A message from Managing Partner Ira Sherman
Decades ago, Mr. Chaikin and I chose two sayings to describe the mission of what was then Chaikin & Sherman. The first saying was: “We Fight for Those You Love!” We knew that
our first obligation was to pursue justice for our clients and we dedicated ourselves to creatively and aggressively fighting for each and every client, whether the injury was profound and permanent or one from which our client would recover. And, although we always try to resolve every case with- out having to file a lawsuit, when it is necessary to go to court to seek just compensation, then we have a second saying that identifies our ability and commitment. That statement is “The Courtroom is our Battleground.” From the day you become a client of this law firm you have a team dedicated to assisting you and getting a fair and just result whether by winning a settlement or a trial!
We have a proven track record of our successes in the courtroom that spans decades. But the last few years have been particularly outstanding. In 2019 Mr. Cammarata received a $35 million verdict in a medical malpractice case in Virginia. (Unfortunately, the law of Virginia limited the recovery to $2.2 million) More recently, Mr. Siegel won a verdict of $17.1 million in a medical malpractice case in the District of Columbia. Of course, not every case has a catastrophic injury. Attorneys Allan M. Siegel and Stephen Ollar received an award of $700,000 in a case involving an assault and battery. Mr. Cammarata has won two settlements in excess of a million dollars in cases resulting from automobile collisions. We are equally proud of the consistently excellent results Attorney Stephen Ollar has received in cases where the client recovered from their injuries. Mr. Ollar has received many verdicts in the District Court of Maryland that far exceed the offer made by the insurance carrier. He certainly fights for those you love and is a warrior in the courtroom.
We are proud that other personal injury lawyers and attorney rating services continue to recognize the exceptional quality of lawyering that we have provided at Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C. For the 13th year in a row, all three partners, Ira Sherman, Joseph Cammarata, and Allan M. Siegel, were named “Super Lawyers,” and attorney Stephen Ollar was again listed as a “Rising Star” within the legal community of personal injury lawyers. Joseph Cammarata and Allan M. Siegel have achieved the extraordinary distinction of being named two of the top 100 lawyers in the metropolitan DC area by Super Lawyers. All three partners also continue to receive “AV Preeminent” ratings from the esteemed attorney rating company, Martindale-Hubbell.
Other examples of the esteem in which we are held by our peers is shown by the fact that Joseph Cammarata just completed his term of Chairman of the American Association for Justice’s (AAJ) Brain Injury Litigation Group–which is a group of highly skilled lawyers across the country that focus on representing individuals with a traumatic brain injury. Allan M. Siegel has recently been elected Chairman of the Bus Litigation Group, and he continues to serve on the Board of Governors of both AAJ’s Trucking Litigation Group and the Brain Injury Litigation Group.
We have occupied the “Law Building” at 1232 17th Street, N.W., since the late 1970s. While it is fun to look back, it is also fun to look forward. We have a very special chemistry at our law firm, and we intend to keep going for many years to come. With that in mind, we decided that it was time to refresh and redecorate our offices. Led by Mr. Cammarata’s daughter, Diana, a superb interior designer, the office will soon have a newly redecorated reception area, fresh paint on all the walls, and new carpet in most of the common areas. When the job is done, you will receive an invitation to stop by and enjoy a cup of coffee, get a tour of the building, and walk away with some special Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C. mementos!