John Zen Jackson

A trial is a lot like baseball. As the legendary Yogi Berra put it, 90 percent is mental, the other half is physical. Trials of healthcare issues often involve technically difficult and emotionally complex information in the attempt to inform and persuade, all as part of the search for the truth of a case. And truth matters, as does the appearance of truthfulness.

Mr. Jackson’s healthcare practice emphasizes litigated matters in judicial and administrative forums, including professional liability claims, licensure and credentialing issues with administrative agencies and health care entities, reimbursement and insurance fraud disputes. He is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Civil Trial Attorney and has extensive experience in trying jury cases to a verdict.

In addition to trying numerous individual medical liability cases for a variety of healthcare providers, Mr. Jackson was lead defense counsel for a group of New Jersey plastic surgeons sued in connection with the silicone gel breast implant litigation, and has been involved in a number of high-profile mass tort litigation programs for medical devices or healthcare products, including pedicle screws, diet drugs, and Rezulin.

Beyond trial advocacy, Mr. Jackson is an experienced appellate litigator. He served as defense counsel in the New Jersey Supreme Court cases limiting the liability of physicians for suspected exposure to the HIV-virus, and for alleged lack of informed consent regarding abortion procedures. Mr. Jackson has served as amicus counsel for the Medical Society of New Jersey, the American Medical Association, and the New Jersey Hospital Association in appellate matters before the New Jersey Supreme Court and Appellate Division. He has been involved in numerous reported opinions.

Mr. Jackson has handled a variety of commercial litigation issues as well as the defense of qui tam actions under the Federal False Claims Act and insurance coverage and insurance fraud cases. He has represented clients in professional licensure and hospital privilege disputes before state administrative bodies and hospital credentialing committees as well as judicial review through the New Jersey Supreme Court. He has additional experience as a hearing officer for hospital privilege disputes. 

Mr. Jackson is the author of over 80 published articles in medical and legal publications on a broad range of healthcare, tort liability and trial technique topics. He has been a member of the Editorial Board of MDAdvisor, a peer-reviewed journal for the New Jersey medical community, since its inception in 2007.

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