Marc L. Breakstone

Marc Breakstone has established a reputation as one of the top medical malpractice and personal injury lawyers in Massachusetts and New England. Mr. Breakstone has represented seriously injured clients in medical malpractice and personal injury cases since 1986. He is a founder and principal at Breakstone, White & Gluck since 1992.

Mr. Breakstone has handled numerous high-profile cases which have been the subject of national media coverage. He represented the spinal fusion patient whom Dr. David Arndt victimized in 2002 when he left his surgery at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge to visit a bank. Mount Auburn Hospital neglected to tell the victim until the state revoked Arndt’s medical license. In response to public outcry, the hospital adopted a new policy to inform patients if doctors are suspended. His recovery for a brain damaged infant against a national ambulance company led to fundamental regulatory changes with ambulance incident reporting in Massachusetts.

In the courtroom, Mr. Breakstone is known for utilizing cutting edge computer reenactments and interactive digital technology to present his cases to juries. His presentations have helped win significant recoveries in a number of complex medical malpractice, motor vehicle and bus accident cases. Click here to see examples.

Mr. Breakstone has consistently maintained an AV rating – the highest rating for legal ability and professional standards – from Martindale-Hubbell, the leading national registry of attorneys. He also holds a top rating from Avvo.

Mr. Breakstone is a sought-after speaker to lawyers and law students regarding trial techniques and medical malpractice law. He delivers approximately 8 to 10 lectures a year to lawyers around New England. He also regularly lectures on practice topics at Northeastern University School of Law, Boston University Law School and Suffolk University Law School. He has chaired or spoken on programs including “MCLE Medical Malpractice Update,” “Introducing Evidence,” “Demonstrative Evidence at Trial,” and “Advanced Depositions Workshop.”

Mr. Breakstone has been a member of the Board of Governors of the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys for the past 15 years and is actively leading campaigns to reform the jury selection system in Massachusetts.

A 1981 graduate of the University of Michigan, Mr. Breakstone received his Juris Doctor from Northeastern University School of Law in 1986. He is a founding member of the Board of Northeastern University School of Law “Loan Deferral/Loan Forgiveness” Program. He was featured in the Northeastern University School of Law’s Co-op Centennial Review.

To learn more about Mr. Breakstone, see reviews from his former clients at Avvo.com.

• Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
• U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts
• First Circuit Court of Appeals

• J.D., Northeastern School of Law, 1986
• B.S. University of Michigan, 1981

• Top 100 New England Super Lawyers:
  • 2013 Top 100 New England Super Lawyer
  • 2012 Top 100 New England Super Lawyer
  • 2011 Top 100 New England Super Lawyer
  • 2009 Top 100 New England Super Lawyer
• Top 100 Massachusetts Super Lawyers:
  • 2014 Top 100 Massachusetts Super Lawyer
  • 2013 Top 100 Massachusetts Super Lawyer
  • 2012 Top 100 Massachusetts Super Lawyer
  • 2011 Top 100 Massachusetts Super Lawyer
  • 2010 Top 100 Massachusetts Super Lawyer
  • 2009 Top 100 Massachusetts Super Lawyer
  • 2008 Top 100 Massachusetts Super Lawyer
  • 2006 Top 100 Massachusetts Super Lawyer
• Massachusetts Super Lawyer: Plaintiff’s Medical Malpractice
  • 2014 Massachusetts Super Lawyer: Plaintiff’s Medical Malpractice
  • 2013 Massachusetts Super Lawyer: Plaintiff’s Medical Malpractice
  • 2012 Massachusetts Super Lawyer: Plaintiff’s Medical Malpractice
  • 2011 Massachusetts Super Lawyer: Plaintiff’s Medical Malpractice
  • 2010 Massachusetts Super Lawyer: Plaintiff’s Medical Malpractice
  • 2009 Massachusetts Super Lawyer: Plaintiff’s Medical Malpractice
  • 2008 Massachusetts Super Lawyer: Plaintiff’s Medical Malpractice
  • 2007 Massachusetts Super Lawyer: Plaintiff’s Medical Malpractice
  • 2006 Massachusetts Super Lawyer: Plaintiff’s Medical Malpractice
  • 2005 Massachusetts Super Lawyer: Plaintiff’s Medical Malpractice
  • 2004 Massachusetts Super Lawyer: Plaintiff’s Medical Malpractice
• Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly
  • Lawyer of the Year (one of ten selected, 2002)
• Martindale Hubbell
  • AV (top professional and ethical) rating
• AVVO
  • “Superb” (A perfect 10)

• Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys, Board of Governors

Mr. Breakstone works tirelessly to ensure that his clients receive full and fair compensation as well as achieve the most favorable medical result. His significant recoveries include:

• $10.2 million for brain damaged baby due to ambulance negligence
• $7.5 million for a propane gas explosion and wrongful death
• $7.5 million for brain damaged baby due to medical malpractice
• $7.1 million for pedestrian leg amputation after run-down by MBTA bus
• $3 million for failure to diagnose and treat ovarian cancer
• $3 million head-on collision with semi-tractor trailer
• $2.05 million for failure to diagnose spinal cord injury
• $2 million for anesthesia error, brain damage and wrongful death
• $1.9 million for failure to diagnose and treat breast cancer
• $1.8 million for car crash and wrongful death of 87 year old
• $1.8 million for radiology malpractice and wrongful death
• $1.25 million for botched spinal fusion with nerve damage
• $1.2 million for construction accident leg amputation

The following are some examples of the cases which Breakstone, White & Gluck, P.C. (formerly Breakstone, White-Lief & Gluck, P.C.) has handled:

MASSACHUSETTS MEDICAL MALPRACTICE CASES–VERDICTS AND SETTLEMENTS

• Paramedic Negligence – Failure to Treat Infant with Febrile Seizures
  $10,200,000
• Medical Malpractice – Anesthesia Complications, Severe Infant Brain Injury
  $7,500,000
• Medical Malpractice – Ovarian Cancer, Wrongful Death
  $3,000,000
• Anesthesia Malpractice – Brain injury and wrongful death
  $2,040,000
• Medical Malpractice – Failure to Diagnose Neck Injury
  $2,030,000
• Medical Malpractice – Medication overdose, wrongful death
  $2,000,000
• Medical Malpractice – Failure to Diagnose Breast Cancer
  $1,900,000
• Radiology Malpractice – Wrongful Death – Undetected Cervical Fracture Leading to Quadriplegia and Death
  $1,800,000
• Medical Malpractice – Surgeon leaves operating room, nerve damage
  $1,250,000
• Medical Malpractice – Botched spinal fusion resulting in severe nerve damage
  $1,100,000
• Medical Negligence – Blindness from untreated sinus infection
  $1,000,000
• Medical Malpractice – Failed spinal fusion with reflex sympathetic dystrophy
  $800,000
• Medical Malpractice – Negligent failure to prevent suicide
  $675,000
• Psychiatric Medical Malpractice – Psychiatrist Mismanages Medication
  $550,000
• Medical Negligence – Failure to diagnose meningitis; wrongful death
  $550,000
• Negligent Prescription of Anti-Anxiety Medication – Stevens-Johnson Syndrome – Permanent Scarring
  $550,000
• Wrongful Death – Failure to diagnose respiratory distress
  $450,000
• Medical Negligence – Malpractice resulting in radial nerve injury
  $400,000
• Medical Negligence – Urinary tract (ureter) injury during hysterectomy
  $400,000
• Medical Malpractice – Failure to diagnose skin cancer on cheek
  $300,000

