Rick Harris

Partner
Omaha
Des Moines

Rick Harris is a partner at Lamson Dugan & Murray with over 25 years of experience defending physicians, hospitals, and health care providers in medical malpractice claims. He began his career at Lamson Dugan before returning to Des Moines in 2005 and rejoining the firm’s Des Moines office in 2021. Rick represents various medical professionals, including physicians, nurses, and nurse practitioners, before juries and state agencies, such as The Iowa Boards of Medicine and Nursing. He has tried numerous jury cases across multiple Iowa counties, including 19 trials in Polk County. Outside of work, Rick enjoys spending time with his family, following Creighton basketball, reading, and running with his dogs. He lives in West Des Moines with his spouse, Jill, and their four children, and he frequently visits North Central Iowa.

We Got You Covered

Career Highlights

Obtained verdict in favor of a hospital and general surgeon in wrongful death case arising out of alleged failure to timely perform a laparoscopic cholecystectomy in which claimed damages exceeded $30 million.

Obtained verdict in favor of an anesthesiologist in case arising out cardiac arrest during femoral nerve block resulting in stroke.

Obtained verdict in favor of a radiologist in case arising out of alleged failure to properly interpret radiographic study.

Obtained verdict in favor of hospital and nurse in a case arising out of alleged sciatic nerve injury following injection.

Obtained verdict in favor of hospital and emergency medicine physician in a wrongful death case arise out of alleged failure to timely diagnose an aortic rupture.

Obtained verdict in favor of hospital and family practice physicians in a wrongful death case arising out of alleged improper treatment of multiple infections resulting in death of 14-year-old.

Obtained a verdict in favor of an cardiologists in wrongful death case arising out of off-label use of Amiodarone.

Education

Creighton University School of Law, J.D

Drake University, MBA

Loras College, magna cum laude.

Admitted to Bars & Courts

Iowa

Nebraska

United States District Court District of Nebraska

United States District Court Northern District of Iowa

United States District Court Southern District of Iowa

United States Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit

Memberships, Boards, & Committees

Member of American Board of Trial Advocates with the Rank of Advocate. This required Mr. Harris to try a significant number of civil jury trials to verdict as lead counsel.

Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers, Fellow — Membership is limited to 250 attorneys who have displayed exceptional skills, the highest integrity and have dedicated their professional lives to trial practice. Membership is by invitation only, with recommendation from peers and judges and requires unanimous approval by the Board of Governors of the Academy. Rick has been recognized by Best Lawyers in the field of medical malpractice law for defendants.

Practice Emphasis
Publications
Significant Cases

Doe v. Roe, ___ N.W.2d ___ (Iowa Ct. App. Feb. 11, 2015).

Nelson v. Mercy Health Servs.-Iowa, 843 N.W.2d 478 (Iowa Ct. App. 2014).

Brakeman v. Theta Lambda Chapter, 2002 WL 31640619 (Iowa Ct. App. 2002).

Linn v. N. Iowa Anesthesia Assocs., P.C., No. 18-2213, 2020 WL 1307838 (Iowa Ct. App. March 18, 2020)

Crow v. Jabbari, No. 19-1566, 2020 WL 4201688 (Iowa Ct. App. July 22, 2020)

Stanton v. Knoxville Cmty. Hosp., Inc., No. 19-1277, 2020 WL 4498884 (Iowa Ct. App. Aug., 5, 2020)

Reich v. Avoca Motel Corp., 82 F.3d 238 (8th Cir. 1996).

Benavides v. J.C. Penney Life Ins. Co., 539 N.W.2d 352 (Iowa 1995).

A Word From Our Clients

Awards

  • Best Lawyers – Lawyer of the Year in West Des Moines
  • Best Lawyers – Appellate Practice
  • Best Lawyers –Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants