Frederic Roller

As a member of the Health Care Department, Fred concentrates his practice in the areas of medical malpractice defense of physicians, podiatrists and other health care providers, nursing home defense and legal malpractice defense of attorneys. He has developed extensive experience in the defense of a wide range of medical specialties and related medical issues.

Fred has represented numerous physicians, podiatrists and nurses in health care liability matters. In addition, using his background as a former practicing podiatrist, he has represented podiatric groups practicing within hospital and academic facilities. Fred has handled several hundred medical malpractice cases involving numerous medical, facility and nursing specialties. He also has significant experience in representing laboratories involving alleged failure to diagnose cervical and related gynecologic cancers. 

Fred estimates he has taken 75 to 100 cases to trial, of which approximately 40 went to verdict, resulting in 30 defense verdicts. Ten to 15 of his cases ended in verdicts or settlements significantly below the settlement demands. 

Fred has successfully defended physicians involving catastrophic injuries, including amputations, paralysis, failure to diagnose cancers and death by demonstrating compliance with standard of care and/or lack of causation relating to the injuries. He has also successfully mitigated damages relating to nursing home injuries by demonstrating other non-related medical causes which significantly contributed to the alleged injuries. 

Fred represented a health care provider against whom the plaintiff prevailed on the theory of res ipsa at the trial court level, but that was ultimately reversed by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, which significantly eroded this theory as it relates to physicians and health care providers.

Fred has been successful in using multi-faceted expert teams in various specialties to challenge causation in catastrophic injury cases. In one particular case, with the use of a forensic pathologist, pulmonologist, internist and cardiologist, Fred's team was able to settle a lung cancer death case in a relatively young individual for under $500,000 from the original demand of $3 million.

Fred has lectured for various medical organizations and the Philadelphia Bar Association in the areas of medical malpractice and legal malpractice. He is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University. Following graduation from college, he attended the Pennsylvania College of Podiatric Medicine. He then maintained a private medical practice until he achieved his juris doctor, with honors, in 1992.