Telephone: 316-265-7741
Fax: 316-267-7803
Email: laforge@hitefanning.com

Brad LaForge is a partner in the firm of Hite, Fanning & Honeyman, L.L.P.  He has earned the Preeminent AV Rating from Martindale-Hubbell and concentrates his litigation practice in the areas of:

• Wrongful death
• Catastrophic personal injury
• Pharmacy negligence
• Serious auto and trucking accidents
• Product liability
• Premises liability
• Healthcare litigation
• High value property loss
• Professional Liability

Brad has experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants in complex matters before juries, judges and appellate courts at both the state and federal levels. His experience working with both plaintiffs and defendants provides him a unique perspective on the issues involved in litigation and the problems facing both his clients and the opposition. This unique perspective repeatedly translates into favorable results for his clients.

Brad has defended both individuals and corporations against a wide variety of tort actions.

• In Wescott v. Lafarge N. Am., Inc., 197 P.3d 906 (2008), Brad successfully defended Lafarge North America, Inc.  (the largest supplier of construction materials in the U.S. and Canada) against the $2,000,000 claim of a contractor who suffered catastrophic personal injuries. Employing the Kansas Exclusive Remedy Doctrine, Brad obtained summary judgment on behalf of Lafarge, and had the dismissal affirmed by the Kansas Court of Appeals.
• In Porter v. Southern Kansas LP Gas, Inc., et al, Brad defended a landlord against alleged damages of $4,500,000 in connection with a propane explosion that killed one and badly injured another. Through the use of extensive discovery, Brad uncovered egregious failings on the part of the propane supplier and serious inconsistencies in the damages alleged by plaintiff. The result was a very favorable resolution for the landlord. 

In addition to various other commercial clients, Brad has worked with numerous insurance carriers to defend countless drivers and homeowners. 

On the plaintiff’s side, Brad has successfully prosecuted actions against corporations and individuals.

• In Meyer v. Brundage Bone Concrete Pumping (the world’s largest concrete pumping company), Brad represented an injured driver and uncovered the corporation’s attempt to conceal their truck driver’s positive post-accident methamphetamine test. This discovery resulted in an excellent settlement for the injured plaintiff.
• Brad has also successfully prosecuted negligence claims against the Walgreens drugstore, chemical marketer Univar USA, and countless negligent individuals.

Brad is admitted to practice in Kansas state and federal courts, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10^th Circuit. In 2008, he successfully completed the highly regarded IADC Trial Academy at Stanford Law School, a program for developing defense trial advocacy skills.

He is a member of the Wichita, Kansas and American Bar associations, the Kansas Association of Defense Counsel (KADC), the Defense Research Institute (DRI), and is a Fellow of the Kansas Bar Association (KBA).

In the community, Brad is active in his church and has spent 10 years volunteering with StepStone, Inc., a program to help women and children who have been victims of domestic abuse.  In connection with his efforts with StepStone, Brad received the Champions of Respect Award in 2009.

Brad received his B.A. in international relations from Knox College and his J.D., with honors, from University of Kansas School of Law. While in law school, he clerked for the Honorable Michael Malone of the Douglas County District Court. Brad joined Hite, Fanning & Honeyman, L.L.P. in 2001.

Brad was raised in Parson, Kansas, where much of his family remains.  He currently lives in Wichita, where he and his wife, Shalom, devote considerable time to the raising of their three young children, Adele, Madeline and Truman.

• Civil Litigation
• Wrongful Death and Personal Injury
• Pharmacy Negligence
• Serious Auto and Trucking Accidents
• Product Liability
• Premises Liability
• High Value Property Loss
• Healthcare litigation
• Professional Liability

• Kansas, 2001
• U.S. District Court, District of Kansas, 2001
• U.S. Court of Appeals, 10^th Circuit, 2002

• Preeminent AV Rating from Martindale-Hubbell
• Fellow, Kansas Bar Association
• 2009 Champions of Respect Award

• Wichita Bar Association (2001-Present)
• Kansas Bar Association (KBA) (2001-Present)
• American Bar Association (ABA) (2001-Present)
• Kansas Association of Defense Counsel (KADC) (2008-Present)
• Defense Research Institute (DRI) 2009-Present)
  

• Knox College, B.A., International Relations, 1997
• University of Kansas School of Law, J.D., with honors, 2001

• St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church
• StepStone, Inc. (Volunteer, 2002-Present)
  

• “Analyzing General Liability Claims,” Kansas Medical Mutual Insurance Company (KaMMCO) (2008)
• “Work Disability Thresholds,” Lorman Education Services (February 2004)