PAUL DAHLBERG

Paul Dahlberg is a partner with the firm of Meshbesher & Spence. He has been managing partner of the Rochester office of Meshbesher since 1994. His practice is focused strictly on plaintiff's personal injury claims.

He served as lead counsel in the case of Ille v. Donaldson, a wrongful death case which resulted in a total verdict of $4.69 million and was recognized by Minnesota Law and Politics as the Largest Personal Injury recovery in 2001.

In 2003 he successfully recovered on a complex claim against one of Minnesota's largest health insurers for wrongfully denying mental health benefits to dozens of families based on improper utilization reviews.

He has served as a volunteer attorney for Trial Lawyers Care, the group who handled compensation claims for victims of the 9-11 disaster.

He is a member of MTLA, and has served on the Board of Governors for several years.

He is licensed in Minnesota and Wisconsin, and is active in Federal practice in Minnesota as well.

Education: JD 1992, University of Minnesota; BA 1988, Luther College, Decorah, Iowa.

Admitted: 1992 Minnesota Supreme Court; 1992 United States District Court, District of Minnesota; 1992 United States Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit; 1993 Wisconsin Supreme Court; 1993 United States District Court, District of Wisconsin; 1993 United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit.

Employment History:
Attorney, 1994 - present, Meshbesher & Spence.
Attorney, 1992 - 1994, Doar, Drill & Skow.

Extensive Experience In:

Professional Associations:

In the News

QPP workers seek legal help for illness

Interview with Permax lawyers Paul R. Dahlberg and Anthony J. Nemo

Local lawyers who helped 9/11 victims recognized

Lawsuit filed over anti-depressant for children

Settlement found no bar to umbrella coverage

Are jury awards in greater Minnesota getting greater?

Judgment vacated for failure to name all parties in interest

Jury will decide if business contributed to crash

Selected Court Opinions and Rulings

Cincinnati Ins. v. Franck (Drake release preserves claims against umbrella carrier)
Where an insured is covered by both primary and umbrella insurance policies, an injured party, the insured, and the primary carrier may settle below the limits of the primary policy and then invoke coverage under the umbrella policy, where the injured party agrees to absorb the gap between the settlement amount and the primary policy limits.

Gerdts v. SmithKlineBeecham (Order denying Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff's Class Action Complaint)
Plaintiff's complaint alleging GSK misrepresented Paxil as having efficacy for the treatment of pediatric depression was sufficient. The Court rejected Defendant GSK's claims for relief under the learned intermediary doctrine, the theory that plaintiff failed to allege actual injury, and federal preemption.

Gerdts v. SmithKlineBeecham (Order denying Motion for Certification for Interlocutory Appeal) 
Defendant's Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff's Class Action Complaint was denied, and Defendant GSK moved for Certification for Interlocutory Appeal. Defendant argued the Court's denial of the Motion to Dismiss was contrary to the decision in Briehl v. GMC, 172 F.3d 623 (8th Cir. 1999), and warranted immediate appeal. The Court denied GSK's motion to certify.

Ille v. American Family (Attorney-Client Privilege in Bad Faith and Sanctions for reversal of privilege at close of discovery)
Ille v. American Family (Discovery sanction of $79,235.00 for reversal of privilege at close of discovery)
The Court found American Family’s late waiver of the attorney-client privilege as to in-house counsel prejudiced plaintiffs, and is without explanation or justification as to why American Family waited until after plaintiffs had issued expert reports to waive the privilege, and discovery was nearly completed. Therefore, American Family will bear the cost of plaintiffs’ attorneys’ fees and costs associated with conducting additional discovery and obtaining supplemental expert reports caused by American Family’s waiver of the privilege, and the fees and costs associated with bringing the motion.