Cullen McKinney | Tumblr Blog

A member of the State Bar of Michigan since 1994, Cullen McKinney serves as trial counsel for Vanguard Health, formerly known as the Detroit Medical Center (DMC). In March 2012, he earned recognition for successfully defending DMC in a tough court case, which was highlighted in Michigan Lawyers Weekly two months later. Cullen McKinney earned a Bachelor of Arts from Michigan State University and attended the University of Detroit’s Mercy School of Law. As a law student, he interned with former Michigan Supreme Court Justice Patricia Boyle and held an editorial post on the Law Review. Currently, he frequently lectures on the subject of professional liability laws, and he also published an article in the New York Monthly Digest of Tax Articles on the tax implications of home office deductions for physicians. Cullen McKinney’s abilities as a lawyer drew praise from Super Lawyers magazine, which named him to its list of Top Young Lawyers in Michigan in 2008. Respected as a professional, aggressive civil litigation attorney, Cullen McKinney is a founder of Tanoury, Nauts, McKinney & Garbarino, PLLC. His areas of practice at the firm focus on complex civil litigation involving health law, product liability, and all forms of professional negligence. As a whole, the firm focuses on medical and legal malpractice, insurance defense, and product liability. The firm’s attorneys have more than 150 years of combined experience handling cases in such matters for individuals and businesses. Outside of his law practice, Cullen McKinney enjoys spending his leisure time as a coach for a local youth flag football team.

[cullenmckinney]

Martindale-Hubbell’s Attorney Ratings Criteria

Cullen McKinney is a founding partner of Tanoury Nauts McKinney and Dwaihy in Detroit, Michigan. Acknowledged for his skill in litigating health law cases for TNMD, Cullen McKinney has been named an AV Preeminent Lawyer by the Martindale-Hubbell rating service.

AV Preeminent status refers to lawyers rated the best in communication abilities, knowledge of the law, and adherence to ethical standards. Attorneys may also be ranked as Distinguished (highly regarded for their expertise and ethics) or Notable (widely known by their peers for their ethical standards).

In business since 1887, the company compiles peer reviews of attorneys from references the applicant provides and from other lawyers in the same city or region and practice area. Martindale-Hubbell also contacts reviewing attorneys on its own. Those being rated must be in practice as lawyers or judges for at least three years and be registered with martindale.com.

Reviewers assign ratings on an online form, evaluating applicants from one (lowest) to five (highest). Rankings are based on five categories: judgment, legal knowledge, communication abilities, legal experience, and analytical capabilities. Attorneys may also add their own comments that also appear in reviews.

Applicants cannot delete reviews, but they can add comments in reply. They can also report what they consider inappropriate reviews, and Martindale-Hubbell may remove reviews that fail to meet its standards. Alternately, applicants may suppress all peer reviews, but this decision is made known to the public.

[cullenmckinney]

TNMD – The Medical Malpractice Experts

Attorney Cullen McKinney, a resident of Detroit, Michigan, has practiced law since the mid-1990s. In 2009, Cullen McKinney founded Tanoury, Nauts, McKinney, and Dwaihy (TNMD), PLLC, a leading firm in medical malpractice and appellate cases.

In Michigan, TNMD is considered the largest firm that defends medical malpractice claims. The firm started out with 18 lawyers who were dedicated to defending medical malpractice claims. Today, the firm employs 50 employees including 30 lawyers, including top medical malpractice attorney Linda Garbarino who is retired in 2020. Paul Dwaihy was made partner after Garbarino’s retirement.

The team is quite knowledgeable and skilled at assisting its clients through the trial process, from the investigation (research) to discovery and trial and appeal. Furthermore, in defending the client, the law firm relies on the testimony of the most astute medical malpractice witnesses.

Since its inception, TNMD has successfully defended 2,300 and had a trial success rate of 98 percent. For more information on the types of medical malpractice suits the firm represents or other information about the firm, please visit tnmdlaw.com/our-firm/.

