Lizabeth R. Hopkins
Partner
Merrillville Office
707 E. 80th Place Suite 303
Merillville, Indiana 46410
Lizabeth R. Hopkins is a partner in the Merrillville Hub of Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, P.A., bringing nearly three decades of litigation experience to the firm. Ms. Hopkins focuses her practice on general liability, personal injury, civil rights, and automotive negligence, including third-party liability and no-fault claims. Her background also includes handling complex matters involving contract disputes, environmental law, fire and explosion claims, construction defects, subrogation, professional liability, homeowners' insurance claims, coverage issues, and premises liability.
Throughout her distinguished career, Ms. Hopkins has served as lead or second chair in over 40 trials to verdict. She has a proven track record of defending cases on behalf of national and regional insurance carriers and corporate clients, particularly in coverage and liability disputes. Known for her strategic mindset and thorough pretrial preparation, she excels at crafting litigation plans tailored to each case. Ms. Hopkins is also well-versed in meeting the nuanced reporting and litigation management expectations of insurers, TPAs, and self-insured entities.
Ms. Hopkins earned her Juris Doctor from Valparaiso University School of Law, where she developed a strong foundation in litigation, and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Michigan State University.
Licensed to practice in Illinois and Indiana, Ms. Hopkins is admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana.
Representative Cases:
- In a construction case, Ms. Hopkins use of surveillance made an impact in the jury trial. The plaintiff, working from the roof of a movie theater, fell after not tying off and attempting to walk backward. He claimed physical and mental damages for $13 million. Ms. Hopkins noticed a dramatic difference in his behavior in the courtroom and suggested the use of surveillance. The video produced evidence of the plaintiff outside of the courtroom showing significant improvement in his demeanor and mental state, which called into question the severity of his injuries. This resulted in a hung jury, and the case was eventually settled for a significantly decreased amount.
- On a case involving an automobile accident, the plaintiff, a high school student, was rear-ended by the defendant. Although there was no visible damage to her vehicle, the plaintiff claimed a variety of physical injuries and attributed them to the incident. Ms. Hopkins obtained a defense verdict when the defense compared the lack of damage to the vehicle to the overinflated story of the plaintiff.
