Chris Faiella

Attorney

Chris Faiella is a leading American Midwest-based trial lawyer and author who helps people catastrophically injured by the negligent or reckless actions of others recover money damages. His multi-million dollar jury verdicts and settlements include high-profile victories against large corporations and soulless insurance giants that wrongfully deny claims.

A History of Success

Lawyers refer difficult high-stakes cases to Chris Faiella because of his reputation for zealous advocacy, as well as his team’s innovative legal preparation and in-depth factual investigation. Jurors justly reward his clients because he’s walked the accident scene, knows the family, learns the medical procedures, masters the law, and thus gives credible voice to clients’ pain and loss.

The Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory has given Mr. Faiella an AV pier view rating, which is the highest given.

Christian Faiella is licensed to practice in Missouri as well as before the Supreme Court of the United States, the United States District Court for the Eastern, and Western Districts of Missouri, the United States Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Areas of Practice

Sports Injuries

Sports Accidents
Youth Sports Injuries
Head Injuries
Back and Neck Injuries
Cheerleading Accidents
Football Injury
Basketball Injury
Hockey Injury
Untrained or Abusive Coaches
School Liability for Accidents and Injuries

Recreation Accident and Injury

Defective Recreation Products and Safety
Defective Generators
Electrocution Accidents and Injuries
Jet Ski Accident Liability
Personal Watercraft Injuries
Boating Accident Liability
RV and Carbon Monoxide Deaths
Wrongful Death Lawsuits

Insurance Bad Faith Law and Litigation

Bad Faith Insurance Tactics
Insurance Bad Faith Laws
Insurance Company Wrongful Claim Denial
Insurance Bad Faith Litigation
Bad Faith Negotiation
Deceptive Claims Settlement Practices
High Stakes Insurance Disputes
Unfair Claims Practices

Bar Admissions

Missouri, 1995
U.S. District Court Western District of Missouri, 1995
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Missouri, 1995
U.S. Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, 2014
U.S. Supreme Court, 2008

Education

University of Missouri Columbia School of Law, Columbia, Missouri, 1995, J.D.
State University of New York, 1989, B.A.

Published Works

Thomson Reuters/Aspatore 2011. Chris Faiella, Author of Chapter, Knowing Your Client and Your Case: The Foundation of a Successful Case Strategy for Personal Injury Lawyers.
Personal Injury Settlement Agreements Line by Line: A Detailed Look at Personal Injury Settlement Agreements and How to Change Them to Meet Your Clients’ Needs
Thomas Reuters/Aspatore 2014.
Christian Faiella, “Chapter 13, Insurance Law – Bad Faith” – MO Bar CLE Publications, 2010
Christian Faiella, “Chapter 3, Litigation Settlements Mary Carter Agreements (supplement)”, – MO Bar CLE Publications, 2009
Christian Faiella, “Chapter 4, Civil Trial Practice, Pleadings (supplement)” – MO Bar CLE Publications, 2008
Christian Faiella, “Chapter 8, Evidence 5th Edition Competency of Witnesses” – MO Bar CLE Publications, 2006
Combat Tactics: How to Turn an Insurance Coverage Denial Into A Successful Recovery For Your Client, Co Author
– LE presentation at Solo & Small Firm Bar Conference, June, 2004
Visual Persuasion and the Preparation of Exhibits for Mediation, Author – CLE presentation at Solo & Small Firm Bar Conference, June, 2004
Proving Damages in Mild Brain Injury Cases – A Thumbnail Sketch, the Missouri Trial Attorney, Volume XXI, Number 3, Fall, 2003
Chapter 13 Automobile Torts, Tort Law 2003 – MO Bar CLE Publications (2006 Update)
Christian Faiella, Featured Case-Devin West v. Standard Life Insurance Company of New York, the Missouri Trial Attorney, Volume XIX, Number 4, Winter, 2001
Mark J. Evans and Christian Faiella, the Effective Use of a Claim Based Upon “Negligence Per Se” – The Missouri Trial Attorney, Volume XVII, Number 1, Spring, 1999
Christian Faiella, “Partial Settlement in Multi-Party Injury Cases” – Missouri Lawyers Weekly, July, 1998
Christian Faiella, “Article of The Year” – Missouri Lawyers Weekly Editorial Board, January, 1999
Christian Faiella, “Hunters, Landowners & The Law” – Rural Missourian, Fall, 1995

