Atty. Darrell L. Cochran
Darrell Cochran’s record speaks for itself. He has won hundreds of millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for his clients in some of the most-daunting cases.
Profile Summary
About Darrell L. Cochran at a glance
Darrell L. Cochran is a Partner based in Tacoma, Washington, practicing at Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala PLLC. They have 33+ years of legal experience, licensed to practice since 1993. Their practice focuses on medical malpractice, personal injury, class action, product liability, and tbi/sci. Admitted to practice in Washington (1993) and New York (2023). Educated at University of Michigan Law School (J.D. Political, 1993) and University of Washington (B.A., 1990). Recognitions include AV Preeminent. Active member of King County Bar Association American Bar Association Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association Washington State Association for Justice (WSAJ) American Association for Justice. Serands clients in Tacoma, WA and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About
- Darrell Cochran’s record speaks for itself
- He has won hundreds of millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for his clients in some of the most-daunting cases
- His opponents are powerful and include some of the country’s largest corporations and government agencies
- His goal is to take down these Goliaths and make them pay for the wrongs they have committed against the injured
- His clients are ordinary people — men, women and children who have suffered physically and mentally, and deserve restitution
- The bonds he creates with those he represents are strong, sometimes lasting years beyond their cases
- His values and work ethic are what forge these relationships
- He brings compassion to his advocacy and listens to the stories of hardship his clients have faced, all while confidently shepherding them through the often-intimidating legal process
- Darrell is well-respected within the legal community
- He has appeared before the U.S
- Supreme Court and has argued in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, as well as the Washington State Supreme Court and all of its appellate divisions
- Several of Darrell’s jury verdicts have prompted important changes in Washington state law
- Despite his lofty achievements, Darrell remains grounded, serving as a mentor to his associates
- His fellow partners summarize him in one sentence: “His family loves him, his opponents fear him and his colleagues respect him.” Darrell’s dogged determination is a trait he inherited from his parents, who taught him the importance of hard work and sacrifice
- It’s a trait he relies on in his role as a husband to his wife Wendy and father to his five children
- He goes to extremes to be present, whether flying to California to celebrate his son’s birthday, taking his teenage daughter to power lift at 6 a.m. or dressing up as a dinosaur to march in the school Halloween parade
- He even once surprised his daughter, who was portraying Jane Goodall for a book report, by showing up dressed in the most-realistic gorilla costume he could find
- Outside the office, Darrell is passionate about supporting families with special needs children
- In 2017, he envisioned a pediatric therapy clinic for the developmentally delayed
- With his unwavering support, his wife opened one of the largest pediatric therapy clinics of its kind in Washington
- He is also an avid UW Huskies supporter, and when not cheering on his children’s sporting activities, he can be found snowboarding, hiking, boating or fishing
- Honors • Litigation Trailblazer, National Law Journal, 2020 • Top 25 Verdicts & Settlements of the West, 2020 (The Recorder) • Top 100, Washington Super Lawyers, 2015–2020 • Washington Super Lawyers, 2001–2020 • Trial Lawyer of the Year, WSAJ, 2015 Representative Cases • $95+ million class action total judgment from a $57 million jury verdict and pre-judgment and post-judgment interest for 22,000 homecare workers, believed to be the largest class action verdict against Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) of its kind • $60 million wrongful death settlement with the State of Washington and timber company for deaths in the Oso landslide of 2014 • $50+ million in settlements arising from the OK Boys Ranch group home sexual abuse cases • $30 million in settlements with Washington State DSHS and Kiwanis Vocational Home defendants • $22+ million wrongful death jury verdict against Washington State Department of Corrections (DOC) for negligent parole supervision • $18.5 million settlement in class action cases against the Business Computer Training Institute • $15 million verdict in wrongful death case against DOC for negligent parole supervision • $13+ million verdict for 17-year-old who suffered stroke during a medical procedure • $13+ million in a cardiac medical malpractice case • $10.3 million jury verdict against DSHS, $4.5 million settlement against King County and a $300,000+ in settlement from a store owner for a teenage boy who suffered brain damage when beaten by violent foster boys at a gas station • Eight-figure settlement in a premise liability case against a private business owner and a security company • $8 million settlement for survivor of sexual abuse at assisted-living facility • $8 million settlement for a 34-year-old man who was shot multiple times by a Tacoma police officer • $8 million verdict against Oblate Fathers Western Province for religious order child sexual abuse • $8 million settlement with mental health therapists for failing to report child sexual abuse at a residential facility • $7.5 million racial discrimination settlement with Puyallup School District with consent decree injunctive relief for changes to promote increasing racial sensitivity and diversity • $7.5 million settlement for racial discrimination in the Puyallup School District • $7.5 million consumer protection class action settlement for thousands of motor vehicle accident victims who suffered deceptive collection practices regarding their medical bills • $6+ million wrongful death verdict against Washington State DOC for negligent parole supervision • $6 million settlement with Kiwanis International for failing to protect children from sexual abuse at Kiwanis Vocational Home • $5.6 million wrongful death case for negligent firefighting • $5 million auto accident settlement for client struck by a motor vehicle who suffered serious permanent injury • $4.5 million jury verdict for a passenger injured in an Amtrak train derailment • $4.3+ million wrongful death jury verdict for unlawful shooting in a property dispute • $4.25 million settlement in lawsuit against Issaquah School District for sexual abuse • $4.25 million serious injury settlement for