[cullenmckinney]

The American Law Society

A founding partner of Tanoury, Nauts, McKinney & Dwaihy, PLLC (TNMD), Cullen McKinney has over 25 years of experience practicing law in Michigan. Cullen McKinney has been honored by nationally recognized law organizations for his work, including the American Law Society. The American Law Society draws on widely-accepted digital marketing tools from other industries to boost the visibility of its members’ and control their reputations. The organization created its methodology with lawyers’ own feedback regarding their needs, filtered through digital marketing experts’ experiences. Via its custom profile pages and press releases, members can inform clients on their education, areas of expertise, and other details, using a platform beneficial to law practices of all sizes. The American Law Society offers membership by invitation only, at three membership tiers. The annual recurring version and the three-year membership share benefits, including a custom profile page and access to the digital experts and fellow attorneys directories. The five-year membership grants two exclusive privileges: a one-page press release, and a custom feature on the American Law Society website’s home page.

[cullenmckinney]

Tanoury, Nauts, McKinney & Dwaihy, PLLC

A medical malpractice lawyer in Detroit, Michigan, Cullen McKinney is one of three remaining founding partners of Tanoury, Nauts, McKinney & Dwaihy, PLLC (TNMD). In this role, Cullen McKinney litigates on behalf of high-profile clients in a collaborative environment. Headquartered in Livonia, Michigan, since 2015, TNMD distinguishes itself via its deep understanding of healthcare law and the field of medicine. When founded in 2009, Tanoury, Nauts, and McKinney already possessed a depth of expertise in both disciplines, while the fourth founding partner, Linda Garbarino, posessed appellate court litigation experience. By training employees to understand healthcare providers’ duties and how relevant medical procedures or medications work, TNMD’s teams defend clients with legal rigor and scientifically-sound evidence. In addition to medical malpractice cases, TNMD handles appellate court cases, performed after a district court case’s verdict is appealed. TNMD refers clients to their specialized appellate court team, well-versed in the challenges of this particular legal setting.

[cullenmckinney]

The Basics of Dispositive Motions

An accomplished civil defense attorney and a member of the State Bar of Michigan, Cullen McKinney has served has a partner in Detroit’s Tanoury, Nauts, McKinney & Dwaihy (TNMD), PLLC, since co-founding this firm in 2009. TNMD is a medical malpractice and appellate law firm that counts dispositive motion practice among its areas of expertise. A specific category of court motion, a dispositive motion asks a judge to eliminate (or dispose of) one or more claims in a legal dispute. Making the legal system more efficient while also making the most of existing judicial resources, dispositive motions can rapidly accelerate the process of case resolution. The most common dispositive motions are the motion to dismiss and the motion for summary judgment. Attorneys can raise a motion to dismiss if they can successfully question court jurisdiction or highlight procedural irregularities. Motions for summary judgment allow judges to dismiss cases or case claims based on incontestable facts that contradict the foundational accusations of the plaintiff.

[cullenmckinney]

Defensive Medicine and Health Law

Cullen McKinney holds a juris doctorate from the University of Detroit Law School in Detroit, Michigan. While there he was a member of the Law review as a case and comment editor and on Moot Court as a board member. As a founding partner and litigation attorney at Tanoury, Nauts, McKinney and Dwaihy, PLLC, (TNMD). Mr. McKinney’s primary role is defensive medicine and health law. The ever-changing realm of medicine and the emanating repercussions necessitate expert protection, a clear understanding of professional rights, regulations, and due process in case of litigation. Defensive medicine does benefit patients as medical professionals encourage thorough tests to aid in diagnostics and subsequent actions. The accompanying second opinion accords a comprehensive attendance to the medical situation at hand. For the practitioner, the concern about liability decreases the risk of negligence. However, overcoming the litigation fears while ensuring top-notch attendance to the patient presents a delicate challenge for the physicians. One of the proposals to address this is the safe harbor program proposed by The American Medical Association (AMA). The notion is to establish standards of care the medical practitioner must follow while ensuring the patients receive the required assistance. Thus, the professional enjoys the opportunity to fully exercise their practice without fear of litigation under the guidelines while protecting the patient from insufficient medical care borne out of litigation fears.

