Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala PLLC

11 Best Lawyers awards

Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala PLLC logo

Awarded Practice Areas

Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs

Biography

Darrell has won hundreds of cases and negotiated millions of dollars in settlements for his clients. He’s taken on and defeated some of the most powerful corporations, religious organizations, government agencies, school districts and many other entities for his clients. He’s brought the fight for justice all the way to the US Supreme Court, and won. He’s also served as co-counsel – often taking the lead at trial in the courtroom – for attorneys across the country who’ve retained him to deliver victory in a wide range of cases including catastrophic injury, product liability, sexual abuse, insurance bad faith and more.

Darrell is known for his fierce and tireless dedication to serving his clients. He stands by them not only throughout a case – sometimes taking years – but remains a close and trusted ally even after. His values and work ethic shine as he forges deep relationships with those he stands up for. Compassion and caring are at the core of his practice. And he’s assembled an expert team of legal professionals to support and nurture every client, while confidently shepherding them through the often-intimidating and challenging legal process.

Darrell has earned a national reputation as a highly-respected leader in the legal community. He’s appeared for argument in the US Supreme Court, and argued cases in the US Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, Washington State Supreme Court and all of its appellate divisions. He testifies and lobbies the Washington State Legislature regularly, advocating for legislation on behalf of victims rights and other key issues. And he served as an Adjunct Professor teaching product liability in the Seattle University School of Law.

Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala PLLC

11 Best Lawyers awards

Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala PLLC logo

Overview

  • University of Washington, Political Science, Communications, graduated 1990
  • The University of Michigan Law School, J.D., graduated 1993

  • Washington, Washington State Bar Association
  • Oregon, Oregon State Bar
  • New York, New York State Bar Association

  • King County Bar Association - Member
  • Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association - Member
  • American Bar Association - Member
  • Washington State Supreme Court Pattern Jury Instruction Committee - Member
  • Justice for All PAC - Board Member
  • Washington State Association for Justice (WSAJ) - President (2017-2018); Board of Directors
  • Damage Attorney’s Round Table - Member
  • Law360’s 2021 Personal Injury Editorial Advisory Board - Board Member
  • Litigation Counsel of America™ - Senior Fellow
  • American Board of Trial Advocates - Member
  • American Association for Justice - Member

  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit
  • Washington, Washington State Bar Association
  • Oregon, Oregon State Bar
  • New York, New York State Bar Association
  • King County Bar Association - Member
  • Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association - Member
  • American Bar Association - Member
  • Washington State Supreme Court Pattern Jury Instruction Committee - Member
  • Justice for All PAC - Board Member
  • Washington State Association for Justice (WSAJ) - President (2017-2018); Board of Directors
  • Damage Attorney’s Round Table - Member
  • Law360’s 2021 Personal Injury Editorial Advisory Board - Board Member
  • Litigation Counsel of America™ - Senior Fellow
  • American Board of Trial Advocates - Member
  • American Association for Justice - Member
  • University of Washington, Political Science, Communications, graduated 1990
  • The University of Michigan Law School, J.D., graduated 1993
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit

Client Testimonials

Awards & Focus

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2025 - Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs, Seattle (2025)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
  • Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs
  • Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs
  • Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
Awards:
  • National Association for Legal Support Professionals – Pierce County – voted “Boss of the Year”

  • Selected to Thomson Reuters Washington Super Lawyers, 2001–2023

  • Washington State Association for Justice, Trial Lawyer of the Year, 2015

  • Selected to Thomson Reuters Washington Super Lawyers, Top 100, 2015–2023

  • The Best Lawyers in America®, Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs; Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, 2022–2023

  • National Law Journal, Litigation Trailblazer, 2020

  • National Law Journal, Plaintiffs’ Attorney Trailblazer, 2022

  • The American Lawyer, West Trailblazer, 2022

  • Washington State Association for Justice (formerly Washington State Trial Lawyer Association), Trial Lawyer of the Year 2015

