ATTORNEYS

PRACTICE SUMMARY

Kristin is an experienced litigator with a practice focused on professional malpractice defense. She represents hospitals, physicians, nurses, and other health care providers in Rhode Island and Massachusetts Courts and before administrative licensing boards. She has successfully represented clients in state and federal courts in Rhode Island and Massachusetts and has been involved in both jury and bench trials with several favorable verdicts.  Additionally, Kristin deals with various health care matters, where she represents clients in insurance defense litigation and commercial litigation matters.

Furthermore, Kristin assists clients relative to divorce, separation, child custody disputes, adoptions, and other domestic matters. She has successfully mediated several divorces for client with various types of family legal matters including custody, parenting plans, support, alimony, and asset division. 

Not only does Kristin have courtroom experience, she also has considerable experience with alternative dispute resolution, including mediation. When a trial is not appropriate, Kristin helps clients resolve their matters efficiently, responsibly and cost effectively.

Prior to joining Roberts, Carroll, Feldstein & Peirce, Kristin managed her own law office in Warren, Rhode Island and handled a wide variety of litigation and transactional matters in both Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

Representative Matters

  • After a four week jury trial, obtained a defense verdict for a gastroenterologist who was alleged to have failed to properly diagnose and treat an infection which allegedly led to the permanent injury and disfigurement of the plaintiff.
  • Successfully represented hospital and obstetrician in proceedings before the family court enabling the hospital to provide blood products to a pregnant minor over the objection of the minor and her parents on 1st amendment grounds.
  • Secured a dismissal without payment on behalf of a family medicine physician of a lawsuit, which alleged that the doctor had failed to properly manage a nursing home patient who died as a result of sepsis, bowel obstruction and perforation. 

Speaking Engagements Or Publications

  • Provider Self-Awareness: Impact on Communication and Care, Lifespan Risk Services Lecture Series, February 11, 2022, April 11, 2022
  • Panikian, K. and Pettey, K., Informed Consent and Other Risk Management Issues for Special Needs Patients, 2021 Mini-Residency: Special Care Dentistry, October 23, 2021
  • Errors, Omissions & Delayed Diagnoses, Lifespan Risk Services Lecture Series, February 15, 2020, February 20, 2020, April 8, 2020, May 15, 2020, May 19, 2020, June 17, 2020, September 1, 2020, September 15, 2020, October 7, 2020, December 4, 2020
  • Pettey, K and Plummer, J.,  Navigating UIDDA and the Rhode Island Department of Health, February 25, 2020
  • Landau, R. and Pettey, K., The Opioid Crisis, April , 2018
  • Tate, A. and Pettey, K., Expert Depositions, December 2017
  • Pettey, K., Can Parents Contractually Select The Forum For A Custody Dispute?, Lawyer Issue, August 2016
  • The Last Place I want To Be…A Mock Deposition Experience, Lifespan Risk Services Live Lecture Series, November 4, 2015 and November 20, 2015
  • Pettey, K., The Last Place I Want To be…Managing Deposition Anxiety, Lifespan Department of Risk Management, Insights Magazine, Fall 2015, Vol. 12, No. 2
  • Pettey, K. and Cullen, J. (August 2015). Electronic Medical Records: Standard of Care? (Part 1), Roberts, Carroll, Feldstein & Peirce Quarterly Newsletter. 
  • Lifespan Inpatient Providers, Lifespan Risk Management Foundation Series, MRM Group, March 11, 2015 and March 23, 2015
  • Inter-provider Communication in Real Time and via the EMR, Rhode Island Hospital Medical Staff Association Meeting, April 28, 2015
  • A Survey of Midlevel & Physician Extender Liability, Anesthesia Grand Rounds, Lifespan Risk Services, Inc., March 11, 2015
  • A Survey of Midlevel & Physician Extender Liability, UEMF, Lifespan Risk Services, Inc., January 14, 2015
  • Get a Life:  The Balancing Act, Cultural Diversity Committee of the Rhode Island Women’s Bar Association, May 21, 2013
  • Pettey, K. and Cullen, J. (January 2013).  E-Discovery: Who  Bears The Cost (Part II), Roberts, Carroll, Feldstein & Peirce Quarterly Newsletter.
  • Pettey, K. and Cullen, J. (September 2012). E-Discovery: Who Bears The Cost (Part I), Roberts, Carroll, Feldstein & Peirce Quarterly Newsletter.
  • The Rhode Island Wrongful Death Act, Lifespan, February 22, 2012
  • Anywhere But Here: How To Save Yourself From A Disastrous Deposition, UEMF Faculty/Resident Education, November 17, 2010
  • Cases & Claims: Lessons Learned From Radiology Malpractice Lawsuits, September 21, 2010
  • White Caps: Navigating Risk in the Nursing Profession, UNAP/Rhode Island Hospital Health Care Education Trust Continuing Education Program, March 18, 2010
  • Food for Thought – Privilege Logs, Rhode Island Bar Association, December 2 & 9, 2009
  • Batliner, J., Hallmark, C., Brown, Francis, Pettey, K., Cruz, M., Garrett, M., Hegg, P., Barnett, R., Butler, B., McConnell, G., Herrick, K., Wiese, M., Bollengier, R., Strachman, D., Steffens, J., Schoen, S., Wilcox, V.: Oddities and Challenges in Probate Law, NBI, Inc., 2008 
  • Wright T.E., Barkett, K.:  Introduction to Law, Duke Publishing, 2005