People
Mark K. Ostrowski

Mark K. Ostrowski

Partner

Mark Ostrowski is co-chair of Shipman's Litigation Department.

Mark has over 25 years of experience defending chemical and product manufacturers, public utilities, retailers, pharmaceutical companies, and business and medical professionals in complex tort and product liability actions. Armed with the latest case management and courtroom presentation technology and with ready access to many of the northeast's leading scientific, engineering and medical experts, Mark regularly handles cases in all courts throughout Connecticut and has appeared pro hac vice in many other jurisdictions.

By understanding his clients' businesses and their unique goals, Mark approaches each case with an individually prepared litigation plan. This allows him to manage risk consistent with each client's objectives while at the same time containing costs and protecting the client's brand. As a corollary to his trial practice, Mark is often engaged by clients to take the lead on post-accident investigations and in this context he regularly interacts with government regulators, OSHA investigators and law enforcement personnel. He represented 8 of the 10 passengers that were injured or killed in the B-17 crash at Bradley International Airport in 2019 and a confidential settlement was reached.

Mark was recently appointed by the Judges of the Superior Court to serve on the Connecticut Statewide Grievance Committee.

*Admitted only in Connecticut and Massachusetts

Credentials

Education

University of Connecticut School of Law, J.D., 1988, with honors
University of Connecticut, B.A., 1985, cum laude

Bar Admissions

Massachusetts, 2007
Connecticut, 1988

Court Admissions

U.S. District Court, District of MA, 2007
U.S. District Court, District of CT, 1988
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

Distinctions

Listed in The Best Lawyers in America®: Product Liability Litigation - Defendants (2011-2025); Commercial Litigation (2013-2025); Litigation - Insurance (2016-2025)
Listed as a Connecticut Super Lawyer®: Business Litigation (2010-2024)
Named "Lawyer of the Year": Best Lawyers Hartford Region Product Liability Litigation - Defendants (2018); Litigation - Insurance (2022)

Teaching Positions

University of Connecticut School of Law: Instructor, Trial Practice (1991-2000)

Professional Affiliations

American Bar Association
Connecticut Bar Association
Hartford County Bar Association
Connecticut Defense Lawyers Association: Board of Directors
Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association
Defense Research Institute
Connecticut Statewide Grievance Committee

Community Involvement

The Mark Twain House & Museum: Board of Trustees

Experience

Aviation crashes

Settlements Reached in Crash of B-17 Bomber at Bradley International Airport

After mediation before retired Judge Robert Holzberg of Pullman & Comley LLC, The Collings Foundation, Debra A. Riddell, Craig A. Rubner, Scott Rubner, Joseph M. Roberts, Joseph Huber, Jenny Huber, Thomas Schmidt, Linda Schmidt, and Joan Mazzone announce the resolution of all claims arising out of the tragic crash of the B-17 known as Nine-O-Nine at Bradley International Airport on October 2, 2019. While it is our sincere hope that this resolution brings peace and closure to those affected, The Collings Foundation deeply regrets the injuries and losses suffered by the passengers and their families that day. Shipman lawyers Bill Ronalter and Mark Ostrowski represented eight of the ten victims of the crash.

Catastrophic injury

$36,500,000 ARBITRATION AWARD - Defective Product - Catastrophic Burns to 3 Year Old Boy and 33 Year Old Father

Our clients, a 3-year-old boy and his 33-year-old father, suffered third degree burns to over 70% and 50% of their bodies respectively and we argued that a lithium ion battery exploded from an electronic device. We brought claims against the product assembler, distributor, and seller. After three unsuccessful mediations and more than 50 depositions, the claims were presented to an arbitration panel. The result of the arbitration was a gross recovery of $36,500,000 for our clients.

$1,200,000 SETTLEMENT - Defective Product - Loss of Sight in One Eye and Post-Concussion Syndrome

We represented a 52-year-old man, who was injured when a component part in his commercial truck failed causing an explosion. As a result, he lost vision in one of his eyes and had post-concussion syndrome, which included memory problems. We argued that the component part was purchased from one defendant and imported into the United States by a second defendant. We retained a mechanical engineering expert, a metallurgist expert, and an expert in truck maintenance in the field to prove our case at trial that the product was defective and our client did not cause the explosion. Defendant’s experts claimed that the component part was not their product since a portion of the product was lost in the explosion, that the explosion was caused by our client’s own unreasonable decisions, and that the post-concussion syndrome was not significant since our client continues to run a very successful business and did not suffer any loss of earnings. At a mediation, we used surveillance video of the explosion, photos taken of the component part under a high-resolution microscope, and medical illustrations depicting the damage done to our client’s eye that led to a settlement several weeks before the start of trial.

$5,025,850 SETTLEMENT & ARBITRATION - Defective Product - Catastrophic Burns

Our client, a 63 year old man, suffered third degree burns to 40% of his body when a defective product exploded during a social event. We brought claims against the product manufacturers, a large national retailer, and a third party consumer who used the product. After preparing a multi-media presentation, the claims against the various defendants were settled following an arbitration and mediation for a combined amount of $5,025,850.

Product and tort

National Governmental Firearms Litigation Defense

Connecticut Counsel to client in connection with the governmental firearms litigation that was brought in over fifteen jurisdictions throughout the United States.

Won summary judgment in multi-party products liability wrongful death case

Served as lead defense counsel in Connecticut Superior Court for an international equipment lessor in a wrongful death case asserting claims of negligent entrustment and products liability. After more than one year of hard fought discovery, including the disclosure and depositions of technical, medical and damages expert witnesses, the court granted our Motion for Summary Judgment at the commencement of jury selection.

Wrongful death

$1,650,000 SETTLEMENT – Defective Product – Death of a 58 year old man

We represented the estate of a 58 year-old single man with no children for a wrongful death claim against the assembler of a commercial truck. Our client was found dead entangled in a PTO shaft underneath his parked truck with a screwdriver in his hand while he was making a delivery for his employer. There were no witnesses to this tragedy. Our mechanical engineering expert opined that the truck was defectively assembled because: (1) it should have included a guard around the PTO shaft; (2) the pump in the truck was facing in the wrong direction requiring any repairs on the pump to be made while under the truck rather than along side it; and (3) the truck lacked any warnings about the dangers of going underneath the truck and near the spinning PTO shaft. Defendant denied that the truck was defective and instead blamed our client for going underneath the truck and putting himself in harms way. We had an economist that concluded the loss of earnings to the estate was between $282,000 and $397,000. After more than 10 depositions were taken of first responders, our client’s employer, the parties and our experts, the case settled following a mediation several weeks before trial was scheduled to begin.

* Please note that prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome in other matters or cases, as each case has a unique set of facts and circumstances.

October 9, 2024