MASSACHUSETTS MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS–VERDICTS AND SETTLEMENTS

• Bus Accident – Bus Runs Over Pedestrian
  $7,100,000
• Motorcycle Accident – Motorcyclist suffers facial fractures, concussion and loss of vision in one eye
  $3,750,000
• Truck Accident – Tractor-Trailer Strikes Car, Severe Orthopedic Injuries
  $3,000,000
• Truck Accident – Car Struck by Truck, Plaintiff Suffers Multiple Injuries
  $2,500,000
• Automobile Accident – Chest Injuries, Wrongful Death
  $1,800,000
• Automobile Accident – Multiple Fractures
  $1,725,000
• Car Accident – Pedestrian suffered knee injury requiring multiple surgeries
  $1,200,000
• Car Accident – Pedestrian suffered head injury and leg fractures
  $1,100,000
• Motor Vehicle Accident – Plaintiff suffered multiple fractures, on-going disability
  $1,100,000
• Uninsured Motorist – Multiple Plaintiffs, Connecticut Case
  $1,018,500
• Car Accident – Restaurant serves drunk driver, severe skull fractures
  $1,000,000
• Automobile Accident – Multiple Fractures
  $1,000,000
• Automobile Accident – Leg Fracture and Psychological Injury
  $750,000
• Car Accident – Leg and Ankle Fractures
  $750,000
• Limousine Liability/Pedestrian-Car Crash – Severe Facial Injuries
  $697,000
• Personal Injury – High speed truck collision resulting in an automobile accident
  $575,000
• Car Accident – Head-on collision, traumatic brain injury
  $477,989

MASSACHUSETTS CONSTRUCTION SITE AND PREMISES LIABILITY CASES–VERDICTS AND SETTLEMENTS

• Propane Gas Explosion – Conscious pain and suffering, severe burn injuries, wrongful death
  $7,500,000
• Fire Pit Injury – Severe Burn Injuries Caused by Gasoline Thrown Into Fire
  $2,500,000, plus $500,000 previously paid directly to the plaintiff
• Crane Accident – Conscious pain and suffering and wrongful death
  $1,350,000
• Construction Site Accident – Lull Runs Over Foot, Below-The-Knee Amputation
  $1,200,000
• Premises Liability – Plaintiff suffers skull fractures when balcony rail collapses
  $900,000
• Premises Liability – Multiple fractures caused by stair collapse
  $900,000
• Premises Liability – Slip and Fall on Defective Stairs
  $445,000
• Construction Accident – Spinal fracture with surgery
  $390,000
• Construction Accident – Back Injury
  $350,000
• Construction Accident – Wrist Fracture
  $350,000

MASSACHUSETTS BICYCLE ACCIDENT CASES–VERDICTS AND SETTLEMENTS

• Massachusetts Bicycle Accident with Severe Orthopedic Injuries
  $250,000

MASSACHUSETTS PRODUCT LIABILITY CASES–VERDICTS AND SETTLEMENTS

• Product Liability – Defective Fitness Equipment – Negligence by Gym and Fitness Trainer
  $1,150,000
• Product Liability – Hand injury due to defective machine
  $180,000

MASSACHUSETTS SPINAL CORD INJURY CASES–VERDICTS AND SETTLEMENTS

• Spinal Cord Injury – Botched Spinal Fusion Resulting in Severe Nerve Damage
  $1,100,000
• Spinal Cord Injury – Failed Spinal Fusion with Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy
  $800,000

MASSACHUSETTS DOG ATTACK CASES–VERDICTS AND SETTLEMENTS

• Dog Bite – Severe face injury from dog bite, scarring, emotional distress
  $450,000
• Dog Bite – Bite on ankle of elderly woman leads to infection, sepsis, wrongful death
  $300,000
• Dog Attack – Eye Injury to Minor Plaintiff
  $200,000
• Bicycle Accident – Dog chases cyclist causing crash and multiple injuries
  $170,000

OTHER MASSACHUSETTS CASES–VERDICTS AND SETTLEMENTS

• Ski Accident – resulting in traumatic brain injury
  $800,000
• Insurance Bad Faith – Failure to Settle Automobile Accident Case
  $670,000
• Police Misconduct – Arbitration Award
  $517,486
• Product Liability – Severe Hand Injury Caused by Missing Guard
  $180,000
• Race Discrimination – Workplace employment discrimination case
  $130,904 with $108,774 in attorney fees