Colin Peterson

Partner

Justice must be available to all members of society. I help people from all walks of life obtain the justice that they deserve. I recognize that navigating the legal system can be confusing, stressful, and often emotional. My goal is to make my clients as comfortable as possible as I guide them on this journey. Gaining my clients’ trust and delivering life-changing justice are the greatest personal and professional rewards I could imagine. I am honored to make an impact in the lives of the well‑deserving clients that I serve.

Experience

Colin Peterson represents individuals who suffer catastrophic injuries and families who have lost loved ones as a result of negligent medical care. His practice is committed to giving a voice to ordinary people who are harmed by powerful healthcare corporations and holding wrongdoers accountable.  Colin is honored to help secure verdicts and settlements that make significant and long-lasting impacts in the lives of his clients.

Colin focuses on ensuring that injured individuals can live as comfortably and independently as possible.  As an advocate and a counselor, he guides his clients through what can often be an overwhelming and complex legal process. Colin prides himself on always being available to his clients to answer any questions and taking the time to explain each step in the litigation.

Colin lives with his wife Lisa and their young son. He enjoys biking on the many trails in the area, patronizing local restaurants and breweries, and is a long-suffering Minnesota sports fan.

Bar Admissions

  • Minnesota
  • North Dakota
  • U.S. District Court, Minnesota
  • U.S. District Court, North Dakota
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit

Medical Malpractice

Our goal is to help you put a difficult, frightening and painful time behind you. We seek out the truth in complex situations, and set the stage for fair restitution so you can move forward with the healing process.

Our medical malpractice and injury team

Selected Case Results

Obtained a $13.5 million settlement in a medical malpractice case that involved an injury to a patient’s upper extremities related to the use of restraints in a Minnesota hospital.

Settled a wrongful death case against a northern Minnesota hospital that failed to diagnose and treat massive internal bleeding in a 50-year-old woman following a routine back surgery. The hospital did not have the ability to repair the bleeding even though it was a known risk of the surgery. By the time the bleeding was diagnosed, there was very little time to accomplish the necessary transfer to another facility where the bleeding could be stopped. The transfer was frantic, chaotic, and ultimately the woman did not arrive at the accepting facility in time to save her life. This settlement combined with a previous settlement that had been obtained against the surgeon who performed the surgery, resulted in a total recovery of $1.3 million on behalf of the woman’s family.

Obtained a settlement for a three-year-old child who suffered a hypoxic brain injury during her birth. When labor stalled, the obstetrician made repeated attempts at a vacuum delivery. When these attempts failed, instead of ordering an immediate C-section, the obstetrician had the exhausted mother continue to push for another 30 minutes. During this time, the baby’s heart rate continued to drop and she was born in distress. An MRI confirmed that she had suffered a hypoxic brain injury which resulted in cerebral palsy, permanent neurological injuries, and developmental delays. This North Dakota case settled at mediation for $5.6 million, an amount that will allow the child’s parents to provide the care this child will require for the rest of her life.

Represented a 51-year-old Minnesota man who was paralyzed from the waist down following surgery for a perforated bowel. The man suffered a prolonged drop in blood pressure after receiving anesthesia, causing a critical lack of blood flow to his spinal cord that resulted in permanent damage and paralysis. After a nine-day trial, the jury found that the anesthesiologist’s negligence had contributed to the man’s injuries. The jury awarded $9.1 million, an amount that will allow him to live more independently and to receive rehabilitation that may eventually allow him to walk again.

Colin was part of the trial team representing a fifty-five year old woman who was paralyzed from the waist down as a result of a bleeding complication that took place during back surgery. The case against the hospital nursing staff was settled, and the case against the woman’s anesthesia providers proceeded to trial in Hennepin County. After a seven-day trial, the jury returned a verdict of $6.85 million; the recovery will allow the woman to enjoy high-quality care and be relatively independent for the rest of her life.

Represented a 59-year-old woman who had her arms and legs amputated after a Minnesota hospital failed to diagnose and treat an infection that led to septic shock. The $18,000,000 settlement will allow the woman to live as safely and independently as possible with advanced prosthetic technology.

Represented a little girl and her parents in a medical malpractice case involving a brain injury suffered during labor and delivery at a Minnesota hospital. During labor, the baby and her mother were being monitored using electronic fetal monitoring. Despite concerning changes on the monitoring indicating that the baby was under duress and wasn’t getting enough oxygen, labor was allowed to continue. Eventually—but far too late—an emergency cesarean section was performed. When the baby was born, she had no heart rate and required immediate resuscitation. She was diagnosed with a hypoxic ischemic brain injury. Though the little girl survived, she will require 24/7 care and supervision for the rest of her life. The $9,000,000 settlement has given the family the necessary resources to pay for their daughter’s extensive future care needs.

Represented a man in a medical malpractice case that involved an injury to the patient’s upper extremities related to the use of restraints in a Minnesota hospital. The case settled for $13.5 million.

