Biography
Douglas W. Lehrer is an insurance trial lawyer and shareholder with the law firm of Matthiesen, Wickert & Lehrer, S.C. Doug’s insurance defense practice spans the spectrum of insurance-related issues, including defending insureds and their insurers in response to claims of personal injury, property damage and wrongful death. Doug’s experience includes the handling of countless lawsuits arising out of automobile collisions, slip and falls, product liability claims, toxic tort claims and construction and work site accidents. Doug’s insurance defense practice includes numerous defense verdicts following trial. Doug has also had a long history of representing insurance companies on all types of insurance coverage disputes as well as defending insurers in response to claims of bad faith.
In addition to his insurance defense practice, Doug has extensive experience in litigating various insurance subrogation matters. Doug’s subrogation practice includes the pursuing of property damage claims, fire loss subrogation, health (including both ERISA and non-ERISA) subrogation and workers’ compensation subrogation in Wisconsin and throughout the United States. One of Doug’s national clients includes one of the nation’s largest homebuilders, for whom he is able to recover millions annually in contribution and additional insured claims. Doug has also lectured extensively before insurance company representatives as well as other professional organizations around the country on various insurance-related issues.
Doug was named a 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 Super Lawyer for Civil Litigation: Defense by the Wisconsin Super Lawyers Magazine, an award given only to the top 5% of lawyers in the State.
Fun Fact
In his free time, Doug enjoys planning tennis, skiing and boating with his wife and two teenage sons, Eli and Zach. Doug is also an avid fan of the Green Bay Packers, the Milwaukee Brewers, the Milwaukee Bucks and the Wisconsin Badgers.
Education
- Creighton University School of Law, Omaha, Nebraska, 1993, J.D.
- University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1990
Bar Admissions
Wisconsin, 1993
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Wisconsin, 1996
- U.S. District Court Western District of Wisconsin, 1996
Memberships
- Washington County Bar Association, Member
- Waukesha County Bar Association, Member
- Defense Research Institute (DRI), Member
- Civil Trial Counsel of Wisconsin (CTCW), Member
- Claims Litigation Management (CLM), Member
- Hartford Area Development Corporation (HADC), Board Member
Reported Decisions
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Czarnecki, Neil (Murphy, Kellie) v. Erie Insurance Exchange, et al., 3:13-cv-00698, No. 80 (W.D. Wis., Sept. 22, 2014) (Represented self-funded ERISA Plan and successfully argued before the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin 100% recovery of over $525,000).
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Rico v. Midwest Security Ins. Co., 277 Wis.2d 873 (Ct. App. 2004). (This is an appeal following a jury trial that I handled where the jury found the plaintiff 80% negligent despite the fact that she was rear-ended by my client. The plaintiff argued on appeal that there was insufficient evidence to support a defense verdict. I successfully argued on appeal that there was sufficient evidence to support a defense verdict and the case was properly dismissed.).
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Perra v. Menomonee Mut. Ins. Co., 2000 WI App 215, 239 Wis. 2d 26, 619 N.W.2d 123. (Successfully argued that employment classifications of child labor regulation establishing minimum age for hazardous employment were exclusive and exhaustive thus affirming dismissal of action).
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Andrew William Schilling v. Employers Mutual Casualty Company (Appeal Number 1996AP002165), 212 Wis.2d 878 (Ct. App. 1997) (Successfully argued on behalf of Darlington High School and Darlington School District that a high school student was not a third-party beneficiary of an employment contract between the school district and one of its teachers. That decision overruled a Trial Court holding that the student could recovery up to the $1,000,000 policy limits on a breach of contract claim).
Published Books
- Fundamentals of Insurance Coverage In All 50 States (Fourth Edition), National Treatise, Juris Publishing, Inc., New York, Annually Updated. ISBN: 978-1-57823-338-0, 2013.
Speaking Engagements
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U.S. Product Liability Law and Developments – November 24, 2017 – Seminar presented at 2017 USA Product Liability Insurance Conference in Taipei, Taiwan.
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FEHBA Subrogation Update 2017 – March 2, 2017 – MWL webinar presented to the public.
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Bad Faith Litigation – February 22, 2011 – MWL webinar presented to the public.
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Construction Defect Subrogation – September 16, 2010 – MWL webinar presented to the public.
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The Red-Haired Step-Children: Subrogating Fully-Insured ERISA and Non-ERISA Employee Welfare Benefit Plans – November 14, 2005 – Seminar presented at 2005 National Association of Subrogation Professionals (NASP) Conference in Austin, Texas.
Areas of Practice
Appellate Arbitration (Arb Forums, Auto, Property, Special, No-Fault, NY PIP) Automobile Collision, Med Pay and PIP Complex and Large Loss Property Construction Defect and Warranty Claims Defense Litigation ERISA, Medicare Advantage, and Health Insurance Subrogation Explosion Cases Fire & Casualty Large Loss Property Subrogation Health Insurance Lien Filings in Workers’ Compensation Claims Hospital and Healthcare Provider Lien Filing Insurance Contribution and Equitable Indemnity Insurance Coverage Natural Disaster, Flood, and Wildfire Subrogation Premises Liability Product Liability and Product Recall State, County, and Municipal Government Liability Structural Collapses and Failures Trucking and Downtime Claims Uninsured Motorist / Underinsured Motorist Workers’ Compensation SubrogationRecent Posts
- Wisconsin UM/UIM Carrier Cannot Reduce Payments By Amount of Reimbursed Workers’ Compensation Benefits
- THE BUCK STOPS THERE: Health Plan Lien Reimbursement From Workers’ Compensation Claims
- Wisconsin Supreme Court Clarifies Event Triggering Notice-of-Claim Requirement In UIM Policy
- Wisconsin Court Of Appeals Reminds Insurance Carriers To Seek Judicial Determination Of No Coverage Before Denying Tender Of Defense
- Supreme Court Upholds FEHBA Subrogation Rights Over State Law