Bruce A. Cranner

Bruce A. Cranner is a seasoned and versatile litigator with more than forty years of experience defending complex, high-stakes cases involving medical liability, product liability, asbestos litigation, and general insurance matters. His distinguished career spans numerous industries and legal disciplines, establishing him as a trusted advocate in both the courtroom and the boardroom.

Mr. Cranner’s commercial litigation practice is focused on representing healthcare providers in a broad spectrum of matters, including non-compete disputes, healthcare licensure defense, and business-related conflicts. He serves as Independent Counsel to the Louisiana Board of Dentistry, providing strategic legal guidance on regulatory and professional issues.

In addition to his litigation work, Mr. Cranner is frequently appointed as a mediator in sophisticated cases—particularly those involving Medicare Secondary Payer issues.

Over the course of his career, Mr. Cranner has tried more than 40 jury cases to verdict, including many involving complex medical issues and catastrophic injury or death. His trial experience reflects the wide range of his practice and includes product liability claims, commercial matters, and the defense of medical liability cases in the areas of cardiology, obstetrics and gynecology, pain management, orthopedics, and hospital and long-term care claims.

Bannister v. SFB Companies and SYSTRA Engineering Inc., Nineteenth Judicial District Court for the Parish of East Baton Rouge/Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeal. Obtained dismissal of a foreign corporation on an exception of lack of personal jurisdiction on appeal. Bannister v. SFB Companies, Inc., 2019 CW 0079, 2019 CA 0367 ____So. 3d_______, (La. App. 1^st Cir. 11/15/2019)

Sappington v. Southern Pain, et al, Twenty-Fourth Judicial District Court for the Parish of Jefferson. Successfully defended a physician against a Medical Malpractice claim alleging medical errors in the performance of a spinal procedure. (Result: Verdict for the defense, Affirmed. Sappington v. Southern Pain, et al, 19-CA-80, 280 So. 3d. 343 (La. 5^th Cir. 10/23/2019)

Faust adv. Paradigm Health, Twenty-Second Judicial District Court for the Parish of St. Tammany. Successfully defended a physician against an injunction and claims for damages relating to the non-compete provisions of an employment contract. (Result: Dismissal. Non-compete un-enforceable. Affirmed. Paradigm Health v. Faust, 2016 CA 1276, 218 So.3d 2017 (La App 1^st. Cir. 4/12/ 2017)

Sandifer v. Hoyt, United States District Court, Middle District of Louisiana.  Successfully defended the manufacturer of a compound bow. Plaintiff claimed death by head injury caused by defective design of the bow (Result: Dismissed on Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment, affirmed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Sandifer v. Hoyt Archery, 907 F.3d 802 (5^th Cir 2018)

Stanley v. Trinchard, et al, United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana. Prosecuted a claim for a bankruptcy trustee against several attorneys and an insurance carrier for legal malpractice and bad faith (Jury Trial June 2014. Result: Settled favorably to the trustee after closing arguments and before the verdict).

Dyanne Lewis, et al. v. The City of Jackson, et al., Circuit Court for the First Judicial District of Hinds County, Mississippi. Defended a Tear Gas and Pepper spray manufacturer in a products liability trial. Plaintiff claimed death caused by exposure to defendant’s products. (Trial January 2010. Result: Settled before appeal).

Dillon v. Paul Hubbell, III, M.C. and Southern Pain & Anesthesia Consultants, LLP. Twenty-fourth Judicial District Court, Parish of Jefferson, State of Louisiana. Medical malpractice claims in which plaintiff claimed nerve damage associated with the performance of a cervical discogram. (Trial June, 2007. Result: Judgment for the defense).

Garcia-Rivera v. Memorial Medical Center, Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans, Louisiana. Medical malpractice claims in which the heirs of a deceased 34-year-old woman who died of PPH claimed medication error on the part of the hospital. (Tried January 2007. Result: jury verdict for the defense).

James & Ette v. LSU, No. 529-480, Twenty-Fourth Judicial District Court, Parish of Jefferson, State of Louisiana. Lead trial counsel in a national class action involving VITEK dental implants. (June, 2004. Certification denied and dismissed. Aggregate litigation dismissed).

Zamanian v. Christian Health Ministry, No. 93-11083, Civil District Court, Parish of Orleans, successfully defended and hospital, four physicians and a nurse against claims of defamation, unfair trade practices and breach of contract arising from peer review activities. (Trial June, July 2000. Result: After a three-week jury trial and a $6 million verdict for plaintiff, a JNOV was granted for the defense dismissing all claims 9/21/00).