[cullenmckinney]

Cullen McKinney's Professional Accolades

Based in Detroit, Michigan, Cullen McKinney is an accomplished litigation attorney and a founding partner of Tanoury, Nauts, McKinney and Garbarino, PLLC (TNMG). Cullen McKinney has received various honors and accolades throughout his career, including Martindale-Hubbell recognition. For over 150 years, Martindale-Hubbell has functioned as a comprehensive network of peer and client reviews for legal professionals in the United States. Mr. McKinney’s 2020 listing with the organization is AV Preeminent status, indicating the highest level of professional excellence as well as the Highest Ethical Standing. He received high scores across all areas of evaluation, including legal analytical capabilities, communication, knowledge, and experience. The listing highlights his strengths in areas such as insurance defense, environmental law, and medical malpractice. In addition to his AV Preeminent status with Martindale-Hubbell, Cullen McKinney has been listed in the Lawyers of Distinction and Super Lawyers, and with professional groups such as the American Law Society. AV, AV Preeminent, Distinguished, and Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards, and policies. For more information, visit https://www.martindale.com/ratings-and-reviews/.

[cullenmckinney]

Premises Liability and Visitor Status

Highly respected, award-winning Michigan attorney Cullen McKinney’s vast experience in civil defense litigation includes work on numerous high-profile cases. Currently, he is a founding partner of Tanoury, Nauts, McKinney and Garbarino (TNMG), PLLC, where he conducts presentations on matters related to business liability. Cullen McKinney’s areas of specialty include premises liability. A premises liability lawsuit holds a property owner accountable for damages caused as a result of someone getting injured while on that individual’s property. Under this law, property owners or non-owner residents have an obligation to maintain a relatively safe environment to ensure people visiting don’t suffer an injury. To avoid liability for accidents and injuries, all states require property owners to provide basic safety on their properties for the sake of visitors. Premises liability applies to public and private properties, including private residences, office blocks, shopping malls, restaurants, sports arenas, hotels, entertainment venues, hospitals, and grocery stores. Incidences that can result in premises liability include slip-and-fall accidents, swimming pool injuries, animal bites, and injuries due to inadequate maintenance or security negligence. During a lawsuit, some states focus on the status of a person visiting the property to determine whether liability should be considered. Some categorize the status of an individual as an invitee, licensee, social guest, or trespasser. Under premises liability, an invitee is an individual invited by the property owner for a business purpose. A licensee enters a property for their own reasons, or as a guest, but always with the owner’s consent. A social guest is a welcomed visitor to the property, while a trespasser enters a property without any right or invitation whatsoever.

[cullenmckinney]

What Is Automobile Negligence?

Michigan-based trial attorney Cullen McKinney serves as a founding partner with the law firm Tanoury, Nauts, McKinney and Garbarino, PLLC. In his work with TNMG, Cullen McKinney focuses his practice on issues of civil defense litigation, including health law, products and premises liability, and automobile negligence. If you are involved in an automobile accident, one of the issues you may face is automobile negligence, either on the part of you or the other driver. Anyone holding a driver’s license is assumed to understand their responsibilities as the operator of a motor vehicle on the road, and drivers are held accountable for operating their cars in a manner that is safe for them, pedestrians, other passengers, and anyone else on the road. Automobile negligence can include a number of offenses by drivers operating cars, including following too closely, speeding, improper signaling, failure to stop, texting while driving, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and reckless driving. If the other party in an automobile accident was in some way guilty of automobile negligence, the more documentation you have of the incident, the better. You can include information like police reports, eyewitness accounts, traffic camera data, driving records, or even arrest records to prove your case.