  • Washington State Association for Justice, President’s Award, 2022

  • Martindale-Hubbell – AV Preeminent rating

Case History

Cases
  • $95M+ Class Action Verdict
Class action total judgment from a $57 million jury verdict and pre-judgment and post-judgment interest for 22,000 homecare workers, believed to be the largest class action verdict against Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) of its kind
  • $91M Verdict
Represented Plaintiffs’ law firm to handle appellate work for its $91 million verdict and assisted with eventual settlement.
  • $90M Sexual Abuse Settlements
Total in child sexual abuse settlements with Washington State DSHS and Kiwanis Vocational Home defendants
  • $60M Wrongful Death Settlements
Wrongful death settlement with the State of Washington and timber company for deaths in the Oso landslide of 2014
  • $50M+ Sexual Abuse Settlements
In settlements arising from the OK Boys Ranch group home sexual abuse cases
  • $25M Sexual Abuse Settlement
Covenant judgment settlement arising from sexual abuse at the Olympia Early Learning Center
  • $22M Wrongful Death Jury Verdict
Wrongful death jury verdict against Washington State Department of Corrections (DOC) for negligent parole supervision
  • $18.5M Class Action Settlement
Settlement in class action cases against the Business Computer Training Institute
  • $16.95M Sexual Abuse Settlement
Settlement in child sex abuse case against Washington State Department of Social and Health Services
  • $15M Wrongful Death Verdict
Verdict in wrongful death case against DOC for negligent parole supervision
  • $10M Medical Malpractice Verdict
Verdict in medical malpractice suit for 17-year-old who suffered a stroke
  • $10.3M Jury Verdict
Jury verdict against DSHS, $4.8 million in settlements against King County and a store owner for a teenage boy who suffered brain damage when beaten by violent foster children at a gas station
  • $10M Settlement
Settlement in a premises liability case against a private business owner and a security company
  • $9.35M Sexual Abuse Settlement
Settlement against state of Washington for child sexual abuse
  • $8M Sexual Abuse Settlement
Settlement for survivor of sexual abuse at assisted-living facility
  • $8M Police Misconduct Settlement
Police misconduct settlement for a 34-year-old man who was shot multiple times by a Tacoma police officer
  • $8M Sexual Abuse Verdict
Verdict against Oblate Fathers Western Province for religious order child sexual abuse
  • $8M Sexual Abuse Settlement
Settlement with mental health therapists for failing to report child sexual abuse at a residential facility
  • $7.5M Sexual Abuse Settlement
Settlement in coach sexual abuse case against Black Hills Football Club
  • $7.5M Sexual Abuse Settlement
Settlement for survivors of school bus driver sexual abuse
  • $7.5M Racial Discrimination Settlement
Racial discrimination settlement with Puyallup School District with consent decree injunctive relief for changes to promote increasing racial sensitivity and diversity
  • $7.5M Consumer Protection Class Action Settlement
Consumer protection class action settlement for thousands of motor vehicle accident victims who suffered deceptive collection practices regarding their medical bills
  • $7.5M Serious Injury Settlement
Serious injury settlement following independent contractor’s fall from residential roof
  • $6M+ Wrongful Death Verdict
Wrongful death verdict against Washington State DOC for negligent parole supervision
  • $6M Settlement
Settlement against climbing gym and equipment manufacturer for product defect and negligence
  • $6M Sexual Abuse Settlement
Settlement for survivor of sexual abuse by coach
  • $5.6M Wrongful Death Case
Wrongful death case for negligent firefighting
  • $5M Auto Accident Settlement
Auto accident settlement for client struck by a motor vehicle who suffered serious permanent injury
  • $4.9M Sexual Abuse Settlement
Settlement with the Washington Department of Social and Health Services in sexual abuse case at Toutle River Boys Ranch
  • $4.5M Jury Verdict
Jury verdict for a passenger injured in an Amtrak train derailment.
  • $4.3M Wrongful Death Jury Verdict
Wrongful death jury verdict for unlawful shooting in a property dispute
  • $4.25M Sexual Abuse Settlement
Settlement in lawsuit against Issaquah School District for sexual abuse
  • $4.25M Serious Injury Settlement
Serious injury settlement for woman who suffered traumatic brain injury after being struck by a car driven by a parolee
  • $4M Settlement
Verdict and $1.75 million settlement for passenger injured in Duck Boat collision on Seattle’s Aurora Bridge
