Daryl E. Christopher Receives Douglas Award

Daryl Christopher receives Douglas Award from PAJ We are excited to share that on July 10, 2025, the Pennsylvania Association for Justice (PAJ) honored Daryl E. Christopher, partner at Schmidt Kramer, P.C., with the esteemed George F. Douglas Jr. Amicus Curiae Award! This prestigious award recognizes Daryl’s outstanding contributions to appellate advocacy and his unwavering commitment to justice for injured Pennsylvanians.

The Douglas award is presented annually at PAJ’s retreat and celebrates excellence in legal writing and oral argument before Pennsylvania’s appellate courts. Named after the late George F. Douglas Jr., a revered figure in the state’s legal community, the award has been a hallmark of distinction in the legal profession since its inception in 1995.

“Daryl Christopher exemplifies the highest standards of legal advocacy,” said a PAJ spokesperson. “His work has not only advanced the rights of individual clients but it has also helped shape the legal landscape in Pennsylvania.”

A magna cum laude graduate of both Juniata College and the Dickinson School of Law at Penn State, Christopher has built a distinguished career representing clients in personal injury, medical malpractice, and product liability cases. He has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America and Pennsylvania Super Lawyers every year since 2013.

Christopher’s service to PAJ includes roles on the Board of Governors, as a trustee of the PA Judicial PAC, and as former chair of the Amicus Curiae Committee, Publications Committee, and Future Leaders Section.

About the Pennsylvania Association for Justice

Founded in 1968 as the Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association, the Pennsylvania Association for Justice is a statewide organization committed to preserving and promoting a fair and effective civil justice system. Headquartered in Harrisburg, PAJ represents nearly 2,300 trial lawyers across the Commonwealth

PAJ members are dedicated to protecting the rights of individuals harmed by negligence or misconduct and ensuring access to justice through trial by jury. This organization provides its members with continuing legal education, legislative advocacy, and a robust network of practice-specific sections and resources.

Congratulations Daryl, from all of us at Schmidt Kramer, on this well-deserved recognition!

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Schmidt Kramer, P.C.partner Gerard C. Kramer won a personal injury action for $10,043,952.13 in Northumberland County on behalf of a volunteer firefighter who was the victim of Intentional Tort. The 50-year-old volunteer firefighter was seriously injured when a barn collapsed, causing a spinal injury which left him a paraplegic. The claim was brought against the arsonist who intentionally started the fire. It is believed that the verdict is the highest ever in Northumberland County.
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Yesterday a Judge in Union County (Lewisburg, PA) awarded a couple from New Berlin, Pennsylvania, over $4,000,000 because the husband was shot while turkey hunting.You might ask yourself, how does a turkey hunting accident end up with that type of verdict? In order to understand the verdict you would have to know our clients. They are good people who had their life wrecked. Plus, you would have to know the defendant, who should not have been hunting with a gun because he was prohibited after a previous criminal conviction.It is a good verdict, because the Judge was able to do two things with his decision. First, he communicated to two very good people that their losses were something that those of us on the outside could appreciate and value. Mike Hobbins (our client) is a 51 year old guy who lost his sight because a convicted felon --who should not have even possessed a gun-- went hunting illegally, and broke with impunity the most fundamental rule in hunting: identify your target before you pull the trigger. The Judge accepted the financial loss Mr. Hobbins' suffered, but listened closely to the evidence of less tangible losses. When Mike broke down on the stand, because his daughter would end up walking him down the aisle at her wedding, as opposed to how it was supposed to go, the Judge was listening. When Mike could not keep it together, because of how emasculating it was for him not to be able to provide financially for his family, the Judge was listening. It was facts like these that the Judge cited to support the $2,000,000 award for non-economic damages. Second, the Judge wanted to send a message. Union County is a hunting county. Many of the residents hunt there, and people from outside the area come to Union County to hunt. It was my impression, from the Judge's statements as he rendered his decision, that he wanted to send a message to the people in Union County to protect them in their sport. The rules in place to restrict people convicted of crimes not to have a gun are not to be broken. Hunting is serious and you have to identify your target before you shoot. When you turn your back on the rules that are set to provide safety in a sport, you risk being an example. Here, the $1,000,000 punitive damage award sends that message loud and clear.When it really comes down to brass tacks, the right action was taken against a Defendant who may never truly appreciate what kind of impact his reckless choices caused.At Schmidt Kramer, we are injury lawyers. That means we work with people who were hurt in car accidents, who were hurt by the neglect of nursing homes, or those that were seriously injured because of the reckless, thoughtless acts of others. If you or a loved one have been injured in Pennsylvania, we may be able to help. While the verdict yesterday is not one that is representative of every case we do, it does show that serious and dedicated representation can bring good results.Joe ChapmanJanuary 18, 2013
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$1,200,000.00 Personal Injury
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Daryl Christopher Receives Prestigious Douglas Award From PA Assoc for Justice

About the Pennsylvania Association for Justice