Steve Hulsman

Steve Hulsman’s practice focuses on personal injury/wrongful death, insurance coverage, product liability, and class actions. An experienced trial lawyer, Steve has successfully pursued and defended claims involving, for example, catastrophic injuries, complex vehicle collisions (e.g., pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles, cars, trucks, buses and/or boats), product liability, road/traffic signal design, and insurance coverage/bad faith disputes.

Steve’s success for his clients stems from his belief in four fundamentals: experience, hard work, communication, and trust. Uniquely, Steve has extensive experience on both sides of personal injury/wrongful death/insurance cases, with the ability to understand how the other side thinks. He works tirelessly and creatively to get the best results possible, giving every case his personal attention and commitment. Making client communication a top priority, he updates clients at every stage of the process; you will have his cell phone and email, and can call, text, or email him any time. He also explains complex legal issues and answers questions in easy-to-understand language. In doing so, he builds trust by helping clients make important decisions and navigate legal complexities that may be unfamiliar to them.

Personal Approach

Clients enjoy working with Steve not only because of his track record of success but also for the personal attention and legal counsel he offers. With years of experience in both plaintiff and defense cases, Steve understands the big picture and knows the best approach for his clients. He is widely recognized for his ability to navigate the legal landscape, provide clear communications, and inspire confidence. Clients appreciate his dedication, compassion, and skill, and admire his balanced approach to matters involving difficult situations and personal loss.

When not working, Steve is an avid traveler, tennis player, reader, gym rat, and hiker (including annual Grand Canyon “walks in the park”). He is also an active member of his local church.

More About Steve Hulsman

Education

• J.D., summa cum laude, The Ohio State University, Moritz College of Law, Order of the Coif, 1986
• B.A., summa cum laude, Malone College, 1983

Bar Admissions

• Arizona, 1986

Community

• Cornerstone Church, Board of Elders & Leader of Thrive 55 (small church group) 
• Weekend Missions to Rocky Point, Advisory Board Member
• Crisis Pregnancy Centers of Greater Phoenix, Former Chair of the Board
• Mountain Park Community Church, Former Chair of the Board
• Malone College, Three Years Varsity Basketball

Representative Matters

Personal Injury and Wrongful Death

• Product liability and negligence lawsuit for the wrongful death of a sixteen-month-old boy killed in a fire station by an automatic-closing, four-fold commercial garage door.
• Dram shop lawsuit for the wrongful death of two sisters caused by a wrong-way driver who became extremely intoxicated at a local restaurant/bar.
• Dram shop and alter ego lawsuit against bar and its owner for catastrophic injury to student hit by drunk driver.
• Negligence lawsuit against boat repair shop for the wrongful death of boater caused by the shop not adequately tightening bolts on a motor they replaced.
• Negligence lawsuit against airplane pilot and air traffic controller for the wrongful death of helicopter trainee pilot in mid-air collision.
• Negligence lawsuit against impaired driver resulting in collision that left our teenage client a paraplegic.
• Product liability lawsuit against bus manufacturer and tour operator for multiple wrongful deaths and serious injuries when its tour bus rolled over and the top of the bus sheared off.
• Negligence lawsuit against a trucking company for serious injuries caused by its failure to follow Department of Transportation regulations in its trip planning and driver retention.
• Negligence lawsuit against barricade company for serious injuries caused by its hiring and retention of a driver who, while high on cocaine, fled the police in a company truck.
• Assault lawsuit representing a client stabbed by a television preacher.
• Negligence lawsuit for sexual misconduct by a counselor.
• Negligence lawsuits and insurance claims based on motor vehicle accidents (commercial trucks, buses, cars, motorcycles, bicycles, and pedestrians), product failures, trip and falls, dog bites, and a variety of other injuries.

Insurance Coverage, Bad Faith, and Class Actions

• Trial court and Arizona Supreme Court rulings on “stacking” of UM/UIM
• Obtained dismissal of class action alleging UIM coverage in Georgia was illusory.
• Obtained dismissal for property insurer of a lawsuit alleging insurance policy covered Covid-related business losses.
• Obtained summary judgment ruling for a victim of faulty construction work, after the contractor’s insurer denied coverage.
• Defeated class certification, and obtained a dismissal from Arizona Supreme Court, for auto insurer in a lawsuit contending UM/UIM selection forms should be provided in Spanish to Spanish-speakers.
• Defeated class certification for auto insurer in litigation challenging the use of med pay offsets in UIM claims.
• Obtained dismissal for an auto insurer of class action claim involving vehicle total loss claims adjustments.
• Obtained dismissal for property insurer of class action alleging bad faith failure to cover mold claims.
• Defeated class certification and obtained summary judgment for auto insurer in a lawsuit challenging computerized bill review in medical payments claims.
• Obtained summary judgment for auto insurer in class action lawsuit seeking uninsured motorist-property damage coverage for theft claims involving use of an automobile.
• Successful defense of lawsuits against insurers and insurance agents alleging breach of contract, bad faith, fraud, and punitive damages arising from a variety of insurance transactions, including policy formation, marketing of policies, underwriting, policy interpretation, claims handling, claims evaluation, and failure to settle.
• Coverage analysis and advice on various types of insurance policies.

Other Cases

• Defense verdict in a case alleging that serious knee injury was caused by ski shop's adjustment of the binding release settings.
• Directed verdict, during trial, of wrongful termination and punitive damage claim by a nurse against a retirement health care facility and its president.
• Defense verdict for religious organization sued for firing a deacon who did not reveal his divorce and remarriage.
• Summary judgment for mental health facility in case alleging vicarious liability for therapist's lesbian relationship with mentally ill patient.
• Summary judgment for bar sued for not stopping a fight that injured bystander.
• Summary judgment for property owner in case involving explosion of molten copper causing serious burn injuries.
• Summary judgment for business owner in serious sidewalk-fall injury, overcoming a City Ordinance requiring property owners to maintain adjoining sidewalks. Affirmed on appeal.
• Successful defense of the trucking company in several lawsuits resulting from the largest motor vehicle collision in Arizona history.

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