  • $4M Sexual Abuse Settlement
Settlement with Secret Harbor boys group home and WA State for years of abuse of multiple boys
  • $3.5M Product Liability Settlement
Product liability settlement for family whose conversion van rolled over due to unstable center of gravity (product liability)
  • $3.1M Sexual Abuse Settlement
Sexual abuse settlement against State of Washington DSHS for placing state-dependent child with convicted child rapist
  • $3.1M Sexual Abuse Settlement
Sexual abuse settlement against DSHS
  • $3M+ Jury Verdict
Verdict for passenger injured in an Amtrak train derailment
  • $3M Sexual Abuse Settlement
Settlement against Washington State for child sexual abuse arising out of negligent CPS investigation
  • $2.75M Jury Verdict
Jury verdict against City of Fife for negligent road maintenance
  • $2.45M+ Sexual Abuse Settlement
Settlement for Seattle Prep student groomed and sexually abused by teacher/coach
  • $2.4M Sexual Abuse Settlement
Settlement in sexual abuse case against Seattle employer
  • $2.35M Sexual Abuse Settlement
Settlement with DOC and DSHS for child sexual abuse
  • $2.25M Settlement
Settlement with Washington State and Rainier School for negligence resulting in death of a disabled man
  • $2.1M Wrongful Death Settlement
Wrongful death settlement with DSHS for father of 3-year-old boy killed by mother’s boyfriend, who Washington State Child Protective Services (CPS) should have known was a chronic child abuser
  • $2.1M Sexual Abuse Settlement
Settlement with Olympia School District for students sexually abused by school bus driver
  • $2M+ Sexual Abuse Settlement
settlement for teenager groomed and sexually abused by teacher in Central Valley School District of Spokane, WA
  • $2M Sexual Abuse Settlement
Settlement for survivors of child sexual abuse at Green Hill School
  • $2M Sexual Abuse Settlement
Settlement with the Aberdeen School District for a woman who was sexually abused by her high school band teacher while she was a student
  • $1.87M Sexual Abuse Settlement
In child sexual abuse settlements against Department of Early Learning for negligent licensing of daycare (All Hours Day Care)
  • $1.75M Serious Injury Settlement
In settlements for two passengers injured in Duck Boat collision on Aurora Bridge
  • $1.5M Sexual Abuse Settlement
Settlement with the Black Hills Football Club (BHFC) related to sexual abuse by David Cross, a former soccer coach at the club
  • $1.5M Serious Injury Settlement
Serious injury settlement with Washington State DSHS for their failure to properly protect an infant from physical abuse
  • $1.5M Class Action Settlement
Class action settlement for more than 900 restaurant workers wrongfully denied pay for overtime and missed meal and rest breaks, tip pool violations, and automatic service charge violations
  • $1.5M Wrongful Death Settlement
Jury verdict in wrongful death car crash
  • $1.5M Sexual Abuse Settlement
School district negligence settlement for child sexual abuse
  • $1.46M Sexual Abuse Settlement
Settlement in sexual abuse case against Seattle Archdiocese
  • $1.425M Sexual Abuse Jury Verdict
Jury verdict against Olympia School District for child sexual abuse
  • $1.35M Sexual Abuse Settlement
Settlement for survivor of physical and sexual abuse in the Washington foster care system
  • $1.3M Traumatic Brain Injury Settlement
Settlement for a client who suffered a traumatic brain injury after falling down basement stairs in a home that didn’t comply with building codes
  • $1.25M Auto Accident Settlement
Settlement for a client who sustained injuries in an accident caused by a high-speed chase negligently begun by City of Tacoma Police officers
  • $1.25M Class Action Settlement
Class action settlement for employees of drywall company who were not paid for rest or lunch breaks, or paid fully for overtime
  • $1.2M Sexual Abuse Settlement
Settlement with Olympia School District in school bus driver sexual abuse case
  • $1.1M Auto Accident Settlement
Settlement in Montesano School District school bus-pedestrian crash case
  • $1.1M Serious Injury Settlement
MILLIONSerious injury settlement for passenger in drunk driving motor vehicle accident
  • $1M Sexual Abuse Settlement
Settlement after two weeks of jury trial against Everett School District for teacher sexual abuse of a student
  • $1M Worksite Injury Settlement
Settlement in worksite injury case
  • $1M Wrongful Death Settlement
Wrongful death settlement for 15-year-old boy who fell to his death when a window-washing platform failed at his place of employment

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