Joe Bednarz, Sr., Trial Lawyer Serving Hendersonville, TN

Joe Bednarz, Sr., spent 22 years on active duty in the United States Army before becoming a lawyer in 1981. He served with the 101st Airborne Division, the 508th Airborne Regimental Combat Team, the 173rd Airborne Brigade, and also served as a Green Beret in the 3rd, 5th, and 6th Special Forces groups. He served two tours of duty in Vietnam. The first tour was with the 173rd Airborne Brigade in 1965 and 1966, and the second tour of duty was as a Green Beret with the 5th Special Forces group in 1969 and 1970. He retired from the United States Army as a Master Sergeant in 1978.

Mr. Bednarz graduated from Methodist College, summa cum laude, in 1973 and received a J.D. from the Nashville School of Law in 1981. Over the past 33 years, he has focused his practice primarily on helping people who have been the victims of negligence. He has handled all types of personal injury cases, including automobile accidents, trucking cases, plane crashes, medical malpractice, and product liability. (See list of cases and reported cases). He is also an instrument-rated pilot who has handled aviation cases involving wrongful death.

Experience in Recreational Vehicle and Product Liability Litigation

During his law career, he developed a special interest in recreational vehicle litigation because of the large number of children who were being severely injured.

He has been lead counsel in numerous ATV cases. His work contributed to the manufacturers entering into a consent decree and taking three-wheelers off the market, as well as better warnings and training for four-wheelers. He has been lead counsel in crash-worthiness cases against Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler. He has handled scores of medical malpractice cases, which include birth trauma, wrongful death, failure to diagnose, medication errors, etc.

He has been a continuous member of the Nashville Bar Association since 1981 and a constant member of the American Association for Justice and the Tennessee Association for Justice.

In 2013, he received the Paladin Award from the Tennessee Association for Justice, which is an award reserved for members of the association who have demonstrated superior skills and achieved an outstanding result for a client against significant obstacles and who have worked tirelessly to combat the significant threats to the civil justice system.