Kate devotes most of her practice to medical malpractice, long-term care and dental malpractice defense. She also does significant work in the Health Law and the Health Care Governmental Compliance practice groups, including HIPPA/HITECH and a variety of other health law and compliance issues. She has handled approximately 700 cases, with nearly 70 trials and a 95 percent defense verdict rate. Several of her cases ended in verdicts or settlements significantly below the settlement demand.
Kate has represented physicians from almost every specialty in health care liability matters. She has represented Community Health Systems through Pottstown Memorial Medical Center, Universal Health Services, Inc. through Central Montgomery Medical Center, Abington Memorial Hospital on behalf of Cassatt, and Doylestown Hospital.
Kate graduated from Immaculata College with a degree in English. Following graduation, she taught at several high schools in the Philadelphia area. Kate began attending Villanova University Law School in 1986 and graduated in 1989. After graduation, she immediately began working at Marshall Dennehey in the medical malpractice group in the firm's Norristown, Pennsylvania, office and has continued to be extremely active in this area of the law, taking a number of cases to successful verdict.
Kate has lectured for various hospitals and organizations in Pennsylvania, including Pottstown Memorial Medical Center, North Penn Hospital and the Pennsylvania Society of Health Care Risk Managers. She has also made presentations for the Inns of Court of America for the Montgomery Bar Association's Medical Legal Committee.
Significant Representative Matters
· Through use of multiple medical experts, vocational experts and life care planners, as well as Frye Motions, Kate was able to bring a demand of $7 million down to a settlement of $500,000 in a case of clear liability in which a pediatric anesthesiologist claimed that she was never able to work again.
· Defense verdict in case brought by an Ob/Gyn claiming she could never work again because of a fall in the operating room. The demand was $5 million.
· Defense verdict in a case brought by the widow of a 31-year-old father of two who died from a pulmonary embolus. The demand was $4 million.
· Defense verdict in a case involving the death of a 48-year-old woman from a pulmonary embolus. The demand was $3 million.
· Defense verdict in failure to diagnose colon cancer. This case had a $3 million demand.
· Kate handled the defense of a national tissue processor in a class action matter.
Published Works
· "Professional Liability Insurance: You Get What You Pay For," Physician's News Digest, March 2008
· "Floodgates Not Opened By A Physician's Violation of Reporting Statute," Defense Digest, Dec. Vol. 5, No. 6, 1999
· "U.S. Court of Appeals Strictly Interprets Pennsylvania Law Regarding Production of Psychiatric Records," Defense Digest, April 1996
· "The Emerging AIDS Arena: Confrontation in the Courts," Defense Digest, Spring 1994
· "The Emerging AIDS Arena: Confrontation in the Courts," Counterpoint, October 1994
Classes/Seminars Taught
· MCARE Act presentations to St. Paul Insurance Company, Chubb Executive Risk, AIG, and CHS
· Update on MCARE Issues, presented to One Beacon Insurance Group, September 2011
· Issues In Long-Term Care Practice, presented to Chartis Insurance Group, July 2010
· The Anatomy of a Med Mal Law Suit, presented to Markel Insurance Group, July 2010
· Primer on MCARE, presented to One Beacon Insurance Company, June 2010
· Medicare as Secondary Payor, presentation to ACE Insurance Company, June 2010
· The MMSEA-SCHIP Act and Responsibilities of Defendants and RRE's, Presented to Zurich Insurance Company, February 16, 2010
· Never Events in Medical Malpractice, presentation to staff of AIG Healthcare, April 2008
· Mock Jury Trial, ASHRM Conference, November 2006
· Frye Motions, Substantive-Procedural Issues, Inns of Court of America, June 1999
· Sentinel Events in the Age of Performance Improvement, PASHRM, April 1999
· Joint Tortfeasor Releases, CLE - Pennsylvania Insurance Institute, March 1999
· Informed Consent & Hospital Response, Pottstown Memorial Medical Center, Fall 1997
· Documentation Issues & Medical Records, Pottstown Memorial Medical Center, Fall 1996
Past Employment Positions
· Northeast Catholic High School for Boys, teacher, 1978-1986
· St. Hubert's High School for Girls, teacher, 1970-1972
Associations & Memberships
· American Board of Trial Advocates
· Montgomery County Bar Association
· Pennsylvania Bar Association
Honors & Awards
· AV® Preeminent™ by LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell
· Montgomery County Trial Lawyer of the Year, 2010
Year Joined Organization: 1989
Publications
A Message From Our Board of Directors
Defense Digest Article · March 1, 2011
It is with great pleasure and pride that I write to update you regarding the developments in our Health Care Liability Practice Group at Marshall, Dennehey, Warner, Coleman & Goggin. Over the past five years, our attorney "bench,"..., Defense Digest, Vol. 17, No. 1, March 2011
On the Pulse...Profile of Our Health Care Liability Department
Defense Digest Article · June 1, 2010
Marshall, Dennehey, Warner, Coleman & Goggin has been providing defense representation in the area of healthcare liability for over 40 years. Presently, the members of our Healthcare Liability Department are handling over 2,000 medical..., Defense Digest, Vol. 16, No. 2, June 2010
News
Kate McGrath (King of Prussia, PA), Kevin FitzPatrick (King of Prussia, PA) and Jeff Bates (Philadelphia, PA) presented a seminar to representatives of OneBeacon Insurance Group in Connecticut
October 1, 2011
Kate McGrath (King of Prussia, PA), Kevin FitzPatrick (King of Prussia, PA) and Jeff Bates (Philadelphia, PA) presented a seminar to representatives of OneBeacon Insurance Group in Connecticut. Topics included updates on the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error Act (MCARE), MCARE Fund...