Timothy E. Allen

Tim is a seasoned trial lawyer with extensive experience in multi-week trials. He is regularly recognized as a Washington Super Lawyer for his defense of healthcare providers. Outside the healthcare arena, Tim also represents injured individuals in significant personal injury and civil rights cases. His practice ranges from the defense of medical malpractice claims to representing both plaintiffs and defendants in insurer bad faith, insurance coverage, wrongful death, civil rights, employment, product liability, injunctive relief, and equine law cases, among others. Tim is licensed to practice in Washington and Oregon, and represents clients in both state and federal courts.

As a defense attorney, Tim has obtained defense verdicts, dismissals, and favorable settlements for clients including health care providers, hospitals, clinics, employers, universities, product manufacturers, building contractors, insurance brokers, and insurance companies. He has successfully represented healthcare providers from various specialties, including the following:

• Cardiac Surgery
• Cardiology
• Emergency Medicine
• Emergency Medical Services/Transport
• Gastroenterology
• General Surgery
• Hematology
• Internal Medicine
• Interventional Radiology
• Neurology
• Neuroradiology
• Neurosurgery
• Nursing
• Obstetrics/Gynecology
• Oncology
• Orthopedic Surgery
• Pediatrics
• Plastic Surgery
• Pulmonology
• Primary Care
• Psychiatry
• Psychology
• Radiology
• Rehabilitation Medicine

When representing plaintiffs, Tim has helped achieve multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements in product liability and insurance bad faith actions. He has successfully resolved through trial or settlement cases alleging breach of contract, professional negligence, personal injury and property damage arising from motor vehicle accidents. He has also obtained forms of non-monetary relief in a wide variety of contexts. As examples, Tim has either served as lead counsel or assisted on the trial team for the following:

• $15.5 million product liability verdict in Federici v. U-Haul et al.
• $12.95 million bad faith settlement in Howard v. Royal Specialty Underwriting, Inc.
• $4.4 million settlement in midst of trial in coverage action against excess insurer
• $1.5 million summary judgment recovery in breach of surety action arising from purchase of hospital facility
• $600,000 verdict in breach of contract action against Port of Tacoma
• $334,000 judgment entered in action regarding ownership of retired racehorse
• $333,000 settlement with police department for civil rights lawsuit alleging wrongful death where victim killed within 78 seconds of contact with officers
• $188,500 UIM policy limits recovery without necessity of filing lawsuit
• $100,000 UIM policy limits recovery without necessity of filing lawsuit
• Confidential settlement obtained on behalf of academic institution against insurance broker
• Confidential settlement in accounting malpractice action
• Confidential settlement with professional sports team for personal injury sustained on premises
• Successful action to change ballot measure title resulting in defeat of ballot measure
• Obtained permanent injunction against release by state agency of client’s proprietary trade secrets to unsuccessful contract bidder
• Successful return to rightful owners of property wrongfully taken or detained by others, including patient medical records as well as valuable horses
• Obtained temporary restraining order excluding former patient from premises of healthcare clinic
• Successfully settled claim for contractual and equitable indemnity where hospital sued for actions of contracted physicians

Tim also counsels both insurance carriers and policy-holders regarding their rights under insurance policies in both first-party and third-party settings. He has extensive experience in insurance coverage disputes, and brings declaratory judgment and/or bad faith actions where necessary in both state and federal court. Tim serves as personal counsel to insureds to help protect their interests where a defense is being provided to the insured under a reservation of rights. Where necessary, Tim can protect his clients in such situations from personal exposure by negotiating a settlement based on a stipulated judgment in exchange for a covenant not to execute and an assignment of his client’s rights.

Tim was named to the Washington Super Lawyers list every year from 2013 through 2024; named to the Washington Super Lawyers “Rising Stars” list for 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012; and received the Washington Defense Trial Lawyers Outstanding Litigation Associate Award for 2006. In addition, Tim is currently serving a five-year term on the WSBA's Adjunct Disciplinary Counsel Panel, which assists the WSBA's Office of Disciplinary Counsel. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Tim was a professor of political philosophy and argumentation at Western Washington University, as well as the director of the university’s debate program. During law school, Tim served as a Rule 9 Attorney for the Whatcom County Public Defender.

Tim commutes to Seattle from Duvall, where he lives with his wife, daughter, grandson, four dogs, and two horses. An avid climber for many years before grinding his knees into dust, Tim now focuses on his horses and trail riding, as well as buying and selling antiques with his wife.

Education

University of Washington School of Law, J.D. with honors, 2004
University of Washington Law Review, Notes and Comments Editor
Member, Moot Court Honor Board: First Place and Best Speaker
2002 1L Competition Finalist and Best Speaker
2004 2L/3L Falknor Appellate Advocacy Competition
Invited Member, National Order of Barristers
Teaching Fellow, Basic Legal Skills

Boston University, A.B.D., Political Philosophy, 1986
President’s Ph.D. Fellowship, 1984

Western Washington University, M.A. with Distinction, Political Science, 1983

Admitted to Practice

• Washington
• Oregon
• United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington
• United States District Court for the Western District of Washington

Awards & Recognition

• Washington Super Lawyers: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
• Washington Super Lawyers Rising Star: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
• Outstanding Litigation Associate Award, Washington Defense Trial Lawyers, 2006

Publications

• “The Foreseeability of ‘Transference’: Extending Employer Liability Under Washington Law for Therapist Sexual Exploitation of Patients,” WASHINGTON LAW REVIEW, 78:2 (2003)