatively the plaintiff sustained right sided blindness.