Classes & Seminars Taught

Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Law-Made Simple, NBI – March 2017
Third Party Bad Faith – June 22, 2015
Prosecuting and Defending The Bad Faith Case A to Z – January 23, 2015
Personal Injury Settlement Agreements – June 18, 2014
Deposing Lawyers in Civil Litigation – November 8, 2012
Knowing Your Client and Your Case: The Foundation of a Successful Case Strategy for Personal Injury Lawyers – June 29, 2012
Third Party Bad Faith, – June 22, 2012
The Basics of Handling an Auto Accident Case Part 3: Ethics, Mediation & Hot Topics, – April 12, 2012
The Basics of Handling an Auto Accident Case Part 1: Screening the Case, – February 23, 2012
Insurance Law Update, Automobile Insurance Law – MO Bar 2009
Kansas 8+4 Review of the Law, UMKC-CLE, Overland Park, Kansas, 2003
“Expert Witness Depositions”, Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys, 2000
Getting & Handling Success Early in your Career, University of Missouri Student Chapter of Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys, Columbia, Missouri, October 19, 1999
Effective Exhibits for Mediation and Trial, Speaker/Author, MO Bar CLE-Randolph County Bar, October 1, 2003
Sanctions & Discovery Enforcement in State & Federal Courts, Author/Presenter, Missouri Bar CLE-Ethics in Personal Injury Litigation, December 2, 1999

Honors & Awards

Research Fellow, Political Science Department, State University of New York, 1988 – 1989
Feinburg Scholarship for Academic Excellence in Political Science, 1988 – 1989
New York Assembly Intern Program, Intern to Representative William R. Sears, 1989
President’s Letter Certificate, State University of New York, 1989
American Jurisprudence Award in Torts, 1992
Legal Research Clerk to Professor Robert Lawless at University of Missouri School of Law, 1994 – 1995
American Jurisprudence Award in Federal Courts, 1995
Certified as an Advocate, American Trial Lawyers Association, 1999
Insurance Law Update, Automobile Insurance, 2009

Professional Associations & Memberships

Missouri Bar, 1995 – Present Member
Kansas Bar, 2014 – Present Member
Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, 2014 – Present Member
American Bar Association, 1995 – 2000 Member
Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys, 1995 – Present Member
Board of Governors, 2004 – 2015
American Association of Justice, 1995- Present Member
Randolph County Bar Association, 1995 – Present Member
Randolph County Chamber of Commerce, 1991 – 2001 Member
Boone County Bar Association, 2002 – 2006 Member
Randolph County YMCA Board, 2002 – 2004 Member
Missouri Bar Leadership Academy, 2001 – 2002 Member
Rotary International & Columbia Rotary Club, 1999 – 2008 Member
MATA Young Lawyers, 2005 – 2006 Co-Chair
MATA Public Awareness Committee, 2005 – 2010 Member
Missouri Bar Tort Law Committee, 2003 – 2005 Vice Chair
YMCA Board of Directors, 2002 – 2003 Legal Counsel
Randolph County Bar Association, 1999 – 2000 President
Randolph County Chamber of Commerce, 2000 – 2002 Board of Directors
Randolph County Chamber of Commerce, 2001 Treasurer
Rotary Vice-President, 2000 – 2001
Social Co-Chair Rotary, 2002 – 2004
AAJ Sub-Group Interstate Trucking Litigation, 1999 – Present Member
AAJ Sub-Group Carbon Monoxide Litigation, 1999 – Present Member
Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group, 2000 – Present
Missouri Bar Tort Law Committee, 1997 – Present Member
Missouri Bar Civil Practice and Procedure Committee, 1997 – Present Member
Missouri Bar Insurance Law Committee, 2003 – Present Member
Missouri Bar Technology Committee, 2003 – Present Member
Missouri Bar Solo & Small Firm Practice Committee, 2003 – Present Member
AAJ Motor Vehicle Collision, Highway & Premises Liability Section, 1996 – Present Member
AAJ Insurance Section, 2003 – Present Member
AAJ Products Liability Section, 2003 – Present Member
AAJ Professional Negligence Section, 2003 – Present Member

Pro Bono Activities

Former Board Member and Volunteer: St. Pius X School Foundation
Former President: NoMo Community Foundation
Volunteer Tennis Coach: Moberly High School