Kate D. Spinelli

Kate Spinelli focuses her practice in complex civil defense litigation. She has assisted in successfully litigating and resolving numerous cases alleging wrongful death, catastrophic personal injury, products liability, premises liability, and professional liability. She is also skilled in nursing home and long-term care litigation. Prior to joining Weinberg Wheeler Hudgins Gunn & Dial in 2011, Kate was an associate with a full-service law firm in New York. She is admitted to practice in Florida, New York and New Jersey. 

• Obtained voluntary dismissal by Plaintiffs for global leader in the beverage industry in tractor-trailer collision, resulting in a cost judgment affirmed on appeal.  Clarke-Morales v. Coca-Cola Refreshments USA, Inc., 271 So.3d 1128 (Fla. 3d DCA 2019).
• Successfully petitioned Florida’s First District Court of Appeals for a writ of certiorari on behalf of a defendant in a personal injury lawsuit, where the plaintiffs attempted to compel production of the defendant’s expert’s opinions regarding causation between the subject motor vehicle accident and plaintiff’s surgery.  SCI Funeral Services v. Walthour, 165 So. 3d 861 (Fla. 1st DCA 2015). 
• Successfully defended insurance company in two-week class action jury trial involving claims of independent contractor misclassification under ERISA involving approximately 7,000 class members.
• Obtained summary judgment in multiple premises liability lawsuits involving catastrophic injuries.
• Obtained summary judgment in property damage lawsuit stemming from a multi-vehicle collision.
• Obtained summary judgment in toxic mold wrongful death lawsuit.
• Obtained dismissal with prejudice of negligent security lawsuit involving alleged assault and robbery.
• Assisted in the defense of product manufacturer against claims of design defect and failure to warn involving catastrophic injuries. 
• Assisted in the defense of premises owner in wrongful death claim stemming from fall from ride.
• Obtained numerous rulings striking experts under Daubert.
• Assists in the defense of drivers and transportation companies/employers involving catastrophic accidents, resulting in fatalities/multiple injuries, through and including trial.

Super Lawyers®, Florida Rising Stars List, Personal Injury Defense: General, 2017-2019