Liz McLafferty

For the entirety of her career, Liz has advocated for those injured by the wrongful acts of others. Known for her compassionate approach and meticulous preparation, Liz represents clients through some of the most difficult moments of their lives. She focuses her work primarily on medical negligence, product liability, wrongful death, and serious personal injury. Liz’s product liability litigation experience ranges from automobile defects to consumer products.

Born and raised in the Seattle area, Liz earned dual undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Political Science from Western Washington University, graduating with honors. She went on to receive her J.D., cum laude, from Seattle University School of Law. During law school, she served as a law clerk extern to the Honorable Ricardo S. Martinez at the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.

Liz is recognized as a leader in Washington’s plaintiffs’ bar. She serves on the Board of Governors for the Washington State Association for Justice and has authored numerous articles and publications focused on medical negligence and product liability litigation, including contributions to the WSAJ Product Liability Deskbook and Medical Negligence Deskbook.

Her professional accomplishments have earned statewide recognition, including selection to Washington Super Lawyers. She maintains a perfect 10.0 “Superb” rating on Avvo.

Clients and colleagues alike value Liz for her strategic advocacy, responsiveness, and unwavering commitment to achieving justice for injured individuals and their families.

$5.5+ million personal injury settlement for injury on a construction site.

$4.8 million medical malpractice settlement for failure to diagnose cardiac arrest.

$3 million settlement for medical negligence involving mismanagement of heparin-induced
thrombocytopenia (HIT), resulting in amputation.

$2.5 million medical malpractice settlement for a failure to diagnose a specific medical emergency.

$1.8 million medical malpractice settlement in a failure to diagnose a perforation case.

Confidential settlement for injuries resulting from the Amtrak 501 train derailment in Dupont, WA.

Confidential product liability settlement for injuries to a toddler caused by a button battery.

Confidential settlement in nursing home/medical malpractice matter for failing to check a patient’s INR
levels, resulting in a brain bleed and death.

Confidential product liability settlement on behalf of a young woman who was catastrophically injured when a vehicle’s roof collapsed in an accident.

Confidential product liability settlement on behalf of a 7-year old girl who was catastrophically injured in an accident by her lap-only seat belt.

Confidential product liability settlement for wrongful death of a 17-year old boy resulting from a tire tread separation.

Confidential product liability settlement for wrongful death of a man due to a defective tire and door latch.

Confidential medical malpractice settlement for injury resulting when the surgeon operated on the wrong location of a woman’s cervical spine.

2025, Speaker on Medical Malpractice Meets Discrimination, WSAJ Conference

2025, Medical Malpractice Meets Discrimination: Navigating Dual Claims Under Washington Law, Trial News, Washington State Association of Justice

2024, Don’t Miss the HIT: The dangers of not timely catching or appropriately treating heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, Trial News, Washington State Association of Justice

2023, Co-Chair & Speaker, WSAJ Product Liability Conference

2022, Speaker on Defective Vehicles, Spring Conference

2021, Motions Practice Chapter, co-author, WSAJ Medical Malpractice Deskbook

2020, Winter Conference Co-Chair, Washington State Association for Justice

2018, Constellation Nebula: How ACOG sets birth trauma causation criteria to defeat malpractice claims, Trial News, Washington State Association for Justice

2017, E-Cigs: Bombs in Your Mouth, Trial News, Washington State Association for Justice

2016, The Bair Hugger: Infecting Unsuspecting Patients Nationwide, Colorado Trial Lawyer Association publication

2015, Moderator, WSAJ Winning with Witnesses CLE

2015, Takata recalls millions of airbags due to shrapnel ejection potential, Trial News, Washington State Association for Justice

2014, Product Liability 30(b)(6) Witnesses Book Chapter, co-author, WSAJ Product Liability Deskbook

2014, Roof crush leads to Jeep Liberty passenger’s catastrophic injury, Trial News, Washington State Association for Justice

2014, The Rise of Button Battery Injuries, AIEG Voice, Attorneys Information Exchange Group

2013, Toyota sudden unintended acceleration, Trial News, Washington State Association for Justice