David P. O'Neal

David P. O’Neal has extensive experience in the legal and insurance fields. He began his career as a claims investigator in a Special Investigations unit of a major property/casualty insurer, which led him to law school. Mr. O’Neal then had an active litigation practice in Houston, Texas specializing in insurance defense with a focus on medical malpractice defense. He then assumed the position of Sr. Vice President of Claims for a major malpractice insurer, overseeing all claims and litigation. He also served as Chair of the Claims Section of the Physician Insurers Association of America for seven years.

His practice primarily involves medical malpractice and insurance defense litigation. He is admitted to practice in Kansas and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He is a member of the Kansas, Texas and Topeka Bar Associations, the Kansas Association of Defense Counsel, and the Defense Research Institute.

Mr. O’Neal graduated from South Texas College of Law in Houston, Texas in 1994, where he was a member of the Board of Advocates and participated in the National Health Law Moot Court Competition. Mr. O’Neal graduated from the University of Kansas in 1982 with a bachelor of science degree in Business Administration.

He has served as president of Topeka Young Life and chair of the Washburn Rural High School Baccalaureate Committee. Additionally, he has been active in his church’s outreach ministry program, having taken three trips to Honduras to drill fresh water wells.

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Areas of Practice

• Medical Malpractice & Nursing Home Defense

• Professional Liability Defense

• Insurance Law & Defense

• Healthcare & Hospital Law

• Peer Review, Governance & Risk Management 

• Commercial & Business Litigation

• Appellate Practice

• General Civil Litigation

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Accolades

• Recognized in Best Lawyers in America®, Topeka

  • 2021-2024 -  Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants

  • 2022-2024 - Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants 

  • 2024 - Litigation - Insurance