Nicoll v. Lococo, No. 97-CA-00083 (5^th Cir. 10/28/97); 701 So. 2d 1062, successfully defended an orthopedic surgeon in an alleged malpractice and spoliation of evidence case. (Result: Judgment for the defense).

Cassanova v. Marullo, et al, No. 94-0376, USDC, Eastern District of Louisiana. Defended eight sitting Judges of the Criminal District Court for the Parish of Orleans in a wrongful discharge suit under State and Federal law. (Resolved favorably to the defense during jury selection).

Knight v. PCF, No. 93-1619 (La. App. 3^rd Cir. 1994), 638 So. 2d 678. Successfully represented the Louisiana Patients’ Compensation Fund in defense of a medical benefits case testing the reasonableness of the denial of a claim by the Louisiana Patients’ Compensation Fund.

Byers v. State of Louisiana, No. 94-1374, USDC, Eastern District of Louisiana. Defended the State of Louisiana, through the Hammond Area Technical Institute, in a suit for employment discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act. (Settled favorably to the defense).

Combustion, Inc. (Consolidated Matters), No. 93 ML 979, USDC, Middle District of Louisiana. Defended the State of Louisiana in this very large multi-party consolidated CERCLA/Toxic Tort matter. (Settled without payment and with dismissal).

Kebodeaux v. Schwegmann, No. 92-2086, USDC, Eastern District of Louisiana. As lead trial counsel successfully defended a multi-million dollar infringement of copyright suit. (Tried August, 1994. Result: Judgment for defense).

Russo v. Bratton, et al., No. 94-2634 (4^th Cir. 6/29/95); 657 So. 295. As lead defense counsel, successfully defended a neurosurgeon in a wrongful death/medical malpractice jury trial. (Tried July 1994. Result: Verdict for defense).

Dorman O. Crowe, et al and Luther Martin, et al v. Winn Dixie and Kysor Corporation, No. 64,215, 22^nd Judicial District Court. Lead defense trial counsel. Defended a manufacturer of a product allegedly responsible for transmitting Legionnaire’s Disease to 70 plaintiffs. This case involved 17 deaths. (Tried April 1993. Settled favorably to the defense after closing arguments and before verdict).

Ellis v. Georgia Pacific Corporation, 550 So.2d 1310 (La. App. 1^st Cir. 1989). Worked as a member of the successful plaintiff’s counsel team as class action co-brief writer. This environmental case is, to date, the largest single certified class action in Louisiana history (Settled: the proceeds to the $10 million settlement were donated to the Greater New Orleans Foundation for Water Improvement Projects).

Martindale Hubbell, AV Preeminent

Super Lawyers ®, New Orleans, LA – 2007-2011, 2014, 2021-2026

Who’s Who Legal: (Product Defense)

The Best Lawyers in America©, New Orleans, LA – Product Liability Defense, Health Care Litigation, Since 2018

Presentations:

• LADC Winter Seminar “Louisiana Medical Malpractice Update”, presented in January, 2020
• “5 Best Practices for MSP Compliance” LADC/La. Judicial College Joint Program, presented in December, 2019
• “Medicare Endgame—Applying Predictive Settlement Strategies to Navigate MSP Exposure”, DRI webcast presented Dec. 2019
• LADC Winter Seminar “5 Best Practices for Defense Counsel,” presented in January, 2019
• “DRI Medicare Best Practices,” webcast presented Sept. 2018
• “DRI Medicare Best Practices,” webcast presented June 2017
• “MEDMARC—Ethics and MSP/Best Practices, presentation in June, 2016
• “Medical Malpractice: A Risky Proposition” Author and Presenter, AICP, New Orleans, 2015
• “PLAC Conference, Program Co-Chair and Moderator. Dallas, 2015” Presenter “MSP UPDATES: Fast Fire”
• “The Medicare Claimant’s Case: Best Practices for Defense Practitioners,” DRI Webcast, 2015
• “PLAC Conference, Program Co-Chair and Moderator. San Diego, 2015”
• “The Ethics of MSP: A Conversation About Compliance,” author and presenter, DRI webcast, 2014
• “Medicare, Medicaid and Medicare Advantage Plan Secondary Payer: 2014 Update,” author and presenter, PLAC Spring Conference 2014
• “Affordable Care Act/Medicare Secondary Payer,” presenter, PLAC Fall Conference, 2013, Las Vegas
• “Section 111 Reporting,” presenter, Louisiana Association of Self-Insured Employers Medicare Set-Asides (LASIE) Workshop, June 6, 2013, Baton Rouge
• PLAC Conference, Program Chair, Colorado Springs, Spring 2013 and Las Vegas, Fall 2013
• “Disasters and Catastrophes: What are the Duties and Consequences?” author and presenter, DRI Nursing Home/ALF Litigation Seminar, 2013, Scottsdale
• “The Medicare Claimant’s Case: Best Practices for Litigation Counsel,” author and presenter, MAPS, March 2013, New Orleans
• “Mass Torts: Change Your Thinking,” author and presenter, DRI webcast, 2013
• SFIA Annual Litigation & Risk Management Summit, Program Chair and moderator, 2007- 2014
• “Screws, plates, joints, drugs and the good doctor – Whodunit?” author and presenter, LSAA Medical Liability Seminar, 2012
• “Medicare Secondary Payer: Best Practices for Defense Counsel,” author and presenter, DRI webcast 2012
• “Hospital Emergencies,” author and presenter, DRI Medical Liability and Healthcare Seminar, 2012, New Orleans
• “MMSEA – RM Write-Off and Reporting Responsibilities,” author and presenter, NCASHRM Spring Program Presentation, 2011
• “MSP and MMSEA Compliance for Defense Counsel,” author and presenter, DRI Products Liability Seminar, Las Vegas, 2010
• “Compliance” Moderator, FDCC Corporate Counsel Symposium,” 2010, Philadelphia
• “Best Practices for MMSEA Reimbursement,” PLAC Spring Seminar, 2010, San Antonio
• “The Medicare Claimant’s Case: Best Practices for Resolution Since the Reimbursement Revolution,” author and presenter, DRI Products Liability Conference, 2010, Las Vegas
• “How the Jury Assesses Post Sale Behavior,” presenter, PLAC Spring conference, 2004, Montreal
• “Leading the Admitted Liability Case to a Defense Verdict,” author and lecturer, DRI Medical Liability and Healthcare Law Seminar, 2004, Las Vegas
• “Doctors Misbehaving,” moderator, DRI Medical Liability and Healthcare Law Seminar, San Francisco, 2003
• Advanced Issues in Louisiana Medical Malpractice, author and lecturer, NBI, 2001
• LSBA “CLE by the Hour” Seminar Medical Malpractice “Update” co-lecturer, 2000
• “Advanced issues in Louisiana Medical Malpractice,” author and lecturer, NBI, 2000
• LSBA Seminar, “Medical Malpractice” Panelist, 1998
• “Medical Malpractice,” author and lecturer, NBI, 1997
• “LADC Attorney/Client Seminar,” lecturer on “When to Appeal” 1996
• “Settling Insurance Claims,” author and panelist, PESI, 1995
• “Settling Insurance Claims,” author and panelist, PESI, 1994
• “Medicine Made Easy for Lawyers,” author and lecturer, PESI, 1994
• “Trial Preparation for Procrastinators: Surviving the Last Two Weeks,” author and lecturer, Tulane CLE by the hour, 1993
• “Recent Tort Law Developments,” author and lecturer, PESI, 1992
• “Use of Paralegals, Legal Assistants and Temporary Attorneys and Associated Ethical Considerations,” author and lecturer, PESI, 1992
• “Trends in Bad Faith Litigation,” author and lecturer, PESI, 1992
• “Videos, Graphics and Charts for Plaintiff’s Attorneys,” author and lecturer, PESI, 1990
• “Video Tape Reconstruction of Accidents by Computer,” author and lecturer, LTLA, Aspen, 1990
• “Third Trial by the Masters – Trial Preparation: The Last 100 Days,” author and panelist, Tulane Law School, 1990
• “Demonstrative Evidence,” author and lecturer, LTLA, Aspen, 1989

Publications:

• Cattie, et al, DRI Defense Practitioners Guide to Medicare Secondary Payer Issues 3d. (DRI 2015) [Co-Author and Contributing Editor]; Contributing Editor, Knack, et al, HIPPA Best Practices for Defense Lawyers, DRI, 2005
• Woodward, et al.Louisiana Trial Procedure(West 1997) [Chapter 11 “Motions at Trial”] chapter author.
• “Ethics and Hidden Greed” Lawline, 2024
• “Applying Predictive Settlement Strategies to Mitigate Medicare Secondary Payer Exposure (Part 1)” DRI For the Defense, October, 2019
• Cattie, et al, DRI Defense Practitioners Guide to Medicare Secondary Payer Issues 3d. (DRI 2015) [Co-Author and Contributing Editor]
• “The MSP and The False Claims Act, The Government’s Most Potent Recovery Tool, DRI, In House Defense Quarterly, Spring, 2015.”
• “A Conversation About Lawyer Ethics and MSP Compliance, DRI For the Defense, July, 2014.