Senior Claims Attorney - Gainesville OR Jacksonville

University of Florida•Gainesville, FL

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Claims Attorney position may be located in Gainesville or Jacksonville and is responsible to the Deputy Administrator. The role supports the Self-Insurance Program (SIP) by receiving and evaluating incident reports, investigating and managing potential and asserted claims, coordinating presuit and litigation processes, identifying risks, and working with Loss Prevention staff to mitigate them. The position serves SIP participants across Florida, including universities, medical colleges, and affiliated facilities and programs. The incumbent reviews incidents for patient-care and healthcare-delivery improvement opportunities and potential claims, records reports in the Riskonnect database, conducts interviews and records reviews, analyzes events and outcomes, and ensures significant incidents are reported to appropriate SIP administration. The position also investigates claims, evaluates negligence, causation, and damages, presents claim summaries, recommends reserves, and advises SIP committees. The role manages assigned claims through investigation, presuit response, negotiation, settlement, denial, or defense, and oversees cases through litigation. Duties include coordinating discovery, retaining experts, preparing witnesses, developing defense strategies, assisting outside counsel, and participating in significant hearings, depositions, mediations, and trials. The incumbent monitors reserves and payments to ensure they remain within authorized limits. The position collaborates with Loss Prevention staff to identify risk factors and recommend mitigation activities; provides guidance about patient-care liabilities and protocols; conducts educational programs and presentations for healthcare providers; and supports healthcare providers facing administrative proceedings related to their licenses, including facilitating procurement of legal counsel. Extensive travel is required, including travel throughout the United States and occasionally to foreign countries. Attorneys licensed in Florida may also prepare and represent witnesses in certain presuit proceedings and perform legal research, prepare legal memoranda and responses, and prepare witnesses for trial.

Requirements

Law degree (L.L.B. or J.D.).
Three years of experience in the legal, medical, or health care fields.
Extensive travel is required, including travel throughout the United States and occasionally in foreign countries.
Applicants must upload a cover letter and resume to be considered.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of tort law, healthcare systems, and risk-management techniques.
Medical malpractice claims-handling experience.
Ability to perform under great pressure in a multitasking environment.
Competency in medical research and internet research skills.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Ability to interact with individuals of all social and economic backgrounds.
Florida law license for attorney-specific duties.

Responsibilities

Receive, process, investigate, and disposition incident reports referred to the Self-Insurance Program; document incidents in Riskonnect and notify appropriate administrators of significant incidents.
Conduct interviews, records reviews, and information analysis to establish incident chronologies and outcomes and identify patient-care improvement opportunities or potential claims.
Identify, investigate, analyze, and evaluate medical, legal, and fiscal issues related to potential or asserted claims against SIP participants.
Conduct factual investigations and evaluate claims for negligence, causation, and compensable damages.
Prepare claims summaries and reports, present information to SIP committees, and recommend indemnity and allocated-loss-expense reserves.
Manage and resolve assigned claims through denial, settlement, or defense, including timely presuit responses, information production, negotiations, and discovery.
Retain experts, prepare witnesses, participate in unsworn statements and presuit discovery, and monitor reserves and payments against authorized limits.
Manage claims litigation, including investigation, discovery responses, case tracking, defense strategy, expert retention, witness preparation, and coordination with outside counsel.
Assist in selecting outside legal counsel and participate in significant hearings, depositions, mediations, and trials.
Identify claim-related risk factors, collaborate with Loss Prevention staff, recommend risk mitigation, and assist with follow-up on loss-prevention programs.
Provide immediate-access advice and assistance on patient-care liabilities and loss-prevention protocols; conduct educational programs and presentations for healthcare providers.
Provide investigative and administrative management for healthcare providers involved in license-related administrative proceedings and facilitate procurement of legal counsel.
When licensed to practice law in Florida and appropriately approved, prepare witnesses for presuit unsworn statements, represent covered entities at unsworn statements and depositions, prepare legal memoranda and responses, conduct legal research, and prepare witnesses for trial.
Travel to meet with and prepare expert witnesses and attend depositions throughout the United States and occasionally in foreign countries.