Represented a 3-year-old child who suffered a hypoxic brain injury during her birth. When labor stalled, the obstetrician made repeated attempts at a vacuum delivery. When these attempts failed, instead of ordering an immediate C-section, the obstetrician had the exhausted mother continue to push for another 30 minutes. During this time, the baby’s heart rate continued to drop and she was born in distress. An MRI confirmed that she had suffered a hypoxic brain injury which resulted in cerebral palsy, permanent neurological injuries, and developmental delays. This North Dakota case settled at mediation for $5.6 million, an amount that will allow the child’s parents to provide the care this child will require for the rest of her life.

Represented a 51-year-old Minnesota man who was paralyzed from the waist down following surgery for a perforated bowel. The man suffered a prolonged drop in blood pressure after receiving anesthesia, causing a critical lack of blood flow to his spinal cord that resulted in permanent damage and paralysis. After a nine-day trial, the jury found that the anesthesiologist’s negligence had contributed to the man’s injuries. The jury awarded $9.1 million, an amount that will allow him to live more independently and to receive rehabilitation that may eventually allow him to walk again.

Member of the trial team representing a 55-year-old woman who was paralyzed from the waist down as a result of a bleeding complication that took place during back surgery. The case against the hospital nursing staff was settled, and the case against the woman’s anesthesia providers proceeded to trial in Hennepin County. After a seven‑day trial, the jury returned a verdict of $6.85 million. The recovery will allow the woman to enjoy high-quality care and be relatively independent for the rest of her life.

Represented the family of a 50-year-old woman in a wrongful death case against a northern Minnesota hospital that failed to diagnose and treat massive internal bleeding in a 50-year-old woman following a routine back surgery. The hospital did not have the ability to repair the bleeding even though it was a known risk of the surgery. By the time the bleeding was diagnosed, there was very little time to accomplish the necessary transfer to another facility where the bleeding could be stopped. The transfer was frantic, chaotic, and ultimately the woman did not arrive at the accepting facility in time to save her life. This settlement combined with a previous settlement that had been obtained against the surgeon who performed the surgery, resulted in a total recovery of $1.3 million on behalf of the woman’s family.

Represented the family of a 57-year-old chef and restauranteur in a wrongful death case against a Minnesota hospital. The man had been experiencing chest discomfort and went to the hospital for a cardiac evaluation including a stress test. Before the stress test began, an echocardiogram was taken of the man’s heart. The echocardiogram results showed that a stress test was contraindicated and it would be dangerous to proceed. This clear red flag was ignored, however, and the technician directed the patient to get on the treadmill and begin the stress test. Moments later, the patient lost consciousness and fell from the treadmill onto the ground, requiring immediate resuscitation. He had suffered a cardiac arrest as a result of the stress test which ultimately resulted in his death days later. The case settled for $2,000,000.

A settlement in the amount of $675,000 was reached in a North Dakota case involving a 43-year-old man who suffered a stroke shortly after being evaluated and discharged from a hospital emergency room.

Represented the parents of a little girl who died as a result of devastating injuries sustained during labor and delivery at a Minnesota hospital. The young mother became pregnant with her first child and received routine prenatal care from the hospital. After she went past her due date, the hospital scheduled an induction. During the induced labor, the baby and her mother were being monitored using electronic fetal monitoring. The mother was given a significant amount of labor inducing medications that placed the baby at higher risk for oxygen deprivation during labor. Despite this increased risk, the hospital failed to appropriately monitor the baby’s status and intervene when her status began to deteriorate. When the hospital finally realized it was time to act, they attempted a vacuum delivery which was unsuccessful. Instead of ordering an immediate cesarean section, the hospital allowed the mother to continue pushing for nearly an hour while the baby was clearly in trouble. By the time a cesarean section was ordered, it was too late. The case settled for $520,000.

Represented a patient who was set on fire during a routine electrocautery procedure to remove a small non-cancerous growth from his head. The anesthetist assisting with the procedure created a dangerous oxygen-rich environment in the surgical field which was ignited when electrocautery was used. The patient suffered second and third‑degree burns to his mouth, face, neck, and chest. The case settled for $375,000.

*Past results are reported to provide the reader with an indication of the type of litigation we practice. They do not and should not be construed to create an expectation of result in any other case, as all cases are dependent upon their own unique fact situation and applicable law.

Case results before 2019 were obtained while Colin was at his former firm.

Recognition

  • Named to “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America” for Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs,  Best Lawyers (2023)
  • Named to Lawdragon’s list of 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers (2022-2024)
  • Named a “Minnesota Rising Star,” Super Lawyers (2018-2022)
  • Named a “Top Young Attorney In Minnesota” by MPLS St. Paul Magazine (2019)

**Being named to the list or receiving the award is not intended and should not be viewed as comparative to other lawyers or to create an expectation about results that might be achieved in a future matter.

Community Service

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

Minnesota Associate for Justice

North Dakota Association for Justice

American Association for Justice

Articles

  • Obstetric Malpractice and Birth Injuries (January 11, 2016)
  • Born From Tragedy: A Movement to Reform Home Birth Policies (July 8, 2015)
  • Hospital “Never Events”: Retained Surgical Instruments and the Legal Consequences, Attorney at Law (July 17, 2013)

Speeches

  • What to do About Medicare Set-Asides, Minnesota Association for Justice, Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association, Minneapolis, Minnesota (April 20, 2017)