woman who suffered traumatic brain injury after being struck by a car driven by a parolee • $4 million verdict for passenger injured in Duck Boat collision on Aurora Bridge • $3.5 million product liability settlement for family whose conversion van rolled over due to unstable center of gravity • $3.1 million sexual abuse settlement against State of Washington DSHS for placing state-dependent child with convicted child rapist • $3.1 million sexual abuse settlement against DSHS • $3+ million for passenger injured in an Amtrak train derailment • $3 million settlement against Washington State for child sexual abuse arising out of negligent CPS investigation • $2.75 million jury verdict against City of Fife for negligent road maintenance • $2.35 million settlement with DOC and DSHS for child sexual abuse • $2.1 million wrongful death settlement with DSHS for father of 3-year-old boy killed by mother’s boyfriend, who Washington State Child Protective Services (CPS) should have known was a chronic child abuser • $2 million settlement with the Aberdeen School District for a woman who was abused by her high school band teacher while she was a student • $1.87 million in child sexual abuse settlements against Department of Early Learning for negligent licensing of day care (All Hours Day Care) • $1.75 million in settlements for two passengers injured in Duck Boat collision on Aurora Bridge • $1.5 million serious injury settlement with Washington State DSHS for their failure to properly protect an infant from physical abuse • $1.5 million class action settlement for more than 900 restaurant workers wrongfully denied pay for overtime and missed meal and rest breaks, tip pool violations, and automatic service charge violations • $1.5 million jury verdict in wrongful death car crash • $1.5 million school district negligence settlement for child sexual abuse • $1.425 million jury verdict against Olympia School District for child sexual abuse • Confidential class action settlement that included full reimbursement and additional payment for 169 clients whose Apple devices were made inoperable by Error 53 bug • $1.35 million settlement for survivor of physical and sexual abuse in the Washington foster care system • $1.3 million settlement for a client who suffered a traumatic brain injury after falling down basement stairs in a home that didn’t comply with building codes. • $1.25 million class action settlement for employees of drywall company who were not paid for rest or lunch breaks, or paid fully for overtime • $1.2 million settlement with Olympia School District in school bus driver sexual abuse case • $1.1 million settlement in Montesano School District school bus-pedestrian crash case • $1.1 million serious injury settlement for passenger in drunk driving motor vehicle accident • $1 million settlement after two weeks of jury trial against Everett School District for teacher sexual abuse of a student • $1 million settlement in worksite injury case • $1 million wrongful death settlement for 15-year-old boy who fell to his death when a window-washing platform failed at his place of employment • Consent decree for individuals with mobility impairments requiring University of Washington, subject to PCVA oversight, to bring all Seattle campus parking facilities into full ADA compliance • $780,878 verdict in forklift loading negligence case • $769,166 verdict against Clover Park School District in sexual abuse case • $750,000 settlement for survivor of sexual abuse by bowling coach • $750,000 in landlord-tenant battle over mold-infested apartment complex • $750,000 settlement after jury trial that reached no verdict in medical malpractice case • $700,000 settlement in racial discrimination employment case against Department of Ecology • $685,832 settlement in wrongful death case against state-licensed day care provider • $444,069 jury verdict in car crash case • $300,000 jury verdict against Home Depot for falling materials • $300,000 verdict for child and parents from respite care provider sexual abuse • $225,000 in dump truck crash case • $150,000 verdict for botched knee surgery with e.coli infection • $82,793 federal court jury verdict in car crash Classes & Seminars • Faculty, “Litigating Class Actions”, Law Seminars International, 11/12/2020 to 11/13/2020 • Speaker, WSAJ Annual Convention 2020, 09/23/2020 • Speaker, WSAJ Annual Convention 2016, 06/23/2016 • Speaker, “Subrogation: Untying the Gordian Knot”, WSAJ, 11/16/2016 • Speaker, “Trial Revolution”, WSAJ, 11/15/2012 • Speaker, “Tort Law Seminar”, WSAJ, 10/05/2012 • Presenter, “Damages in Personal Injury”, National Business Institute CLE, 09/28/2012 Professional Associations • King County Bar Association • American Bar Association • Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association • American Board of Trial Advocates • Damage Attorney’s Round Table • Washington State Association for Justice (WSAJ), President, 2017 to 2018 • American Association for Justice, 1994 • Law360’s 2021 Personal Injury Editorial Advisory Board
Practice Areas Explained
Darrell L. Cochran's Areas of Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Darrell L. Cochran handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.
Medical malpractice lawyers represent patients harmed by negligent doctors, hospitals, and other providers. Free case review, no fee unless you win.
Darrell L. Cochran is one of 49,086 medical malpractice attorneys indexed nationally. Browse medical malpractice attorneys in Washington →
Personal injury attorneys help accident victims recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain & suffering. Most work on contingency — no fee unless you win.
Darrell L. Cochran is one of 264,852 personal injury attorneys indexed nationally. Browse personal injury attorneys in Washington →
Darrell L. Cochran is one of 26,424 class action attorneys indexed nationally. Browse class action attorneys in Washington →
Darrell L. Cochran is one of 66,193 product liability attorneys indexed nationally. Browse product liability attorneys in Washington →
Darrell L. Cochran is one of 10,267 tbi/sci attorneys indexed nationally. Browse tbi/sci attorneys in Washington →
Jurisdictional Context
Why local counsel matters in Washington
Practicing law in Washington. Legal matters in Washington are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Tacoma are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate Washington state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in Washington brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in Washington courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Looking for additional Washington attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Tacoma or all attorneys in Washington.
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