[cullenmckinney]

Defining Medical Malpractice from a Legal Standpoint

Cullen McKinney helped establish Tanoury, Nauts, McKinney and Garbarino, PLLC, in Detroit, Michigan, as a founding partner nearly 10 years ago. As a litigation attorney with the firm, TNMG’s Cullen McKinney focuses on defending medical professionals and organizations against claims of medical malpractice. Legally speaking, medical malpractice can be defined as a patient injury or condition that is a direct result of a negligent act or omission on the part of a medical professional or care provider. Despite this relatively straightforward explanation, medical malpractice cases are highly complex and may occur at any point along the continuum of care, ranging from an improper diagnosis to an error during aftercare procedures. There are three primary aspects of a medical malpractice case that must be proven by plaintiffs. To begin, it must be clear that the act in question violates the standard of care. Because of the potential complications involved with medical services and procedures, patients are entitled to treatment in line with established professional standards. A failure to uphold these standards may constitute negligence. Moving forward, an injury must result from this negligence. A medical malpractice ruling cannot be made if the patient has suffered no damages. Finally, these damages should be significant, primarily to justify the time and effort that goes into trying a medical malpractice case. Any individual or medical professional who feels they may be involved in a medical malpractice case should seek the counsel of a legal professional with experience in the field.

[cullenmckinney]

Four Advantages of Electronic Medical Records

Cullen McKinney serves as a founding partner of Tanoury Nauts McKinney & Garbarino in Michigan, where he represents clients in civil defense litigation cases. An attorney with significant experience in health law, Cullen McKinney focuses on medical-malpractice defense and has delivered presentations on related topics, such as the impact of electronic medical records (EMR) on the medicolegal process. EMR replaces the paper patient files and charts in clinics, offices, and hospitals with digital records. The digitized documents contain notes and information that clinicians and providers use for diagnosis and treatment. EMR has several advantages over traditional paper files, as outlined below: Improves organization Digital records are easily manageable and searchable by an office’s staff and clinicians. It also prevents charts from becoming lost or separated from other essential documents. Clears storage space Paper medical records can quickly fill up warehouses and storage areas. EMR stores information in a secure cloud accessible only by approved personnel. Increases security Paper records are susceptible to damage and theft due to human error, natural disasters, and break-ins. Many facilities using paper systems keep only one copy of each chart or file, meaning lost or damaged information is irretrievable. Heightens readability and accuracy Illegible penmanship and insufficient space for recording all necessary information can make paper files difficult to understand later. EMR uses a standardized typeface and provides enough space for clinicians to include all relevant information.

[cullenmckinney]

Lawyers of Distinction Selection Process for 2018

Attorney Cullen McKinney is a founding partner at Tanoury Nauts McKinney & Garbarino, PLLC in Detroit, Michigan. Focused on defending medical malpractice cases, Cullen McKinney was selected into the coveted Lawyers of Distinction peer organization in 2018. Lawyers of Distinction is an honorable organization consisting of the top 10 percent of lawyers in every state in the country. Admission into this elite group of lawyers is by merit only. A lawyer must first be nominated to enter the candidate pool of the association. Nominations are made by peers or after completion of an online application. Nominations may also be made by the Lawyers of Distinction selection committee of top lawyers. After nomination, the selection committee performs independent research on all candidates. The research looks to uncover and evaluate indicators of professional achievement and peer recognition. These include experience, honors and awards, case results, special certifications, community service, and scholarly endeavors. All indicators are given equal weight to ensure diversity in the organization’s membership. The selection committee also reviews candidates’ ethical standing in the profession. Candidates must not have had any ethical violations in the last decade. Only candidates who meet all these standards are recognized as Lawyers of Distinction.

[cullenmckinney]

Rising Stars - A Super Lawyers Designation for the Top 2.5 Percent

Cullen McKinney represents clients in a range of civil defense litigation matters as a founding partner for Tanoury Nauts McKinney & Garbarino in Detroit, Michigan. A member of the Lawyers of Distinction, Cullen McKinney has received recognition for his legal skills as a 2008 Super Lawyers Magazine Rising Star. Super Lawyers represents a rating list of accomplished attorneys from more than 70 practice areas and consists of legal professional who demonstrate a high degree of professional achievement and peer recognition. The four-step selection process involves a combination of independent research, peer nomination, and peer evaluation. Attorneys must receive a nomination in order to become a candidate for Super Lawyers, and the research team evaluates candidates according to a series of 12 indicators measuring professional achievement and peer recognition. A small percentage of attorneys who make the Super Lawyers listing will also qualify as one of the organization’s Rising Stars. Rising Stars include attorneys aged 40 or under or those with less than 10 years of practice experience. Only the top 2.5 percent of Super Lawyers fitting these qualifications will receive designation as a Rising Star.

