Compassion, Preparation and Skill

John Bonina, Jr. grew up knowing that he wanted to make a difference. Through his talent in the courtroom and his tireless preparation he has used the law to make a difference in the lives of hundreds of clients by fighting for them when they otherwise would not have had a voice.

Shortly after he was admitted to practice law, John tried his first case, in which the jury held the New York City Health & Hospitals Corporation liable for medical negligence, and awarded his clients $1.35 million in damages. At the age of 25, John had become perhaps the youngest lawyer in American history to win a million dollar verdict.

Since then, John Bonina has developed a proven track record in the courtroom. Perhaps his greatest asset as a trial lawyer is his versatility in the courtroom. In addition to the numerous medical malpractice cases which he tries on a yearly basis, John has successfully tried cases involving construction accidents, trip and fall accidents, and even property damage claims.

Since the million dollar verdict in his first case, John has continued to bring back excellent results from the courtroom. Other significant verdicts include a $4,646,000.00 verdict for the wrongful death of a woman due to delayed diagnosis of lung cancer; a $2,500,000.00 verdict for the family of a woman who bled to death while waiting for emergency surgery on a ruptured aneurysm; a $1,646,000.00 verdict for the family of a man who died as the result of delayed diagnosis of lung cancer; a $1,250,000.00 verdict for failure to diagnose appendicitis; and a $1,000,000.00 for an improper diagnosis of Tuberculosis. While John’s specialties are birth injury and delayed diagnosis of cancer cases, juries have also returned verdicts in favor of John's clients in cases involving improperly performed hysterectomies, drug allergies, improperly performed colonoscopies, and dental malpractice.

The combination of empathy for victims of negligence and courtroom skill has earned John the respect of his peers. Their positive evaluations earned him a place in the 2007 edition of “The Best Lawyers in America”, which was excerpted in New York Magazine’s July 3, 2006 edition listing “the Best Lawyers in the New York Area”.
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The Competitive Spirit

"The most important thing is to believe in your case, and believe in your client," said John. "And I am a true believer. All too often, doctors make mistakes which destroy peoples' lives. Then they refuse to give their patients a straight answer. Their insurance companies hire high-priced lawyers and experts to defend them. They play hide-and-seek with their records."

"So when I meet with someone who has been injured by a doctor's negligence I think 'who will stand up and speak for this person?' and I am proud to know that the answer is me."

When not on trial, John Bonina, Jr. is the partner in charge of the firm's medical negligence team, a responsibility he has held for the past sixteen years. In this role, he seeks to ensure that all of the evidence necessary to win a client's case is gathered, and that the client's cases are moved forward to a successful conclusion as rapidly as possible.

"The medical malpractice cases are very interesting" he adds. "It's a challenge to learn the medicine well enough to go toe-to-toe with a doctor in the courtroom. These cases are defended tooth and nail, and I like the competition."

John is a past President of the Bay Ridge Lawyers' Association. John is currently the President Elect of the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers, and he is the Treasurer of the Academy of Trial Lawyers Political Action Committee. He has lectured frequently at continuing education programs for other attorneys in various Bar associations, including giving the annual update on developments in Medical Malpractice Law at the annual “Precedents and Statutes” seminar given by the Academy of Trial Lawyers. John has also given legal seminars at the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, the Brooklyn Bar Association and the Columbian Lawyers Association.

John lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two sons.