Steve has over 40 years of civil trial experience and has tried over a hundred jury trials for both defendants and plaintiffs. His practice includes commercial litigation, professional liability, wrongful death, defective products, bank litigation, construction litigation, and insurance and coverage cases.

Steve has obtained many seven-figure jury verdicts and two eight-figure verdicts, including his $12 million jury verdict in a landmark case involving blood products litigation. He has represented multiple insurance companies as well as individual litigants and has tried cases throughout Ohio in both state and federal courts. 

Always in demand as an arbitrator and mediator, Steve once served as Counsel to the Ohio State Medical Board and served as a hearing officer for Ohio's various professional licensure and regulatory boards.  He frequently defends public entities and counties throughout Ohio, including an extensive Section 1983 practice in federal courts.

His trial results have twice been featured in the American Bar Association Journal and he has appeared in multiple appellate courts, as well the Ohio Supreme Court.

Experience
Conducting both plaintiff and defense cases can assist a trial lawyer in understanding and addressing the issues unique to both sides of a trial. Steve Teetor has tried many civil jury trials to verdict. Below is a sampling of a dozen plaintiff cases and a dozen defense cases he has tried.

Services & Industries

• Litigation
• Public Law
• Business
• Insurance

Education

• Capital University Law School, J.D., 1977
• The Ohio State University, B.S., Business Administration, 1974

Bar & Court Admissions

• Ohio, 1977
• Washington, D.C., 1979
• U.S. District Courts, Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio
• United States Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit

Case Studies

• Case Name: Judy Jeanne v. Hawkes, Franklin County Common Pleas, Case Number: 87CV-03-1669
  • Jury trial regarding AIDS-tainted blood transfusions. Settled with two defendants, followed by $12 million dollar jury verdict against hospital. Reduced to $8.2 million and affirmed on appeal.
• Case Name: Mill Valley v. Embanque, Union County Common Pleas, Case Number: 90-CV-086
  • Jury verdict against Bank for $11.2 million dollars for breach of contract and fiduciary duties regarding housing development loan.
• Case Name: Dennis v. BancOhio, Perry County Common Pleas, Case Number: 18738
  • Verdict for farmer against Bank for $1,039,032.02 for breach of fiduciary duties in Perry County.
• Case Name: Kassulke v. City of Chillicothe, Ross County Common Pleas, Case Number: 81-CI-129
  • Wrongful death case against City. Jury verdict of $1 million dollars reduced to $800,000 due to decedent’s contributory negligence.
• Case Name: Burke & Troilo v. BancOhio, Franklin County Common Pleas, Case Number: 84CV-04-2022
  • Verdict of $830,000 ($100,000 punitive damages) against Bank for breach of contract and fiduciary duties and wrongful arrest.
• Case Name: Physicians Ins. Capital v. Praesidium, USDC, ND, ED, Case Number: 4: 12-cv-1789
  • Confirmation of $2 million dollar arbitration award in Cleveland regarding securities violations concerning investment made in malpractice insurance company.
• Case Name: Hague v. Lewis, Hamilton County Common Pleas, Case Number: A 9402685
  • Jury verdict for $1.6 million dollars in Cincinnati (reduced to $970,000 for contributory negligence) against physician for failure to timely diagnose a spinal epidural abscess.
• Case Name: LeMaster v. Huntington, Franklin County Common Pleas, Case Number: 93CVH2-8876
  • Verdict against Bank for $400,000 ($115,000 punitives) for handling of bank loan.
• Case Name: DeVolld v. Schmitz, Court: Franklin County Common Pleas, Case Number: 01CVH10-9876
  • Jury verdict for $701,648.88 (reduced to $385,905.78 for contributory negligence) based on wrongful death on construction site.
• Case Name: Ralph Hamilton, Clinton County Common Pleas (referred to arbitration)
  • $1.2 million dollar binding arbitration award confirmed due to hip injury to young man from auto accident.
• Case Name: Page v. Adena, Highland County Common Pleas, Case Number 11CV-0397
  • $374,421.18 verdict against physician in Highland County who failed to detect or remove glass from a woman’s ankle.
• Case Name: Oiler v. Wilke, Ross County Common Pleas
  • $200,000 malpractice verdict against physician who transfused HIV infection to woman during platelet transfusion.
• Case Name: Aetna v. Colbert, Franklin County Common Pleas, Case Number: 12-CV-007968
  • Directed verdict for defense of State of Ohio regarding roughly $8 billion dollars of Medicaid contracts. Lead counsel; nine parties.
• Case Name: Middleport v. Brown-Minneapolis, USDC, SD, ED, Case Number: 2: 92-cv-00612
  • Defense verdict concerning collapse of heated asphalt storage tank on the Ohio river. Claims of UCC and product liability.
• Case Name: Great American Ins. Co. v. Stover, Court: Franklin County Common Pleas, Case Number: 07CVH05-5997
  • Defense verdict in $4.5 million dollar bond claim against party alleged to having signed an indemnity contract for insurer.
• Case Name: Superior v. Commerce & Industry, USDC, ND, ED, Case Number: 1: 00-cv-725
  • Defense jury verdict for insurer in case alleging bad faith relating to settlement of $12 million dollar sewer collapse.
• Case Name: Giles v. American Select, Union County Common Pleas, Case Number: 92CV132
  • Defense verdict for insurer over claims from fire loss. Verdict on counterclaim against plaintiff-insured for $212,000.
• Case Name: Brumbaugh v. Nationwide, Court: Logan County Common Pleas, Case Number: CV-11-04-0145
  • Defense verdict for insurance company on allegations of breach of contract and bad faith due to fire loss.
• Case Name: Leggett v. National Union, Tuscarawas County Common Pleas, Case Number: 2001CV06-0299
  • Verdict for defendant insurance company on direct action claim by brain damaged 22 year old seeking $50 million dollars of underinsured coverage.
• Case Name: Bulger v. Schild, Franklin County Common Pleas
  • Admitted liability auto accident. Offer of $50,000, and verdict for plaintiff for zero damages.
• Case Name: Moore v. Burlington, USDC, SD, ED, Case Number: 2: 94-cv-00195
  • Clear liability truck/car accident causing RSD (reflex sympathetic dystrophy) and four surgeries. Jury verdict less than $30,000 after plaintiff rejected six figure offer.
• Case Name: Baltes v. Eramo, Franklin County Common Pleas, Case Number: 92CV002892
  • Physician sues claiming $1.7 million in lost income due to auto accident in admitted liability case. Jury awarded only $17,500.
• Case Name: Michaels v. Gudenkauf, Franklin County Common Pleas, Case Number:95 CVC 06-4296
  • Plaintiff claims permanent injuries from fall due to construction. Defense verdict.
• Case Name: Moretti v. Steve Troilo, Franklin County Common Pleas, Case Number: 96CV009836
  • Contract claims against client. Defense verdict.

Professional & Community Activities

• Defense Research Institute
• Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys
• Ohio State Bar Association
• Columbus Bar Association

Honors

• AV – Preeminent Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell
• Ohio Super Lawyers®, 2007, 2009-2019
• The Best Lawyers in America®, Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Insurance, 2011-2020
• The Best Lawyers in America®, "Lawyer of the Year" Litigation - Insurance, 2018
• Golden Gavel Award, 2008, 2009, 2012
• Who’s Who in American Law, 2010-2011
• Who’s Who Worldwide Registry, 2012
• US News, Best Law Firms, 2010
• ABA Journal, Record AIDS Verdict, June 1990
• ABA Journal, Lender Liability Verdict, 1987
• Member, American Board of Trial Advocates (by invitation only)
• Member, American College of Trial Lawyers (by invitation only)