[cullenmckinney]

The 2017 MSHRM Annual Meeting and Education Program

An experienced litigation attorney, Cullen McKinney helped establish the Tanoury Nauts McKinney and Garbarino, PLLC, law firm in 2009. In addition to his work defending hospitals and individuals involved in medical malpractice lawsuits, Cullen McKinney maintains memberships with several professional organizations, including the Michigan Society of Healthcare Risk Management (MSHRM). MSHRM represents the collective interests of the state’s health care industry in matters of politics, education, insurance, and more. In May 2017, MSHRM members gathered at the Inn at Bay Harbor for the 38th Annual Meeting and Education Program, which focused on new and developing trends in the risk management industry. Specific topics addressed at the 2017 MSHRM meeting ranged from the impact of recreational and medical marijuana on health care providers and administrators to health care literacy concerns in relation to patients with limited English proficiency. The latter session focused on both individuals who struggle with English health care literacy and those who live with hearing difficulties. In the fall, MSHRM continued to focus on contemporary risk management topics at the 2017 Fall Education Program, held at the Henry Center in Lansing, Michigan. For a more in depth look at both MSHRM 2017 education meetings, as well as other past meetings, visit the organization online at www.mshrm.org.

[cullenmckinney]

Detroit Bar Association to Host High School Students on Law Day

A partner at Tanoury, Nauts, McKinney & Garbarino, PLLC, Cullen McKinney focuses on medical malpractice defense. To further his professional practice, Cullen McKinney is a member of the Detroit Bar Association. The Detroit Bar Association is one of the three oldest bar associations in the country. It serves the community while promoting the ethical practice of law through practice development, networking sessions, and community service initiatives. One of the association’s initiatives is Law Day. Law Day is recognized nationally as a day for celebrating the law and its contributions to guaranteeing the freedom of all Americans. This year, as has been the case in the last two years, the association plans to celebrate Law Day by partnering with the Third Judicial Circuit Court to offer a special program to high school students in Detroit. Slated for May 2, 2018, the program will give young learners an opportunity to interact with judges and attorneys to learn about the legal profession. Students will also participate in contests and mock trials. Their performance in these contests will be reviewed by volunteer attorneys and feedback given during a joint lunch.

[cullenmckinney]

The Michigan Society of Healthcare Risk Management

For nearly a decade, Cullen McKinney has served as a founding partner at Tanoury, Nauts, McKinney & Garbarino, PLLC, a firm that represents health care professionals and hospitals throughout Michigan against claims of medical malpractice. Active in his field, Cullen McKinney is a member of the Michigan Society of Healthcare Risk Management (MSHRM). For more than 25 years, MSHRM has been working toward guiding the factors that shape the healthcare industry in Michigan. To this end, the organization maintains ties to the political arena as well as the insurance and education sectors to advocate for its members in an effort to make sure they are represented in all discussions and actions that could impact their work lives. The organization also keeps a comprehensive directory of its individual and institutional members. Perhaps most important, MSHRM is constantly working to develop innovative educational curricula to help members stay up to date on all the regulations and evolving trends that shape the healthcare risk management sector.

[cullenmckinney]

MSHRM Holds Annual Educational Events

An experienced Detroit-based litigation attorney, Cullen McKinney serves as a founding partner in Tanoury, Nauts, McKinney & Garbarino, PLLC. Focused on medical malpractice defense, Cullen McKinney works to stay up to date on developments in the health care industry through a membership in the Michigan Society of Healthcare Risk Management (MSHRM). To educate its members about risk management and assessment, patient safety, and other issues affecting health care, MSHRM holds webinars and various in-person events. Each year, the organization hosts two major annual events: its one-day Spring Program and its three-day Annual Conference. In 2017, MSHRM’s Spring Program will be held March 21 at the James B. Henry Center for Executive Development in Lansing, Michigan. Registration is free for MSHRM members and only $150 for non-members who would like to attend. Two months later, MSHRM will host its 37th Annual Conference from May 24 to May 26 at The Inn at Bay Harbor in Bay Harbor, Michigan.