About R. Steven Shisler, Esq.

Trial attorney since 1985. Opened own law firm in 1996, after prior associations with other firms. Areas of concentration: Plaintiffs' personal injury and other matters involving complex regional pain syndrome/reflex sympathetic dystrophy, other neurological injuries, and other serious injuries. Obtained numerous six and seven figure verdicts and settlements representing plaintiffs in personal injury matters in Pennsylvania and as co-counsel in other states.

Faculty member of American Association for Justice (Association of Trial Lawyers of America ) education department since 2000. Co-founder of the Association's Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Litigation Group. Frequently invited speaker on complex regional pain syndrome for legal and medical organizations and on television and radio talk shows.

Was instrumental in drafting and causing enactment of Social Security Policy Ruling for disability claims involving reflex sympathetic dystrophy/complex regional pain syndrome.

Elected to board of directors and as secretary of the Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome Association in 2013. RSDSA is an international non- profit corporation which provides education, assistance, and funding of medical research concerning reflex sympathetic dystrophy/complex regional pain syndrome.

Click here to read an article about Steve Shisler and about how CRPS changes lives.

Education

Dickinson College (B.A.)

Villanova University School of Law (J.D.)

Licenses

Pennsylvania teacher’s certification (inactive)

Pennsylvania attorney’s license, November 1985 - Present

Bar Admissions

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, November 1985 - Present

United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, 1988 - Present

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, November 1989 - Present

Memberships

Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome Association. Member, member of board of directors, and secretary of international non profit corporation raising awareness, providing education, and funding medical research for a cure for neurological condition, complex regional pain syndrome/reflex sympathetic dystrophy.

Organizations

American Association for Justice (formerly the Association of Trial Lawyers of America)

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Litigation Group of the American Association for Justice (Co-founder)

Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome Association (Member, 1999-Present; Member, Board of Directors, 2013-Present; Secretary, 2013- Present)

Speaking Engagements by Invitation

Social Security Disability Benefits and Workers’ Compensation for the Claimant with RSD
Help Stop the Pain RSD Support Group’s First Conference on RSD
Philadelphia, PA, September 1996

Obtaining Compensation
Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome Association’s Third National Conference,
Atlantic City, NJ, October 15, 1999

Obtaining Social Security Disability and Workers’ Compensation for the Claimant with RSD
Philadelphia RSD Conference
Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, May 20, 2001

Discovery in Gun Litigation: How to Get What you Want
Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Firearms and Ammunition Litigation Group
Montreal, Canada, July 17, 2001

Cross-Examination of the Defendant’s Medical Expert in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Cases
Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Litigation Group
Boston, MA, July 4, 2004

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy - The Latest Developments
Workers’ Injury Law & Advocacy Group
Washington, D.C. April 9, 2005

Overcoming Defenses in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Cases
Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Litigation Group
Toronto, Canada. July 24, 2005

Fibromyalgia: Trauma and Disability
Association of Trial Lawyers of America
Toronto, Canada, July 24, 2005

Workers’ Compensation, Social Security, Government Benefits, and the Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Case
Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Litigation Group
Seattle, WA, July 16, 2006

Overcoming Obstacles in Trying the RSD Case
Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Litigation Group
Chicago, IL, July 15, 2007

Cross-Examination of the Defendant’s Medical Expert in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Cases
American Association for Justice, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Litigation Group
Philadelphia, PA, July 13, 2008

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome in Workers’ Compensation and Social Security Matters
American Association for Justice, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Litigation Group
San Francisco, CA, July 28, 2009

Using Medical Literature in Cross-Examination of Defense Medical Experts in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Cases
American Association for Justice, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Litigation Group,
Vancouver, Canada, July 12, 2010

Defeating the Defense Medical Expert Through Medical Literature
American Association for Justice, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Litigation Group
Chicago, IL, July 30, 2012

Preparation and Trial of a Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Case
American Association for Justice, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Litigation Group
San Francisco, CA, July 22, 2013

Cross-Examining the Defense Doctor in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Cases
American Association for Justice, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Litigation Group
Baltimore, MD, July 27, 2014

Tips and Tactics for Success from the CRPS/RSD Superstars
American Association for Justice, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Litigation Group
Montreal, Canada, July 12, 2015

The Art of War: Using the Military Principles and Strategies of Sun Tzu and Von Clausewitz in Cross-Examination of the Defense Medical Expert in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Cases
American Association for Justice, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Litigation Group
Los Angeles, CA, July 22, 2016

Cross Examination of the Defendant's Medical Expert in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Cases
American Association for Justice, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Litigation Group
Boston, MA, July 22, 2017

Publications

How to Lose Your Case in Twelve Easy Steps, RSDSA Review
(Reprinted in Association for Repetitive Motion Syndromes, January 2001)

Workers’ Compensation 101: An Overview of Workers’ Compensation for Employees with Work Related Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, RSDSA Review

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome and Diagnostic Tests: Approach with Caution, Trial
(Washington, D.C., October 1, 2008)

Cross-examination of the Defendant’s Medical Expert in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Cases, Defense Medical Examiner: Defusing the Testimony, American Association for Justice (2010)

Published Opinions

Terra Nova Insurance Company, Ltd. v. 900 Bar, Inc. 87 F.2d 1213 (3d Cir. 1989)
(Insurance Coverage)

Rosen v. Rucker, 905 Fed. 2d 702 (3d Cir. 1990) (Damages)

Television and Radio Appearances

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
Central New York Morning
Radio station WSYR
Syracuse, New York. July 1999

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
Your Morning
CN 8 Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA. October, 2003

Cited as a Reference

Hodge, Jr. S.D., et al. Understanding Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, The Practical Litigator (July 2008)

Hodge, Jr., S.D., et al., Complex Regional Pain Syndrome—Why the Controversy? A Medical/Legal Overview, 13 Mich. St. Med & Law 1 (2009)

Paul & Perkins, PA, Cited as authority on complex regional pain syndrome on website of Orlando, FL law firm (2015-present)

Quoted

Jacobs, D., CRPS Suit Resolved on Day of Scheduled Trial-Constant “Stinging” Pain Affects
up to 1.2 M People, The Daily Record (Baltimore, MD, September 8, 2008).
Interviewed and quoted by journalist on topic of complex regional pain syndrome, in newspaper article concerning medical malpractice case handled by another attorney.

Other Activities

Co-founder of the Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Litigation Group of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America (now American Association for Justice)
Atlanta, GA, July 23, 2002

Chair of the Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Litigation Group of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America/American Association for Justice
2004-2005, 2010-2011, 2011-2012, 2017-2019

Was instrumental in changing the Social Security disability regulations for RSD, resulting in Social Security Ruling, SSR 03-2p: Titles II and XVI: Evaluating Cases Involving Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome/Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, Federal Register, Vol. 68 No. 202 (October 20, 2003)

Top Skills

Complex Regional Pain...
Spinal Cord Injury
Brachial Plexus Injuries
Brain Injuries
Amputations/Phantom Pain
Birth Injuries
Wrongful Death
Product Liability
Personal Injury
Injury
Legal Writing
Medical Malpractice
Personal Injury...

Trial Practice
Arbitration
Civil Litigation
Workers Compensation
Social Security...
Appeals
Policy
Litigation
Firearms Litigation
Pain Management
Chronic Pain
Insurance Law
Trials
Courts

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